Electric car drivers furious as Labour-led council rise parking fees by 1,800%

Electric car drivers have been shocked by one council’s decision to increase the cost of parking by 1,800 percent. Westminister Council, run by Labour, is set to massively overhaul its parking charges over the next few years.

According to reports, these charges are meant to encourage rivers to travel using vehicles which have lower emissions.

While this is believed to be the plan, the now proposals could see electric car drivers hit hard as the cost to park in a four hour period could rise by 1,800 percent.

The reason for this is because each car will be charged based on his historical carbon footprint when it was being put together.

Alongside this, cars will also be charged based on how much space they use up and the damage they cause to the roads.

Under the new proposals, drivers of electric cars will see their fees skyrocket. The Telegraph reported that under the old rules it costs electric car drivers just 96p for a four hour park.

However, under the new rules set to be introduced in April, the same car parking in the same parking space at the same time could be charged £18.18.

While this sum may not seem like much to a driver who can afford an expensive electric car, it could begin to have an impact over a longer period of time. According to GB News, an eight hour stay in Westminster could see drivers paying nearly £40.

Specifically, drivers could see their parking bill rise from £1.93 to £36.96, a rise of around 1,800 percent.

Speaking to the press, Conservative Councillor for Pimlico North said: “The council are proposing a massive tax hike on electric vehicle drivers as they increase parking charges by up to 1,800 per cent on EVs.

“Particularly hard-hit will be tradespeople and small businesses who have done the right thing by switching to EVs and will now see charges increase by up to £35 a day. It’s not good for business, it’s not good for climate change and it’s not good for residents.”

Alongside councillors, Conservative MPs have now gotten involved. Nickie Aiken added claimed it was “beggar’s belief” that the council wanted to make it more expensive for electric cars to park.

Ms Aiken added that it would hit small businesses which had purchased zero-emissions vehicles. The charge comes just months after the controversial ULEZ was introduced to include the entirety of London.

Westminster council has said that the new charges will future-proof the council’s parking system.

Furthermore, new charges are due to apply to electric vehicles and hybrids from April 2025 which include cars with batteries under 69kWh. These vehicles will be charged £40 a year while vehicles above 70kWh will pay £80.

In a statement, Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg said the council had “Westminster city council has invested heavily in electric vehicle infrastructure to encourage people to switch to EVs and low polluting vehicles”.

He added: “Until now, pay to park charges for EVs in Westminster have been extremely low, and to keep up with the increasing demand for EVs, the council is moving to an emissions-based charging system.

“The new scheme will support the growth of electric vehicles in the city while keeping charges fair, proportionate, and as low as possible. Westminster residents with an EV will pay less than £1.50 to park their car outside their home, and visitors with EVs who pay to park will still be paying considerably less than in neighbouring London boroughs.”