Council refuses to budge on most CMK parking permits

Labour Councillor Liz Gifford’s ruling was recalled by the Exceutive Scrutiny Committee last week and she pledged to reconsider.

But new documents show she intends to keep the SAME increase for vast majority of employee permits.

She has, however agreed to increase low carbon vehicle permits by 160% instead of 320% and multi occupancy permits by 167% instead of 333%.

Protesting Tory councillor John Bint said: “Councillor Gifford has simply added justification and excuses to these increases – it’s a bad decison.It is damaging to our transport and pollution aspirations and bad for CMK business.”

“There’s no line of reasoning for these increases.”

Standard employee permits will still rise from £1,125 to £1,688 per year.

Low carbon vehicle permits will now be £195 and multi occupancy car permits will go up to £80 a year.

Footfall across CMK shopping areas fell by 3.1% during 2016.

But Ms Gifford agrees that raising the cost of employee parking will not “adversely affect” the economy of Central Milton Keynes.