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Cllr Lucy Watt is Lib Dem executive member for environment on Islington Council |
Green parking policy is result of listening… not preaching
Islington’s green parking permits have angered some drivers, but
Cllr Lucy Watt stresses that they are part of a much bigger picture
GAS guzzlers” and parking charges have always been hot topics so it’s no surprise that a policy combining both has generated some heated headlines.
Many councils in London have introduced parking charges based on the CO2 emissions of different kinds of vehicles. When fellow councillors suggested we do this in our borough, we decided to hold a referendum, and let the people decide.
We set about designing a scheme we felt would be fair. The standard rate for a resident’s parking permit used to be £95. Under the new system, the vast majority of residents – two-thirds – pay less than they did previously, while those who have chosen cars that have a greater impact on the environment pay more.
We made sure we designed this policy to be “revenue neutral”, which means the income we receive from parking permit charges will stay the same, unlike many other boroughs which are introducing a similar scheme. More than 28 per cent of residents voted in the referendum (similar to most local elections) and 56 per cent voted yes – a clear majority in every ward.
The scheme was always going to be controversial. This is the reason why we chose to share the dilemma with the people of Islington and find out whether it was something they supported. Otherwise, we would not have gone ahead.
It is clear that to achieve real change in people’s behaviour, you have to take them with you, not preach at them. I want Islington to be the greenest council in London, but this will not be achieved by forcing change, but by helping people live greener lifestyles.
This is why our green parking charges are part of a package. Islington now has London’s fastest-growing membership of Streetcar – Britain’s largest car club – as more people seek greener alternatives to car ownership, with 29 cars across the borough that people can use, without needing to own their own car.
We are installing hundreds of bike racks, and delivering “Safer Routes to Schools” programmes. And we’re investing millions in improving our pavements and decluttering our streets.
We’ve made it a top priority to do our bit to help tackle climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Islington was the first local authority in the country to commit ourselves to this, with an official promise that we will reduce carbon emissions in our borough.
It’s our role as a local authority to show community leadership, and we are challenging not only individuals but also organisations about their impact on the environment. Earlier this year, we set up a Climate Change Partnership, the first of its kind, bringing together organisations from Arsenal to Starbucks, all of them, including the council, signing up to a target to reduce carbon emissions by 15 per cent by 2010, reducing the borough’s overall carbon emissions by about five per cent.
We’re doing all we can to make it easy for people to make green lifestyle choices – small changes that will make a big difference. We’ve just launched a Climate Change Challenge for residents, inviting them to sign up for free tips and advice on reducing their impact on the environment while saving money.
Hundreds of people have already put their names down and residents can join them by texting 60777. Or they can visit our walk-in Green Living Centre, in Upper Street, where people can get free advice on how to save energy in their homes.
We’ve even set up a £3 million Climate Change Fund, so businesses, residents, voluntary organisations and council teams can apply for funding for capital projects that reduce carbon emissions. We were overwhelmed by support for this, with more than 1,800 residents choosing to donate their council tax direct debits to the fund.
We’ve already seen several organisations and council teams granted cash for projects, from solar panels at Highbury Pool to green transport plans. The fund is now open to residents and we want people to apply for grants to make their homes greener, by installing renewable energy technologies in their homes. Renewable energy sources include solar panels, wind turbines and biomass boilers. The most suitable energy source will depend on the property, but our installers will help to recommend the right technology. To find out more, call 0800 953 1221.
Our green parking policy might attract more headlines but it’s just one small part of a much bigger picture. I think most people agree we all need to make lifestyle changes to make Islington greener, and there’s clearly a lot of support out there for policies that help people make these changes, judging by the response to the Climate Change Challenge and people’s enthusiasm for the Climate Change Fund.
Not everyone agrees on some of the tougher changes that we all need to make to our lives if we are to protect our environment for future generations. Sometimes as a council we have to make difficult choices because that’s what community leadership is about, but in Islington we don’t make important decisions without first listening to the community and taking it with us.
It’s important to remember that we asked local people about green parking – and it was a change most people in Islington felt we should be making.
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