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Drop your parking changes before it's too late, Boris tells Westminster

Evening Standard   3 Nov 2011

• West End businesses unite to condemn 'despicable' move

Boris Johnson today called on Westminster council to abandon plans for night-time West End parking charges following a huge public backlash.

The Mayor hit out at the council's plans to impose a "tax on nightlife" which will raise millions of pounds and said: "It needs to be reviewed."

The council is proposing to abolish free parking on single yellow lines and parking bays between 6.30pm and midnight Monday to Saturday, and between 1pm and 6pm on Sundays. Parking will cost up to 4.80 per hour.

Mr Johnson today criticised the plans and told the Standard that he "warned" the council that the charges were a bad idea "months and months ago".

In a meeting at City Hall with council leader Colin Barrow last night the Mayor raised the issue and said he was given "reassurance...that this will be reviewed". He said today: "We have been talking to them over the past few months and are making this point as forcefully as we can."

But despite growing public anger Mr Barrow today remained defiant and insisted that he will go ahead with the scheme and the charges will only be reviewed after 18 months.

The council is being taken to the High Court following a rebellion led by top chefs, actors and night-time workers. In the biggest legal challenge of its kind, they will seek a judicial review of Westminster's plans.

Mr Johnson said: "It's something that I actually raised with Westminster months and months ago when they were planning this. I am worried about the threat to the night economy, the threat to local businesses and also to worship. The reassurance I've had is that this will be reviewed. They will take a view on all the aspects of it and that can only be a good thing. I think it's not a good idea. That's my view. I don't own every street and every pavement in London, but in this situation I support the people who are against it.

"I warned them strongly about the move but it came in."

Mr Barrow today ignored the Mayor's intervention and said: "This is and always was an experimental scheme. Everything will be up for review towards the end of the 18 months and not before.

"Boris's position is he is concerned about it as a number of people are - about their businesses, how they are going to get home - but if we thought it would have a major impact on businesses we would worry more. We have come to the conclusion it is better for businesses to reduce congestion." At an event to celebrate the gyratory around Piccadilly Circus becoming two-way Mr Johnson added: "I was concerned from day one months ago when this was first mooted and spoke to Colin then because of the potential damage to the night-time economy. It is pretty clear people are not happy."

Paul Dimoldenberg, Labour leader on Westminster council, criticised Mr Barrow and called on him to abandon his proposal. He said: "Every day somebody new comes out against this ridiculous parking charge. The fact that the Mayor has come out is extremely significant.

"The West End should not have to endure 18 months of this experiment in order to be proved wrong. Colin Barrow should perform a U-turn before he is responsible for damaging the West End economy."

Your say: We can't afford to pay

Khiley Williams, 24, receptionist, dancer and actor, lives in Sydenham: "I work at Quo Vadis restaurant in Soho and I rely on being able to park on the single yellow lines in the evenings. It will eat up a huge chunk of my money if I have to pay more than 4 an hour just so I can get home safely.

"I often finish at 2am and it would cost me about 30 for a taxi. I can't afford that. This is ridiculous and will affect a lot of people I know."

Paul Robinson, 42, manager of Bar Italia in Soho, lives in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire: "I sometimes don't finish until 4.30am or 5am and then it takes an hour and a half to drive home. With these new charges, plus petrol and congestion charge, I'm looking
at paying 50 a day on transport just to come to
work. I have three kids - I just can't afford that on my wage."

Amy Conroy, 26, welcome desk manager at W London hotel in Wardour Street, lives in Acton: "I don't want any of my staff having to walk to get their car in the early hours of the morning. It's not safe.

"The thought of getting public transport at that time of night is bad enough - just walking five minutes to catch the bus is a worrying situation if you are on your own. It's also bad for customers. What's the point of having roads if you can't use them?"

Reader views (52)

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Parking should be cheap and available in London. No other city, or indeed country, exploits motorists like Britain. It makes us look grasping and greedy, which councils and many institutions are. We are turning into a thoroughly unpleasant and expensive country where people are not very nice and think of nothing but money and how to get more of it. It will all end in tears.

- Dave, Devon, UK, 04/11/2011 00:23
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I lived and worked in London for ten years before i had the sense to move out but whilst there i had a monthly expenses allowance that covered parking..Now i used to carry out a vast amount of works on LUL and other rail networks on night shift and i know how bad it is in central but why don't all companies offer to give their staff an expenses allowance if these ridiculous changes come into play.After all it's not only the councils who need a wake up call it's businesses as well.Surely they respect their staff?.

