Lower Surrey Heath car park charges

Surrey Heath car parking charges were increased in April 2024 following the Surrey Heath Borough Council's strategy led by the current Liberal Democrat administration. This was despite a petition I set up in February 2024, which garnered support from over 1800 residents. Another resident, Louise Granger, also set up a petition about parking charges. The proposed changes in the parking strategy 2024 included, among other things: ​1- to reduce one hour free parking to 30 minutes 2- to replace the Sunday tariff with a standard tariff3- to consider a business case to introduce parking charges at Lightwater Country Park and Frimley Lodge Park ​I subsequently set up a survey to consider the impact of those changes on Surrey Heath residents, businesses and customers/visitors. Within three weeks, more than 1300 individuals and businesses completed the survey.

The results as of today's date can be accessed through the below link: ​SURVEY RESULTS

​I sent the Survey results to all the Councillors on 18th September 2024 before the Full Council meeting where the petition was to be debated, hoping that they would see the scale of the negative impact of their decisions on the lives of the residents, their health and welfare and also on the revenue and footfall of the businesses. I also sent them a list of questions based on comments received and the parking strategy. I am grateful to Surrey Heath Borough Council for allowing me to say a few words on behalf of Surrey Heath residents and businesses.

A copy of my speech can be found through the below link: ​ATTIEH FARD'S VERBAL SUBMISSIONS​The Council's meeting on September 18th was well attended. However, the results were far from promising. ​

Cllr Ashford, a Liberal Democrat, somehow suggested that we had about 60,000 car users, yet only about 3% of them had taken part in the survey. Almost 3,000 residents have to date supported my campaign. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to speak at that part of the meeting; otherwise, I would have mentioned that their consultation, upon which they relied on the parking strategy, seemed to have fewer participants. In light of their position, it is important that residents complete the survey if they have not yet done so. 

Some of the current administration's councillors also said the footfall generated from the parking strategy was flat, but the figures seemed not to have been shared with other councillors; even Cllr Shaun Garratt, the person in charge of financial scrutiny, did not know that such data was available. ​Several Liberal Democrat Councillors also defended the parking strategy on the basis that the state of the car parks was unsafe, that all the costs were necessary and that it should be car park users who should bear the costs of the repair and maintenance of the car parks rather than the taxpayer, which I find unreasonable and irrational as the whole point of Council tax is that the taxpayer helps fund essential services provided by local authorities such as supporting the local infrastructure. ​Cllr Ashford said the previous administration had not invested in our car parks. In contrast, Cllr Garratt clarified that the previous administration had, in fact, invested about £180k towards the upkeep of Surrey Heath car parks. 

​Cllr Whitcroft, said that the idea of voluntary contributions at town car parks seemed like something from cloud cuckoo land—perhaps he was thinking of Wimbledon, where such schemes are already in place.​I cannot accept all the costs set out in the parking strategy are essential or that the proposed £300k costs towards a parking management system are reasonable; the parking strategy 2024 itself states that some of the work set out in the strategy is not imperative. However, I agree that the Council is responsible for ensuring car parks are safe and that potholes are repaired, and we need to have well-lit car parks.

The Council equally has the responsibility to ensure that all vulnerable residents have access to local services and shops and that the costs of the car parks should not be an obstacle. It also has the responsibility to support local businesses. ​Later in the meeting, a motion proposed by Cllr Jonathan Quinn, Labour, was turned down. This motion required the Liberal Democrat-held Council to: 

​1- acknowledge the concerns that many Surrey Heath residents feel about increased car parking charges, primarily the reduction in the free period in pay on foot ("POF") car parks from 1 hour to 30 minutes and

2- to commit to "review the effect of reducing the free period in pay on foot car parks, on both the usage of those car parks and the impact on local businesses". ​

The independents and Conservative councillors supported the motion. Still, the Liberal Democrats did not support it, which was either indicative that they knew what the impact was and did not want it publicised or because they chose to distance themselves from it. Either way, they did not assure me or the residents that the Council was more concerned about the impact of its decisions and actions than its revenue. ​

Some positive news, however, was shared: for now, car parking charges for Lightwater Country Park and or Frimley Lodge Park are not planned; however, the bad news was that Cllr Ashford stated those charges are not off the table! My campaign, which I have tried to keep apolitical until today, will continue.​

I would like to thank Surrey Heath Borough Council for publishing the petition, all the Councillors including the Liberal Democrats, the Independents, the Labour and the Conservative Councillors for their contribution to the debate, to all the residents and businesses who took part in the petition and the survey, and also to all the volunteers such as David Natoli and Stuart Black who helped with delivery of the leaflets. Special thanks also to Cllr Mike Gordon, Cllr Paul Deach and Cllr Treffor Hugg, who, throughout the campaign, supported the residents and businesses, gave their time, met with me and raised awareness.