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Pictured (from left): Lib Dem candidate Paul Thompson,
Nick Mavrides of Ace Sports, Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes,
Lib Dem candidate Ralph Scott |
Street works depend on fines from parking, Town Hall says
Campaigners say roads spring-clean slowing as less cash comes in from tickets
FUNDING for improvements to run-down streets hinges on how
many motorists get caught with parking tickets, residents have
been told.
Campaigners desperate to see shabby parts of Kentish Town Road
given a makeover say that the council has slowed down on a spring
clean because not enough money has been raised from parking
penalties.
The Town Hall has already admitted that it over-estimated how
much money it would rake in from parking tickets last year.
But residents and traders say they are now paying the price
for the bungled calculations with projects to clean up Kentish
Town grinding to a halt.
Caroline Hill, who lives in Leverton Street and organises campaign
group Kentish Town Road Action, said: “We need proper paving
stones to encourage new shops and shoppers in and to make it
the thriving high street it once was. Camden’s excuse is
that fewer parking fines have been extracted from errant drivers.
We are amazed that the Council’s budget for this important
work is run in the expectation of such a fluctuating income.”
Nick Marvides, from Ace Sports shop in Kentish Town Road, said:
“The council has told us that we can’t have improvements
because they do not have enough money. They are linking it to
money raised by parking tickets.”
In a bitter irony for businesses dreaming of the area being
spruced up, Mr Marvides is among traders who say the future
of their shops is in doubt because of strict parking rules.
He said that he could be forced to close within 12 months if
trade does not improve.
Mr Marvides added: “Parking is the main problem. Customers
don’t come to Kentish Town Road because they can’t
park. Lots of businesses have already gone out of business.
Of course there should be controls but the council is obsessed
with controls and it is squeezing business out of the area.
They should be helping family businesses like this – not
making it harder. They should be making Kentish Town a place
where people want to visit.”
The see-saw funding system for improvements was attacked by
Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes as he toured the area yesterday
(Wednesday).
He said: “It is clearly ridiculous that there should be
any link between spending and the number of parking tickets
that are issued. You don’t know how much money you will
receive from parking and so you can’t plan out projects
on the assumption that you will get that money.”
Mr Hughes made his visit to boost candidates in their bid to
unseat Labour councillors at May’s Town Hall elections.
He said that Lib Dems would end clamping if they took control
of the council and make it easier for drivers to park in the
area.
A Town Hall press official said that the council’s budgets
were finely balanced and that estimations were made about how
much money could be raised from parking fees. He added that
the cash was pumped into projects to improve the streets.
The spokesman said: “Kentish Town Road is a high priority
and the paving will be replaced. There are lots of different
priorities across the borough but the council is spending £200,000
on the area.” |
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