- Col, Toon, 04/11/2011 00:22
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When Camden Council introduced weekend parking charges for Kentish Town, half of the shops closed down. As always, greed prevailed and Camden realised they would lose more money in rates (than parking charges) and were slowly facing the death of a high street.

Westminster council will obviously have to learn their lesson too. Not before local businesses are forced to shut down, though.

Pity our pen-pushers with 6 figure salaries are so short sighted.

- Simon, London, 04/11/2011 00:00
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Westminster if you really care about the level of congestion in London at night, then get rid of the rickshaws and open up the roads. If you care about extracting as much money as you can from motorists, just carry on.

- Mr S.Port, London, 03/11/2011 23:35
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I've been a Londoner all my long life. Who in their right mind would want to drive into the West End? That's what trains, taxis, buses and tubes are for innit?
And Luke, you're coming across as a proper sad-sack, buddy... a whingeing Pom. You sound like you've never been outside of Welwyn Garden City. Get a life son, before its too late.

- Crazy Hippie, 10 Drowning Street SW1 1AA, 03/11/2011 22:50
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The core problem is London is overpopulated

2 days ago a Downing Street Petition was started

' No to 70 million '

It is already 70,000 signatures so is ISSUE NUMNER 1 .

- actionnow, london, 03/11/2011 22:47
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Luke see that chip on your shoulder

- remus, london, 03/11/2011 22:38
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@Luke, London, 03/11/2011 19:40

What you fail to acknowledge is that the immediate surrounding zones to these three parking zones already have late parking restrictions that inhibit workers and visitors.

The only areas that now retain the 18:30 onwards free parking are at the edges of the borough, meaning any late-night workers in these three zones who are still obliged to drive into work will suffer a good 10/15 minute walk to their car at 3am (nice and safe), or accept 10-30 off their wages every day.

And I'm sure the residents of the zones that still employ the 18:30 cut-off time will love the huge influx of commuters seeking free parking.

But that's Westminster council's real motivation.

They're manipulating parking and congestion so that they can eventually install a blanket charge to non-residents (and residents too if they're forced to park in a chargeable parking bay at certain times) over the entire borough.

More money in the pocket for the council, while businesses and employees in the area bear the brunt of their parking policy. It's a stealth tax on businesses, employees and customers of the West End. No doubt about it.

Talk of congestion, the environment or any of that nonsense is used to sell yet another surreptitious tax to the naive.

- Michael, Earlsfield, 03/11/2011 22:38
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@ Remus - can you even hear yourself?! One goes to dinner does one and often to ones club! Sounds like you can afford to pay for parking!

- Luke, London, 03/11/2011 22:00
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The folk on here who support WCC really surprise me (although I do wonder how many work for WCC). If you actually have the nerve to support a totally corrupt and self serving entity such as WCC you can't expect to be taken seriously.

- Uncle Paulie, N London, 03/11/2011 21:49
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Luke

Still does not help when I go to a dinner and a club mid week . Last train 11.30 . Plus we often move car to west end later in day .Plus most bays in Chelsea and Belgravia are now residents so not easy to park there . So every year London becomes more of a pain . In the good old days before Labour overpopulated London you could park anywhere .

- remus, london, 03/11/2011 21:07
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@ European - Central London will be gridlock and closed to traffic pretty much thanks to the Olympic route network which will run from Hyde Park to the stadium
and other venues. You won't be able to get to the West End by car, let alone park there. Seems like a sensible policy to me this, I saw a bus scrape the side of a car behind Oxford Street the other Sat because all the cars parked on yellow lines forced two lanes down to one. The damaged car was parked on a single yellow. Serves them right.

- Geo, Clapham, 03/11/2011 19:59
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The provision of parking spaces are a service. You use the service you should pay for it. Stop moaning. And if it means the money is used to help pay for social services, helping the needy and poor and vulnerable in Westminster, then good. In these hard times they need the most help.

- Tom, Soho, 03/11/2011 19:51
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@ Remus - the plans don't change anything in Chelsea. It's only for three West End parking zones. Your lifestyle of Saturday visits to London won't cost any more. Maybe you should stop jumping up and down and actually read what the changes are rather than the nonesense posted on here.

