21 Dec 2025
In a remarkable political U-turn, a London Colney Lib Dem councillor has unexpectedly announced a reversal of plans by SADC to charge motorists to use a village car park.
Earlier this year, members of the council’s public realm committee overwhelmingly voted in favour of introducing fees at the free Haseldine Road facility, with a projected annual income of £66,000.
They ignored a petition opposing the measures which was signed by hundreds of village residents.
SADC subsequently launched a consultation reviewing the possible need for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in the London Colney area to ensure the parking provision continues to meet the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors.
The introduction of a CPZ can include resident permit parking, additional yellow lines, setting a maximum time a vehicle can remain parked (e.g. in bays outside shops), and parking charges.
A campaign against the proposals was fought by local Labour councillors Mike Hobday and Emma Turnbull, who said the fees would devastate High Street and Haseldine Road shops and posed an unfair tax on local families.
The SADC administration remained quiet in response, even after the consultation closed at the end of September.
Now villagers have been shocked by a surprise announcement from local Lib Dem councillor for London Colney Tony Lillico, who has previously remained silent on the proposals.
Speaking exclusively to the St Albans Times, Cllr Lillico, who is also chair of London Colney Parish Council said: “I’m delighted that, after weeks of constructive dialogue behind the scenes, I can unveil an amazing opportunity to transfer the ownership of Haseldine car park to London Colney Parish Council.
“This would allow the car park to remain free for the foreseeable future and eliminates the need for a Controlled Parking Zone. I’m calling on fellow London Colney residents to share their views with me ahead of a public parish council meeting.
“Having lived in London Colney for more than a quarter of a century, I’m all too familiar with the changes we’ve experienced, including on parking.
“To be frank, with less reliable public transport, people have had no choice but to have and use more cars, so the parking situation in the centre of the village has got
worse and worse. And whilst many people still enjoy shopping in our local village shops on a regular basis, others now choose to go to Colney Fields or elsewhere for
convenience.
“I am fortunate enough to be both a member of the governing Lib Dem group in St Albans and chair of London Colney Parish Council so have a unique view of the
challenges facing both.
“The district council is continually faced with difficult decisions. Repeated cuts to its budget by both Conservative and Labour Governments over the last few years have
made it a real challenge to balance the books, and parking is one of the few areas where the district is permitted by the Government to change its fees.
“In St Albans, there’s been a rapid rise in the need (and cost) to support people facing homelessness – a statutory function, the council is required to provide by law.
“So, I understand that the district council has no option but to make parking self-financing and implement charges to cover its costs.
“Of course there are those who want to politicise the issue and snipe from the sidelines. But up until now, no-one – not even opposition councillors – had come up
with a viable alternative.
“Last year, the Conservatives proposed to pay for free parking by scrapping CCTV in vital locations across the district. To cut CCTV – especially at a time when
residents and small shops are feeling the impact of snatch and retail thefts would have been completely and utterly reckless.
“Labour councillors haven’t proposed any viable alternatives at all. Instead they’re keen to claim credit for everything that happens locally without taking any responsibility for their party’s actions in Westminster.
“Labour’s unfair increases in National Insurance contributions (the ‘jobs tax’) and ill- considered business rates increases have blighted small businesses in London Colney, and their failure to tackle the cost of living has left many in the village on the breadline. Trying to use parking as a way to deflect responsibility for the failures of their Labour Government is shameful. It’s not surprising that they’re haemorrhaging support.
“Meanwhile, some of us are getting on with the job of trying to make things better for our village. That’s why I’m so pleased that my idea could work out. I hope people will
see that this is a pragmatic solution delivered by two competent Liberal Democrat led councils.
“I feel confident that the solution I am proposing is right for London Colney but really welcome feedback.”
He has launched a survey on the Haseldine Road car park proposals at https://tinyurl.com/429srf5t and holding a public meeting on Sunday January 18 at 3pm at the Caledon Centre.
Cllr Hobday, who has been fighting against charging for Haseldine Road for more than a year, welcomed the decision.
“If the Liberal Democrats have backed down, then this is an incredible victory for people power! The proposal to charge motorists to use the Haseldine Road car park would have been the kiss of death for local shops and restaurants. The later proposal, to add a residents parking zone and to charge residents to park outside their homes, would have made things even worse.
“Local residents simply couldn’t understand why the council was penalising them. Or why local Liberal Democrat councillor Tony Lillico was supporting the council.
“Cllr Emma Turnbull and I repeatedly raised the issue of charging for parking in London Colney at full council and at committee meetings. At no stage did we get the active support of a single Liberal Democrat councillor. When we proposed an amendment to the council budget to remove the presumption of income from parking charges, the Liberals insisted on banking the income and voted the amendment down.
“The council’s U-turn is tremendous news. But it is clear to local residents where the credit should lie. Emma and I worked with local shops and restaurants, with churches and mosques, with GP and dentist surgeries, to collect signatures on two positions.
“Every single independent shop in the centre of the village was involved in the campaign. There was total community support against the Liberal Democrat proposals. If this is a victory it belongs to the people and not to councillors who tried to claim credit after 18 months of silence and just before the local elections.
“The next steps are that both the parish council and the district council need to make formal decisions to support the asset transfer. Emma Turnbull and I will give our active support to this at the district council, and we hope that it will be approved.
“But the hard work will continue. St Albans council has neglected the car park and it will need to see pothole repairs and eventual resurfacing. Emma and I will continue to offer our full support to local shops and businesses.”
