Barnet Council document exposes shambles in parking

Documents on the Barnet Council website expose the total destruction of the parking revenues caused by disgraced former parking supremos Brian Coleman and his massive hike in parking charges. The document details the changes to charges in Edgware, to try and bring shoppers back. The cat is let out of the bag in section three of this report

3.2 The proposed measures and reductions in tariff have been designed to cater for local trading demands and to encourage a higher patronage and turnover of spaces in the Edgware area. There is a theoretical risk that the reduced parking tariffs may not improve turnover and patronage to achieve the increase in parking income. This has been assessed against existing generated income, which is currently significantly below the level predicted for the current financial year. Should income not match currently achieved parking revenue, then a recovery plan will be developed by the Environment, Planning and Regeneration directorate to mitigate
the loss in revenue.

What will cause much consternation amongst shop owners in other parts of the Borough is the fact charges in Edgware have been massively lowered. This will give traders in Edgware a significant competetive advantage over traders in other High Streets. The new charges are as follows:-

8.24 It is therefore considered that the following changes be introduced:
Reduce the parking tariffs in certain short stay (existing 1 hour 30 minutes
maximum stay) pay by phone parking places on Station Road, Hale Lane, Manor
Park Crescent, Penshurst Gardens, Edgwarebury Lane, The Drive, and High Street
(Edgware Road) to:

Up to 15 mins: £0.35
Up to 30 mins: £0.65
Up to 1 hour: £1.30
Up to 1.5 hours: £1.95

Here is the document. Check the table in appendix C to see just how badly Colemans parking hike hit revenues. It completely supports traders Leader Helen Michael's assertion that the crackpot scheme has been completely botched and has damaged the council revenue as much as it damaged traders business.

I can only wonder what Helen will have to say when she sees that despite all her conversations with Coleman and his replacement Dean Cohen, people will be able to park in Edgware for half an hour for 65p. I would love to be a fly on the wall when she finds out .

   Edgware parking charges by