- Luke, London, 03/11/2011 19:40
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West End Bar/Club DJ: I live out of london where its alot cheaper and people are able to live a little more without being dictated by a local council for everything they do that involves a wallet.
Unfortunately in this example I just have to commute into london some weekends late at night. I dont leave until 5am in the morning. Because of where i live I can not use public transport and therefore I have to drive into london for work. I this is outrageous to charge over 4 per hour, the average barman on a saturday night earns a little over that. Its like working just to pay for your parking... Oh and lets not forget about TAX on top of your average barman earnings. Its all a greedy money grabbing campaign to simply make everyones lives even more complicated while they laugh at us!!

- RobD, Guildford, 03/11/2011 18:23
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@fred, london, 03/11/2011 16:36

Fred, your reasoning is so specious it's staggering.

So because half of Londoners don't need, can't afford or choose not to have a car that means that nobody in London needs one, right? Wrong.

I'm sure our already creaking transport system would welcome the number of passengers doubling if those hundreds of thousands who you see driving to work, to the shops, to school etc were to ditch their cars.

Your reasoning on the subsidisation of parking is also irrational. I know full well that my council tax pays for numerous features in our infrastructure and our society that I don't personally utilise.

I also recognise that people from outside my borough will travel into it and use some of the facilities on regularly. But since they're contributing to the local economy and given that they're paying for the upkeep of the infrastructure in their own borough (which I am free to enter and utilise), I appreciate that there's give and take.

Non-drivers don't pay for drivers to park, they pay for the facilities to be available for them to utilise should they choose.

Just as, for example, drivers pay for public transport facilities they often don't use; or how non-cyclists pay for the cycle lanes they may never use.

The residents of Westminster's council taxes go towards the upkeep of the general infrastructure, whether used by them or by visitors, by drivers or by pedestrians/cyclists, just as the residents of other boroughs do in turn.

- Michael, Earlsfield, 03/11/2011 18:22
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Well West End congestion is being made worse by all these extra (largely empty) double deck buses Boris is flooding London with. With 400 Artics being replaced by around 700 buses by the end of the year!!

The City of Westminster would make a good case for anyone who argued for using Proportional Representation in local council elections!!!

As for Boris making Piccadilly 2 way well what Boris is really doing is simply using what Ken planned to use as a 2 way bus lane on the south side of Piccadilly when in reality there is very little westbound trafic in Piccadilly while Eastbound Boris has taken half the carraigeway for a bus lane!!!

Boris simply cant understand that sepperating buses and cars is the best way forward for ALL road users!

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 03/11/2011 18:21
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Note to Uncle Remus, just read that Bugatti has a drag coefficient of 0.41 so not as clever as all that but pleased to see that the gearbox is made in England. Does the Bugatti really need to have its wheels sent back to the factory for a tyre change ?

- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 03/11/2011 18:15
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People haven't thought this through. Charging for parking will help people seeing shows if it means spaces become available. 2 or 3 hours costing a few pounds is nothing compared to ticket prices and petrol these days. What it will stop is people leaving their cars in the middle of the West End for hours and days upon end.

- Simon, London, 03/11/2011 17:24
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People haven't thought this through. Charging for parking will help people seeing shows if it means spaces become available. 2 or 3 hours costing a few pounds is nothing compared to ticket prices and petrol these days. What it will stop is people leaving their cars in the middle of the West End for hours and days upon end.

- Simon, London, 03/11/2011 16:51
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We always use public transport for the centre. But my daughter cannot risk 'rape alley' near her NW London work, and has to drive to join us. Thus she is always late and missing pre-theatre supper, for looking for 'somewhere to park'. So now, 'nowhere to park'?

- Steve, London, England, 03/11/2011 16:40
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@Michael

Half of Londoners don't have a car. They seem to survive. They even seem to manage to shop, take kids to school etc.

What's more, they end up subsidising cheap or free (certainly way less than market-price) on-street parking for all those who do own a car. And having to negotiate councils (like Westminster, most of the time) who treat those cycling and walking like second class citizens.

It's amazing how good Tories suddenly go cold on the market when their little privileges are under threat. It's absolutely fair to charge people a market price for parking, and to charge for all the harm driving in the city does to the environment and public health.

A couple of thousand people on foot or bikes take up very little space. A couple of thousand cars are enough to jam up the West End.

- fred, london, 03/11/2011 16:36
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"Meanwhile residents pay astronomical council tax bills but motorists expect everything for free!- John, London"

I don't know on what planet you live, but WestMonster has the second lowest council taxes in the country. A band D house pays 50% of what I pay.

