15 May 2025
Increases in car parking tariffs and parking permits, the introduction of on-street parking charges in areas where it used to be free, the imposition of Controlled Parking Zones across the city, unwanted yellow lines preventing residents from receiving visitors or tradespeople…
Added together and it would not be unfair to assume that the Liberal Democrat administration at St Albans district council has something of an anti-car agenda. To make matters worse, penalising the motorist is not being offset by any viable alternative when it comes to travelling around the district, meaning it also smacks as something of a revenue-generating initiative for cash-strapped SADC.
In Harpenden, on-street car parking charges were implemented by the district council in February despite overwhelming opposition from local residents and businesses, with the town council threatening legal action as a result of the confusing and expensive scheme.
But last week HTC decided not to proceed with a Judicial Review after their legal advisors said the prospects of success of the proposed claim were not greater than 50 per cent, and the total costs liability after a loss at a full contested trial would likely be in the region of £100,000 or higher.
Town clerk Carl Cheevers said: “Whilst HTC is not progressing with a Judicial Review, we maintain the view that the proposals and the decision have been significantly flawed from the outset. We believe that given the importance of the decision, it should have been taken by councillors at an SADC committee meeting and not delegated to an individual officer. The lack of committee decision making is a significant flaw in the SADC Governance arrangements.
“We are very concerned as to the impact that the new charges are already having on local businesses and are calling for an urgent review of the policy. A recent press release suggests that SADC is open to a review of the scheme however the suggested timeline of that review, being in 12 months time, we presume coincides with or worse, comes after, SADC’s annual budget review. This is clearly not acceptable as that may be too late for some businesses that are suffering as a result of the policy.
“HTC will be writing to SADC shortly to set out the need for an urgent review. We will push for a change to 60 minutes free parking in on-street parking bays as we feel this will dramatically improve the situation.
“We will be calling on SADC to work with us to develop amendments to the current parking policy thereby instigating a new formal consultation process by them before July 2025. We are also calling on our MP Victoria Collins, to support us in securing an immediate review of the current policy.”
The town council will be reviewing their own parking assets to explore if they could be utilised in a different way to reverse the negative impact on the High Street.
These include Lydekker Car Park, which already has lower fees Monday to Friday than other car parks and is free at the weekend, and a business parking permit scheme which subsidises the annual costs.
In response to the decision, SADC strategic director for community and place delivery Chris Traill said: “We were confident throughout that there were no grounds for a Judicial Review and that the arguments put forward for it were flawed.
“The aims, outlined in the statement of reasons, have been supported by many residents. These include encouraging active travel, such as cycling and walking, and easing traffic congestion.
“We will continue to listen to feedback from the town council, residents and businesses. I am pleased to say that we are introducing two improvements this month with the assistance of our partners PayByPhone.
“The PayPoint scheme is now up and running, enabling people to make cash payments if they struggle with digital methods such as contactless or the popular PayByPhone app.
“Residents will be pleased to hear that we are also on schedule to introduce a one-code system for the app to replace the two code system that has, I accept, been causing some confusion.”
Meanwhile, the fight against the charges continues elsewhere in the town, despite promises of a review of the current scheme by SADC leader Cllr Paul de Kort, which includes the use of a single code for parking.
The Harpenden Society said while it had always accepted the principle of parking charges in the town centre, this needed to be in conjunction with a strategic review of parking across the town, as part of the planning for the consequences of additional housing required under the Local Plan.
A statement released this week said: “It is a shame that it has taken the threat of a Judicial Review by the town council, widespread comment from the community including ourselves and finally, the intervention of our MP to prompt St Albans district council to acknowledge that these new arrangements need to be reviewed, and by inference, improved. However, this review should be done much sooner than the 12 months offered.
“The current arrangements are confusing, difficult to manage for some of our residents, and have undoubtedly had an adverse effect on the economy of the town centre.
“The Society has always held the view that any charging regime should continue to allow for free parking for one hour, in line with the previous arrangement, and that any charges for a longer stay should be at a price above the rates applicable to public car parks, and subject to a maximum time period. It should be simple to understand and easy to pay for – something that has been belatedly recognised by the recent installation of a cash payment facility at two local shops.
“Accordingly, we fully support the town council’s call for the restoration of the one-hour free period, and a single code for authorised parking.”
Lara Wares, owner of Threads in Harpenden High Street, said: “I’m grateful to Harpenden Town Council for working hard to support Harpenden businesses and wish SADC would stop treating everyone as the enemy and instead talk, listen and work collaboratively with the town council and Harpenden businesses, as we all offer repeatedly to do.
“Chris Traill’s assertion that they ‘will continue to listen to feedback from businesses’ makes no sense when they have point blank refused a request, signed by 50 town centre businesses, to meet and discuss our experiences of the scheme so far.
“From our point of view, we have seen a big reduction in trade around school drop-off and pick-up times and many of our older regulars don’t come in anymore as they aren’t comfortable with the technology or feel too stressed by the 30 minute time limit. Tweaking the scheme so that older residents are supported, not excluded would be my number one request.”
In St Albans, independent traders in Victoria Street have launched a petition opposing newly introduced on-street parking charges in the surrounding area.
Jean Dennis, owner of Gallery 105 in Victoria Street, said: “Personally I am extremely disappointed at the lack of support from our MP who on the one hand has a recent photo promo showing her holding a drink and supposedly supporting local business, and asking others to do the same. Meanwhile, the street where she lives gets no backing for this ridiculous parking charge scheme.
“Now on the next road there are a load of double yellow lines to make it miserable for residents and their visitors. I really am not sure what voters thought they were going to get from this lot, it certainly isn’t help for those who work and or live here.”
