Conservative Councillors have continued to slam the Labour-Lib Dem administration of MKCC after the Cabinet Member rejected the opportunity to review the decision to double the minimum parking costs in Central Milton Keynes.
The decision, originally taken on the 14th November, scraps one hour stays meaning the minimum stay will be two hours for £1 and removes incentives for residents who have or are intending to purchase electric vehicles.
On Wednesday 6th December, Cllrs Peter Geary and Liam Andrews called in the 14th November Decision and urged the Cabinet member to consider the impact of increasing the costs for local people and whether this decision lines up with the Council’s climate pledges, which include decarbonisation of transport.
In under a week, more than a hundred residents also signed a petition set up by Milton Keynes Conservatives against this decision.
However, Cabinet Member for Public Realm Cllr Lauren Townsend, supported by Leader of the Council Pete Marland and fellow Cabinet member Jennifer Wilson Marklew, refused to acknowledge the importance of the issues raised and the call in was withdrawn by the Labour-Lib Dem majority committee.
Cllr Liam Andrews, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group and Shadow Member for Public Realm, said :
“I’m incredibly disappointed Labour are refusing to re-think this plan which will hurt local people by doubling the charges for those who need to quickly deliver an important document to a local business or pop into a shop and pick up their click and collect.
It just shows that the local Labour Party doesn’t care about motorists, they didn’t listen on the A509 closure and they won’t listen on parking either. As Conservatives, we will continue to be on the side of the motorists”