And how can motorists be subsidized when we have the highest petrol and diesel cost of the entire universe?

You must really try harder.

- John Smith, London, EUSSR, 03/11/2011 16:28
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Just as well that Boris has finally come out, maybe only because Ken Livingstone did two days ago, and he felt that he was losing credibility.

However, if Colin Barrow sticks to the eighteen month 'experiment', by the end of that enough permanent harm will have been done that cant be undone.

Theatres and churches will have suffered a huge loss in attendances and therefore money, businesses will have closed.

People will have had to give up their jobs or have suffered a severe loss in income.

It should be scrapped completely before it ever starts and Boris should make that absolutely clear or there will be a backlash against the Conservatives.

- Richard Bradford, Chiswick, London, 03/11/2011 16:21
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Jack Spratt

Agree and DS in my top 20 classics but I think I would rather go for best car ever made in France with Bugatti Veyron . I guess it is a VW so perhaps does not count .

- remus, london, 03/11/2011 16:07
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The extra revenue could be used for good causes. Bring it on I say!

- Gurc, London, 03/11/2011 15:57
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They should pedestrianise much of the West End (apart from specific loading times, e.g. 6am-8am). This would massively increase the desirability, footfall and total customer time in the area.

The council need to stop pandering to the few rich people who demand to drive everywhere, the vast majority of people going to the West End do so via public transport. Instead council bosses (and buffoons like Boris) continue only to listen to those in their above 100k earning circles, not the general public.

- Paul, London, 03/11/2011 15:53
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Ditch the car, and if you're coming home late at night, use the money you save on insurance, depreciation, petrol and residents' parking to pay for your minicab.

- fred, london, 03/11/2011 14:32

You do realise that people need cars for things other than getting to work. Many of those workers who drive into work in central London will still need their car for other reasons. During the day when they're not working their wives/husbands will likely be using it to take the kids to school, pick up the shopping, or any number of other chores. It's not as simple as saying give up the car and take cabs, or public transport; as if the car is only ever used to get to and from work.

And for late night workers, should they really have to compete with the drunken revellers for cabs to get home from work? If you've been out in central London recently you'd find that getting a legitimate, licensed minicab is nigh on impossible (not to mention expensive) on a busy night. That's why many people resort to the illegal minicabs that line the streets. Hardly safe is it.

Finally, is your final paragraph meant to be deliberately contradictory? How do "a couple of thousand people" who drive into London and park up for hours "make life noisy, polluted and dangerous" for everybody else? I think you'll find those that drive into work or to a night out in central London are a tiny, tiny drop in the ocean of London's congested through traffic.

- Michael, Earlsfield, 03/11/2011 15:38
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Boris is just after the short-sighted motorist votes again. Normally he is all for councils reducing their deficit, which is vitally important, but prefers it done in sneaky ways (hiking up behind-the-scenes business costs, VAT, reducing pensions for example). As soon as it comes to a transparent and readily evident deficit reducing plan, he calls for it to be scrapped.

That's British voters for you. We like our politicians to stand up and hand out free money (or in this case free parking), and then steal it back out our back pocket afterwards.

- John, London, 03/11/2011 15:28
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Westminster Council have grossly overlooked one very important factor,that is 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES.What do you think the visiting public from all over the world will think about this,I am aware of certain major players coming to the OLympics who have stated that this could cause a tremendous amount of damage,as Tour operators will be advising their clients to stay away from Central London..Westminster Council should listen to the ''more informed''BEFORE it is toooooo late.

- EUROPEAN, LONDON, 03/11/2011 15:15
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RIP The West End, why would anyone want to go to a smelly, dirty area with high levels of anti-social behaviour to go and see a show or do some shopping and not be able to park for the privilege. That's why Brent Cross, Lakeside, Bluewater and Westfield will kick Westminster Council up the A**. Small parking charges at the other places, save for Brent Cross. Clean, safe a great choice of shops and eating areas. Westminster Council will slowly strangle the West End, it's theatres shopping and small businesses! Goodbye it was nice knowing you.

- Rob Jackson, London, 03/11/2011 15:08
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The West End is very congested in the evening and on Sundays therefore I support the introduction of these changes. However, I only support them if they are in conjunction with an increase in the amount of off-street parking. If there were enough off-street parking then people visiting the West End at "off-peak" times might only have to pay 1-2/hour in a car park, while leaving the roads being not too cluttered.

