Conservatives forced to U-Turn on Charges to Park at the Park
Conservatives in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead have been forced to U-turn on plans to introduce parking charges at out of town carparks following a two week campaign led by the local Lib Dems.
The campaign which involved petitons on both Lib Dem and the Royal Borough's website garnered the support of just under 2000 residents would have affected car parks across the Royal Borough, with Sunninghill particularly hard hit as well as the new cafe at Windsor's Pirate Park at Clewer War Memorial Recreation Ground.
"We're really pleased about this victory for people power." says Lib Dem, Cllr Amy Tisi who represents Windsor Clewer East.
"We just have to hope the Conservatives have learnt their lesson and will also withdraw the ludicrous Low Traffic Neighbourhood proposals too."
The proposals, one of several "Tory Stealth Taxes & Charges" designed to drag the council out of the deficit the Conservatives have run up would have affected the car parks at:
- Windsor - Clewer War Memorial Recreation Ground (The Pirate Park)
- Eton Wick - Hayward's Meadow
- Sunninghill - Bowden Road
- Sunninghill - Upper Village Road
- Sunninghill - Queen's Road
- Sunningdale - London Road
- South Ascot - Brockenhurst Road
- Maidenhead - Desborough Park
- Maidenhead - Guards' Club Open Space
- Maidenhead - Oaken Grove
- Hurley - High Street
- Cookham - Sutton Road
"It's great that the charges have been dropped, but we all need to remember that the Tory Dash for Cash is the result of incompetemt management of the council's finances over a decade. There will be lots of battles ahead as residents are asked to pay more and get less to cover the cost of Conservative failure." says Cllr Karen Davies.
The Liberal Democrats in the Royal Borough have suggested several ways in which the Conservatives could make alternative savings, but the Conservatives have dismissed all ideas but their own, which are causing chaos across the borough.