The Government is set to impose sweeping restrictions on parking spaces in a bid to promote ‘sustainable transport’, new plans have revealed.
Documents seen by the Daily Mail show that the Prime Minister is mulling over the plans, which will see councils be required to impose a limit on the number of spaces on new housing developments.
The restrictions will seek to discourage vehicle users in favour of climate-friendly alternatives like public transport or cycling.
Critics say it is a further warning to motorists, who will be squeezed for already limited and often expensive parking options.
Some campaigners also warn that shortages for off-road spaces could mean drivers resort to more dangerous or even illegal parking practices.
The documents in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework said they intend to ‘better support opportunities for active travel’ like walking, cycling, and wheeling.
The documents also state that the new parking restrictions will be a requirement, ‘rather than simply suggesting this as an option’.
The plans stated: [The policy] also introduces a more permissive approach to maximum parking standards, removing the requirement for ”a clear and compelling justification’ where such standards support sustainable transport, optimise development densities in accessible locations, or manage local road networks.’
The Government’s new plans will see councils be required to impose a limit on the number of spaces on new housing developments
It added that the plans ‘include new provisions for incorporating facilities that prioritise sustainable transport and adds explicit references to meeting the needs of older people, children, and people with disabilities.’
Labour says the Government’s proposed overhaul of England’s national planning policy framework (NPPF) and the new reforms will help the party hit its target of building 1.5million new homes by the end of this parliament.
The reforms are part of a consultation set to run until spring next year.
Back in 2011, the coalition government scrapped council-imposed limits on parking spaces for new housing developments since it unfairly affected car users.
In 2015, rules were tightened further, with councils only being allowed to impose parking limits where they had a ‘clear and compelling’ reason.
But under Labour’s new proposed plans, this will be completely overhauled.
Councils will be required to set parking limits – without the need to prove any justification for doing so.
It has been met with backlash by campaigners, who say the plans will allow councils to raise more money from drivers, and that if it backfires then there could be a rise in dangerous parking as a result.
Brian Gregory, of the Alliance of British Drivers, told the Telegraph: ‘This is a continuation of Labour’s intensifying war on road users.
‘They are quite happy to take billions a week from road-user taxation, while the roads are falling apart and there already isn’t adequate parking in many towns and cities.
‘This offers councils the ability to raise more money for parking charges and enforcement. It is just another way of extracting more money from road users by making it difficult to park.’
