Lambeth council is preparing to increase car parking charges in Brixton and elsewhere in the borough by up to 49%, raising a projected extra £2.8m in revenue.
The total council income from parking fines in the 2026/7 financial year is projected to be near £12m (£11,857,909.83).
Parking for the largest diesel vehicles will approach £20 an hour.
A council report says the increases are part of plans to ensure parking spaces are used more efficiently by discouraging all-day parking, improving parking for short-term visitors, and supporting local business by facilitating a steady flow of customers, especially in high-demand areas such as high streets, hospitals, venues and shopping areas.
The report notes that the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 does not authorise it to charge residents for parking in order to raise surplus revenue for other general or transport purposes.
“The purpose of the proposals is to achieve Lambeth council policy objectives to reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality, better manage kerbside demand by discouraging short or unnecessary journeys by car and encouraging the more rapid turnover of parking spaces, supporting general accessibility to amenities by encouraging a steady flow of traffic,” the report says.
Air pollution contributes to more than 100 premature deaths and more than 750 emergency hospital admissions for heart and lung diseases in Lambeth each year, according to the report.
People living near busy roads are disproportionately affected, “with higher rates of respiratory illnesses, asthma, and cardiovascular issues”.
Lower-income groups, who are less likely to own a car but more likely to experience the harmful effects of traffic pollution and poor air quality, are hardest hit, the report says.
Council plans, including the parking charge increases, “will address the disparities in social inequalities and overall quality of life as well as fulfilling our legal and ethical obligations.” It adds.
They are “designed to protect the health of all residents, particularly vulnerable groups, and to ensure that everyone benefits from cleaner air and safer streets”.
About a quarter (24%) of carbon emissions in Lambeth are attributed to road transport and almost half of these are from private car use, the report says.
Studies show that higher parking charges reduce unnecessary car journeys, encourage shorter stays and support a shift towards walking, cycling, wheeling and public transport, it adds.
The increases are part of a package of measures to realise the objectives of various Lambeth and London-wide initiatives on climate and transport, the report says.
The key one is Lambeth’s “kerbside strategy” which sets out how the council will prioritise the use of kerbside – where cars typically park – “so that it supports the borough’s response to the climate emergency, create more liveable streets by reducing traffic emissions to tackle inequality to create healthier places for everyone and enable a wide range of other strategic objectives”.
“Sustainable kerbside” priorities include:
- Enable accessible and active travel
- Create places for people
- Increase resilience to climate change and
- Reduce traffic and transport emissions
“Parking charges have a significant role to play in influencing the vehicles used on our streets and can support a shift to low or zero emission vehicles, public transport and active travel,” the report says.
Three principles are followed when setting parking charges:
1) if a vehicle produces more greenhouse gases, charges should be higher
2) if a vehicle produces more exhaust or non-exhaust pollutants, charges should be higher
3) if a vehicle takes up more space and increases congestion, charges should be higher.
Lambeth’s climate action plan includes these goals:
- Reduce motor traffic by 27%.
- Increase sustainable travel to 85%.
- Use 25% of kerbside space sustainably [not for parking]
- Enable net zero freight.
“The price charged to access a parking space plays a key role in influencing travel choices,” the report says. “By ensuring that parking charges reflect environmental impact, the council can encourage a shift towards low or zero emission vehicles, and in turn to public transport, and to more active modes of travel, such as walking, cycling or wheeling.”
Reducing reliance on private vehicles “will bring cleaner air, quieter streets and better health outcomes for residents and help realise the commitment … that 85% of journeys in Lambeth are made by active travel or public transport,” the report says.
A study by London Councils found that increasing parking charges by 10% reduces car kilometres by up to 5.5% and increasing them by 50% reduces kilometres by 21.6%.
Increasing parking charges contributes ensures that “vehicle ownership is not seen as more economical than using sustainable methods of transport,” the Lambeth council report says.
Revenue generated from Lambeth parking charges is expected to decline as owners replace vehicles with lower emission models for lower permit charges or move away from vehicle ownership and stop using vehicles.
Blue Badge holders will continue to have the concessions in place for those with mobility problems, including the White Badges for people who live in Lambeth.
For the purpose of determining parking charges, the council divides vehicles into bands from A to M depending on the emissions they produce and their size. Category A has the lowest emissions.
In central Lambeth hourly charges for a category A diesel vehicle will increase by 28%, plus an increased diesel surcharge of £4.26 taking the total charge from £4.45 to £9.94. For a category M diesel, a 49% increase and £8.40 surcharge will see an hour’s parking go from £7.54 to £19.61.
