Richmond LBC has extended its carbon dioxide-related parking scheme, following a positive response from residents.
The council has revealed the scheme has prompted residents into considering more carbon-efficient vehicles, and it has been rolled out to all on-street and surface level parking in the borough. All motorists who park in Richmond will now be charged in accordance to how much carbon their cars emit – with lower rates for the least-polluting vehicles.
A council spokesman told Surveyor: ‘We have seen clear evidence in the first two years of the resident scheme that this is encouraging people to think about the type of car they will buy.
‘We are at the end of the second year, and we are selling less permits for higher-emitting vehicles and more for lower-emitting vehicles.’
Cllr David Trigg, Richmond’s cabinet member for transport, revealed the council hoped to extend the scheme further by introducing it to multi-storey car parks by the end of the year.
‘The important consideration under the new pricing structure is that more than 60% of motorists stand to either gain or be no worse off,’ he said.
'We hope this scheme will encourage more motorists to drive less-polluting cars and, combined with the Richmond Card, this is going to make parking in our borough easier and more convenient than ever before.’
Last month, the council introduced a pre-paid card scheme – the Richmond Card – to enable motorists to make savings on parking charges.
Critics claimed motorists were becoming the ‘bail-out buddies’ of national and local governments, and dismissed the scheme as another revenue-raising venture.
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