Richmond scraps emissions-based parking charges

The London Borough of Richmond has scrapped its pioneering emissions-based car parking charges following a change of political administration.
Richmond's new cabinet member for traffic said the policy had been "complicated and confusing" and had not cut emissions.
Many drivers found the complexity of the system difficult to understand when parking and paid the wrong tariff. There has also been no clear evidence that the result has resulted in changes in vehicle ownership as had been hoped.
The Borough introduced the emissions-based residents parking scheme in controlled parking zones in April 2007. Permits ranged from £50 to £300 according to the emission class of the vehicle.The principle was extended to all on- and off-street council-operated parking in October 2009.