- Ross, London, UK, 03/11/2011 15:01
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As a Westminster resident who was actually born here, I have mixed views about this whole issue. I do have a car and a resident's permit, but I NEVER use my car in town, only to get out of town. It's just too much hassle and too expensive trying to find somewhere to park (as a resident, I can only park in my own parking zone, not in the West End). I can remember the days when there was hardly any traffic at all in Westminster in the evenings and at weekends - now there are jams all over the place. But there are also shops open all hours now, as well as staff required to run all them and the other commercial establishments that bring in the business rates. Clearly this needs to be managed sensibly. There has definitely been NO consultation by the Council. Nothing was put through my letterbox, and no councillor has been in touch about this proposal. The first I knew of it was when I saw in the Standard that free evening/weekend parking was being withdrawn. I would be in favour of some controls, but nothing on the scale proposed. For a start, businesses should be given evening & weekend permits for their staff so they can continue to park near their workplaces free of charge. For visitors and shoppers, evening charges could be considered, but at an off-peak rate. 2 per hour max. Why should anyone pay 4.80 an hour to park off peak, when frequently spaces are available because residents like me are often away at weekends?

- Westminster Native, Marylebone, 03/11/2011 14:59
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If we want to create jobs in this country we must learn to love business. We should pass legislation to force authorities to estimate what affect any legislation they are proposing will have on the jobs market before it is introduced to ensure an open public debate.

- Leonard Rees, London, 03/11/2011 14:41
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The DS had a plastic roof panel so it must have been quite easy to cut it off. Seriously though Boris is in the best car France ever built (which is not a difficult contest!)

- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 03/11/2011 14:39
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By huge public backlash I presume you mean the Evening Standard and a few noisy rich people?

Who needs a car in London? Ditch the car, and if you're coming home late at night, use the money you save on insurance, depreciation, petrol and residents' parking to pay for your minicab.

Why should a couple of thousand people (just a tube train's worth..) who insist on driving to the centre make life noisy, polluted and dangerous for the hundreds of thousands who walk, cycle, and use public transport?

- fred, london, 03/11/2011 14:32
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"If you live too far from work to travel there by public transport, then why are you working, or living, where you are?"

- Paul M, London, 03/11/2011 13:51

For goodness sake, stop being so short-sighted.

It's not about how far they live from work, it's about the hours they work.

Do you really think the entirety of the restaurant staff, bar staff, theatre staff etc of the West End can be staffed by those living in the West End?

Of course most of them have to commute in from afar. As you said, the real estate in the West End is incredibly expensive. Do you think these thousands of workers on low pay can afford to live a couple of stops from work in such an expensive area?

In case you hadn't noticed the trains don't run at 2am.

And I'm sure you'd love your loved one to be commuting home for an hour or more on the nightbuses, with all the drunks and whatever other nutters are wandering the streets at that hour?

Or perhaps they could cycle home exhausted and alone after work on deserted streets? Sounds real safe.

And are you really, really that naive that you think this is being done to help the environment and improve the quality of life?

Of course it's not. It's just another way to fill the local council's coffers.

Of course the rich can afford a fiver an hour. Those popping in to see a show might also be able to afford a few hours. But the workers cannot afford 30 a day and it's they who are being penalised here.

- Michael, Earlsfield, 03/11/2011 14:31
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The world has moved on yet we still have the City of Westminster and the City of London why. History is on thing but we are talking local politics here not a change of monarch. The sheer arrogance of both is ill judged and will be the the making of their own much needed downfall.
The is only one London and only one Mayor, localities can have Deputies who administrate but London must operate in one way. Westminster and the City must surrender their rights to the Mayors office and why the City of London has its own police force is unfathomable.
Boris is right here, the irony is he only started to speak out once Ken had stuck his oar in and opposition to the mad Westminster scheme got legal.
Why can't Boris be ahead of something for once?

- Robert Marshall, London, 03/11/2011 14:07
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Free parking in the middle of a capital city just ain't going to happen. Too many people and cars around these days. Meanwhile residents pay astronomical council tax bills but motorists expect everything for free! Grow up and get with the real world, at up to 4.90ph, it's hardly a lot of money for parking right in the middle of a city of 7 million people.

- John, London, 03/11/2011 14:01
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Jacques

Yes a very nice top classic and very rare in RHD . Hope Boris was insured as they fetch over 100k now .

