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From: Dave Saunders
Date: 2/20/03
Time: 6:56:24 AM
Remote Name: 132.185.240.15
Most people who drive to London, already have arranged for a place to park that makes economic sense to them and unlikely to be
up to the possible £7.60 (£15-£7.40) per day that you suggest. If they can afford this then they can probably afford anything and nothing would stop them driving in. When the price of petrol went up statistics showed no decrease in the number of vehicles on the road. This was another revenue earner but this time under the guise of being green. Eventually this was recognised by the public and the price hikes finally caused road blocks by trucks and outrage by all drivers in general. The point is that people will not give up the comfort of their cars, with such a small price differential.
You can work it out for yourself that the price difference would not be that great. Do not forget
once a scheme is in place, a commuter parked in Northwood Hills would now also have to pay
for parking + the £7.40 cost of the tube. So instead of paying to park in
London, they are paying to park here (long stay rates) + £7.40 as apposed to £5 + parking. The difference in price is not enough to cause a build up around Northwood Hills tube. Not only does the tube cost more but it's comfort is subject to the weather,
it's dirty, unreliable, cramped and increasing in price at a rapid rate. I know. I use it.
Do not forget that this scheme is also suggesting people would walk many roads to get to Northwood Hills tube (another luxury). Coupled with the fact that a commuter would be wiser to use Pinner, I'm sorry to tell you this but the argument does stand up and the example is sound. You are just not looking deep enough, as the council would hope.
As for school parking, refer to the previous reply and work out the times that mothers pick up and drop off children. They would never be a parking inconvenience to a resident, which is the major argument the council use to introduce this scheme. Even if the scheme does come in, it won't stop a mother driving
from one side of the town to the other as they would already have a voucher and be able to park anywhere in the zone for no extra cost.
In fact anyone can park anywhere, including outside of your own house, for a
price that people will still pay but not agree with. Nothing would be changing apart from the council now get money and the people would suffer
charges and inconvenience.