Redbridge park users pay �158,000 in parking charges in 9 months

More than �400,000 has been paid in parking charges by Redbridge park users in the last three-and-a-half years, it has been revealed.

In answer to a question by Labour Cllr Ali Hair, leisure cabinet member Cllr Sue Nolan said �151,000 has been paid in charges between April 2011 and mid-January alone across the borough’s parks.

Pay and display machines were rolled out across the borough’s parks and open spaces in 2010, despite strong opposition.

In 2010/11, �126,558 was made by the council in parking charges.

In the two years Hainault Forest Country Park, off Romford Road, Hainault was the sole park in Redbridge with a pay and display machine – between 2008 and 2010 – a total of �158,003 was made.

Across the four years, the local authority has received �435,903 in parking charges at parks and open spaces.

Cllr Hai said park car parks were largely “empty” at weekends, but Cllr Nolan said she would not consider removing charging at weekends, adding: “I believe the charges are really good value for money.”