Glad to see they managed to find Cameron a Jag to roll up to the G20 rather then a Citroen though

- remus, london, 03/11/2011 14:00
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What is the point of the Mayor, really, if he has no power to insist and enforce his vision of parking restrictions in the centre of this great capital? It's ridiculous that he all he can administer is a stern talking-to. I can't imagine that the Mayor of New York for instance would be similarly powerless...

- Bob Warner, London UK, 03/11/2011 13:54
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What "public backlash"? Just a small and very noisy minority lobby group shouting for a sectional interest.

Westminster has some of the most valuable real estate in the world. Why on earth would anyone imagine that they should get to occupy it for free? Why should local residents subsidise it from their property taxes? Why shouldn't the local council take steps to manage traffic flows to improve the environment and quality of life in their area? How can you say that someone who can afford to come into London for dinner and a show - got to be over 100 a head overall - can't dig in their pockets for a few quid an hour for their parking? What's wrong with trains? What's wrong with bikes? If you live too far from work to travel there by public transport, then why are you working, or living, where you are?

- Paul M, London, 03/11/2011 13:51
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Harton: are you stupid? do you have any idea how much rage there actually is on the tube/train network? you buffoon.

There is a huge backlash from protesters for the parking charges in fact. I have seen them out in massive numbers you imbecile.

- serox, London, 03/11/2011 13:47
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"Will be reviewed after 18 months"

More Lies from Westminster Council, as if they will change anything once its in place

- hunter, London, 03/11/2011 13:46
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Yes more damage to West End than Luftwaffe did

They simply do not GET IT that if you do not drive in and you need the train this is hopeless as last trains to suburbs are 11.45 and for a party of 5 plus tube , plus taxi from station if you can get one will cost well over 100 .

We go up on a Saturday park up in Chelsea for free at 1.30 and spend afternoon at the shops and theatre and dinner
and then walk back to car in Chelsea .

If we have to pay 60 to park up if you can find a meter then WE WILL NEVER GO TO THE WEST END AGAIN .

Also if you cannot find a meter space you will have to pay 30 per hour to park in Brewer Street .

- remus, london, 03/11/2011 13:36
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Barry from Bermondsey you mean that Westminister Council is elected I thought that they were like the Royal family a job for life but they seem to have far more power and do exactly what they and their super rich friends want.

- Mike Melbourne, Bedford, 03/11/2011 13:34
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Westminster Council Leaders have steadfastly ignored and dismissed anything anyone has said about these measures. Their blind arrogance and refusal to listen is appalling and all this nonsense about 18months trial is utter rubbish because once it is in place it just gets fixed and rolled out --- it is simply shameful

- patricia michelson, london, 03/11/2011 13:31
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Colin Barrow is a pig-headed, fully paid-up member of the Nasty Party. He doesn't care a hoot about late-night workers on the minimum wage or women forced to walk miles alone at 3.00 am back to their cars. No, he's tucked up in his bed, comforted by the 200K salary he leeches from the taxpayer as a petty tyrant, deaf to the chorus of protests and common sense of his critics.

- ID, South Coast, UK, 03/11/2011 13:27
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"Everything will be up for review towards the end of the 18 months and not before."

And during that 18 months, Mr Barrow, how many businesses will be forced to close, how many employees will lose their jobs? Worst of all, how many defenceless women workers will be attacked as they walk back to their cars alone at 3.00 am?

How will you be able to sleep at night or face yourself in the mirror if any of this happens because of your money-grabbing policy?

- Baron von Richtofen, Biggin Hill, 03/11/2011 13:26
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If that stuid arrogant Barrow had a relative that was working late at night and was scared for her safety this stupid humourless charisma-lackimg moron would soon change his views.

I hope the Tories will suffer a lot at the next council elections.

This is what happens when the Tory Twits stay in power too long in a council - utter sheer arogance!

The Eveinmnh Standard needs to muster all the publicity to maximise the injustice of this and organise HUGE protests about this. Many people will ROAR their disapproval at the offices of Westminster City Hall.

- Barry from Bermondsey, Bermondsey London, 03/11/2011 13:01
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There hasn't been a "huge public backlash", it's just that a proportion of motorists are a very angry and vocal bunch. That's why there's so much road rage as opposed to (very rare) tube rage.

- Harton, London, 03/11/2011 12:54
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Very smart and rare 1965 CitroDS 21 cabriolet. Congratulation Boris!

- Jacques, Cannes - France, 03/11/2011 12:52
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