Guildford decision throws on-street parking plans into tatters

Plans by Surrey County Council to impose on-street parking charges across the County were thrown into chaos last night when Guildford Local Committee unanimously rejected putting the plans for the Borough out to public consultation.

Proposing the rejection of the plans, Liberal Democrat County Councillor David Goodwin (Guildford South West) said: "Guildford Borough already has effective parking charges which are used to pay for park-and-ride. The proposals from County Hall are totally unsuitable for Guildford, and the business case for them just doesn't add up.

"Businesses in small villages such as Effingham have told us how they would be destroyed by the plans and residents in Guildford streets would be hit by suddenly having pay and display outside their homes. The plans are misjudged and totally inappropriate for Guildford Borough".

Welcoming Guildford's move, Hazel Watson, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Surrey County Council said: "With Tandridge and Guildford both rejecting the plans they are in tatters. It is time for County Hall to take notice of what 26,000 Surrey residents said in the e-petition opposing the plans and tore them up for good."