Opposition is increasing because of the 'unfair' increase in parking rates

Many people in Bradford say they would rather scrap their residents’ parking scheme than pay the new £35 annual charge

Aisha Iqbal/BBC A close-up of a blue and white parking sign saying 'resident permit holders only', with houses and trees on a pleasant street in the background — Many people in Bradford say they would rather scrap their residents’ parking scheme than pay the new £35 annual charge

Four separate petitions have been submitted calling for the scrapping of annual residents’ parking permit fees in Bradford.

The £35 charge, introduced earlier this month, is part of a series of changes to parking charges in the city, which councilors say will raise £2.7 million over the next two and a half years.

However, some residents say they would rather scrap the schemes – which are designed to protect on-street parking for permit holders – than pay for them.

Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said she understood some people were feeling “annoyed” but the compensation was necessary due to “severe financial pressures”.

Christine Fox said the council should look for savings elsewhere rather than asking people to park outside their own homes

Aisha Iqbal/BBC Christine Fox stands in front of a sign that only applies to permit holders. She has short white hair and wears a white blouse with black stripes. — Christine Fox said the council should look for savings elsewhere rather than asking people to park outside their own homes

The new rates will only be applied upon renewal of a permit, the municipality said.

Around 14,000 residence and visitor permits have currently been issued across Bradford, which would generate around £500,000 per year.

Christine Fox, who lives in Bingley, said £35 may not sound like “a lot” but she felt “we shouldn’t have to pay”.

“We already pay enough road tax, council tax and everything else, why should we have to pay to park outside our own homes,” she said.

‘It’s unfair. Surely there must be other things they can cut back on?’

Julia Markham, who has lived in the same area for 27 years, said the licensing scheme was introduced when Bradford & Bingley’s head office was located nearby, but as that had closed in 2009 the scheme was “probably not even necessary”.

She said she believed many would prefer to have the scheme scrapped rather than pay for a permit, something she said would remove administrative costs.

Julia Markham said some areas no longer require parking plans

Aisha Iqbal/BBC Julia Markham stands in the doorway of her home. She has short brown hair and wears glasses and a blue zip-up top. — Julia Markham said some areas no longer require parking plans

Some residents are already looking to opt out, with one petition calling for the plan near Bradford Royal Infirmary to be withdrawn.

Geoff Winnard, Conservative councilor for Bingley, said people were “very upset” and there was a “serious chance” that many more people would try to undo the plans.

He said there were “many other ways” the council could address their financial problems.

“The more they try to tax local residents, the more frustrated people will become and I think there will be defaults,” he said.

“They need to stop treating Bingley and the surrounding villages like a cash cow.”

Responding to the criticism, Hinchcliffe said: “Parking is not free. There is always maintenance at parking garages that the municipality has to pay for. But if you provide that for free, then you have to charge or cut something somewhere else. So these are difficult but balanced choices that we have to make all the time.”

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