UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Bournemouth’s Lib Dem-led council scraps £70 parking fee plan after backlash from residents who called it unfair, too wide, and harmful to local life.
As reported by The Telegraph, in response to public backlash, a Liberal Democrat-led council has dropped its proposal to impose a £70 parking charge on local homeowners.
Bournemouth officials faced a wave of complaints from residents over the plans, which aimed to address chaotic parking by tourists.
The BCP council plan to tackle tourist parking
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council planned to install parking meters within a kilometre of the seafront to fund more tow trucks for illegal parking.
The plans included zones like Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs, Westcliff, Boscombe, Southbourne, and Branksome Chine.
Residents would have been charged £70 per vehicle to park on affected streets.
What did Millie Earl say about scrapping the parking plan?
Local leader Millie Earl announced the council had abandoned the plan shortly after it was revealed.
She said,
“We have listened and I want to give some assurance that we will not be supporting these draft proposals as set out in the survey.”
Mr Earl added,
“They are too big and cover too many roads, and we understand that paid-for parking through residents’ permits is not a solution people want. Without our backing, the draft proposals simply won’t be implemented.”
She plans to push the government to raise the £35 fine limit, saying it’s too low to stop drivers from breaking the rules.
The local council leader stated,
“We understand how passionately people feel about the chaos they experience at the busiest times of the year. We need fines for inconsiderate and dangerous parking to act as a proper deterrent and to raise the cash to invest in preventing illegal parking in the first place. But we’ve been ignored.”
What did Mark Davison say about the council’s U-turn?
Mark Davison from the campaign group BCP & Dorset Motorists said,
“[The council has] admitted defeat and run up the white flag. They are abandoning the whole idea. They realise the tsunami of public opinion was furious about this.”
What did Mayor Farquhar say about the parking U-turn?
George Farquhar, the mayor of Bournemouth and a critic of the proposal, said,
“I’m very pleased that the leader of BCP Council is taking the ‘off-ramp’ and has confirmed the administration will not support the paid-for parking in the large areas proposed.”
He added,
“Penalising the offenders is far better than asking residents for money from their pockets to park outside their homes. I’m glad that I put my flag in the ground on day one of this money-grab idea.”
What did Peter Schroeder say about the parking plan?
Peter Schroeder, head of the Branksome Park Residents Association, slammed the plan as “stupid.”
He said,
“This proposal comes from the same council that is selling off key car parks. It is hypocrisy. We say no to residents paying to park their cars on their streets.”
Mr Schroeder stated,
“We already have some of the highest council tax charges in the area. Charging residents and their guests and tradespeople doing work in houses and flats is a stupid idea.”
He added,
“The council should give much stiffer penalties to those who do illegally park. £50 is probably nothing to them. If it were £1,000, they would think twice.”
Key facts about the Bournemouth council
- Budget: £356m/year (£1m/day)
- Spending: 2/3 goes to vulnerable people (e.g. care, SEND)
- Council tax: 4.99% rise planned for 2025/26
- Waste collected (2024): 188,546 tonnes (413kg/person)
- Recycling rate: 45% (above UK average, below Dorset’s 60%)
- Landfill: 10% of waste (18,724 tonnes)