She is referring to the situation last year when SADC launched a public consultation on plans to remove the single yellow lines and scrapping most of the one-hour waiting bays in Lattimore Road, eliminating the ability for visitors to park in the evenings and all-day on Sundays.
But the final vision has proved much more draconian – with all but six bays removed and double yellow lines painted on both sides of the road, restricting parking opportunities while also increasing the speed of cars using the street.
(In the interests of transparency, it is only fair to state that the St Albans Times is based in Lattimore Road, but nobody connected with the title has commented on this story.)
Resident Douglas Kintu said: “I think the alleged ‘consultation’ was just a procedural exercise and the decision had already been made whatever the objections. Indeed, what little space is left in Lattimore Road for parking is either paid parking with an obligation to move after a certain period or has become double yellow lines. As a result we can’t park where we live without incurring substantial costs. Where does the council propose we leave our vehicles?”
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I’ve just moved in and I wasn’t aware that double yellow lines were being installed.
“My dad is 80 years old and became a widower in February. Coming to visit me has become impossible for him now – and he’s not in a fit enough state to walk to and from the car park.
“I live on my own and friends and family are reluctant to visit because of the parking restrictions, which could create a reclusive lifestyle without any choice.”
A neighbour added: “I just don’t understand the reasoning. Previously you could only park when there wasn’t much traffic anyway, like evenings and on Sundays, so what was the problem?”
St Peter’s ward Green councillor Juliet Voisey was shocked to hear there were double yellow lines on both sides of the road: “I do believe there needs to be a balance between stopping unsafe parking and residents’ parking needs.
“I don’t quite understand how they expect residents to go about their daily lives accessing their properties to unload children or shopping, or have visitors or deliveries. I also understand concerns over speeding in a road without parked vehicles.
“Residents should contact myself and Cllr Simon Grover with issues they have relating to this and I can speak to SADC’s parking team with evidence of issues.”
The Liberal Democrats’ perceived war on motorists has also prompted comments from other political groups.
Eleanor Jackson, interim chair of St Albans Constituency Reform UK branch party, said: “We share the concern that local policies have unfairly targeted motorists. Making ordinary people’s lives harder will not achieve any environmental benefit, could encourage a rise in unsafe parking practices, and impacts local residents with damning consequences for both our local economy and community life.”
Cllr Matt Cowley, leader of the Conservatives group on SADC, said: “I can understand why local residents perceive the Liberal Democrats in St Albans district as having an anti-car bias. We’ve seen their attempts to make it harder and less convenient to park in all corners of the district – Harpenden and St Albans were slapped with new parking charges this past year; London Colney will see new charges coming next; and Redbourn only narrowly avoided plans for charges on their High Street.
“With the Liberal Democrats now set to be in control of our roads at County Hall, we will see in earnest how their anti-motorist agenda plays out across the streets of Hertfordshire. I expect we’ll see more money wasted on schemes that residents don’t support in an attempt to cajole us into changing our lifestyles in a way that we don’t need or want to do.
“That isn’t to say that we shouldn’t make it easier for people to walk, cycle or take the bus or the train if they want to. At its core, the job of our local councils – indeed, the job of all politics – is to make things easier and more convenient for residents.
“That’s exactly why the Conservative group supports making it easier and cheaper for people to use their car to get around, to see friends and loved ones, and to enjoy all that our area has to offer; but why we have also been fighting for more reliable bus and train services, for example. In comparison, this Liberal Democrat administration is making it harder for people to drive, but they also cut bus subsidies.
“But time and again, we see that this Liberal Democrat administration’s first instinct is to choose to make things harder and more expensive.
“We desperately need a change in the culture of the district council – away from policies that treat motorists as a problem to be managed and towards policies that put all of our residents first. Next year’s elections in all parts of St Albans district will be a clear choice between a stronger, common sense opposition with more Conservative councillors who want to make our district a simpler place to get around, or more of the same with more Lib Dem councillors propping up their huge majority and policies that make everything that little bit more expensive and difficult.”
Labour councillor Mike Hobday added: “”We all want to protect our environment by encouraging people to walk or use public transport. But the council is going about this the wrong way.
“Treating drivers as a cash-cow to subside the wider council budget is wrong. When the council proposes introducing charges at the free car park at Haseldine Road in London Colney, they are ignoring their responsibility to local businesses and residents who will be badly affected by the new charges.
“It is also wrong to charge residents more in residents’ parking zones if they cannot afford a new fuel-efficient car or if they cannot afford a driveway for their home – this is a tax on poverty.”
Deputy leader of SADC, Cllr Helen Campbell, who is lead for public realm and parking, denied the party was waging a war on motorists.
“The only war we’re fighting is the top-down war on local council finances – and so far, we Liberal Democrats have managed to protect council services against the odds.
“For years, local government has been under fire from Conservative council cuts and now we’re facing inaction from Labour. Our council has been left with no choice but to repeatedly find ways to balance the books to fulfil our legal obligations to deliver key statutory services.
“Like many councils across the country, sadly this now means a reduction in free on-street parking in order that we can balance the books, and car park fees raised to ensure that enough money is coming in to enable those car parks to exist and operate. We must also ensure sufficient enforcement of parking whether on- or off-street.
“At the same time, as local councillors we hear time and again from local residents who are inconvenienced by inconsiderate or dangerous parking or worried about road safety due to poor visibility and speeding. So we know that in addition to the ever tighter council funding from central government, many residents are keen to see safer roads and better enforcement.
“Given the dire state of public transport we know just how essential cars are for local people to get to work and to get around: that’s why we’ve introduced a cash payment option, successfully negotiated a one-code payment system, and have introduced an innovative Access Pass for older motorists.
“As we’ve said many times before, raising fees is not a move we wanted to take. But council finances dictate it and we’re trying to enact it in a way that improves our roads for all, too.”
