Labour back Metroline (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Labour back Metroline

June 20, 2003 12:00 AM

Islington's Labour party has finally spoken up on the controversial Metroline parking issue - to ask for residents' parking spaces to be given to Metroline bus drivers. Backed by Lib Dem councillors, residents had fought for a controlled parking zone to stop Metroline's bus drivers and other commuters parking in their street. Now in a letter to the Lib Dem Islington Council, local Labour GLA member Meg Hillier is asking the council to give Metroline drivers permits which would allow them to park in the streets nearby. Metroline bus drivers have already been caught using illegal blue badges in order to enable them to park locally and more recently Metroline have been accused of 'encouraging' their employees to drive to work. The council has remained adamant that permits will not be given to Metroline. Lib Dem Islington council has met with Metroline to try and resolve their parking problems without a negative impact on residents. The council has given practical advice to Metroline on how to maximise parking on their own land, offered advice on developing a green travel plan and put them in touch with other landowners in the area. Metroline bus drivers already receive free travel on buses and tubes. Junction Lib Dems and Lib Dem GLA member Lynne Featherstone have been heavily involved with residents in campaigning to resolve the problems around the bus garage. Recently they have set up a forum for local residents to raise any issues about the bus garage and thanks to their efforts, Monnery Road has been resurfaced to help cut down tyre noise and vibration from buses. Local Lib Dem Junction ward councillor Stefan Kasprzyk said: "Labour are clearly wrong about this, it beggars belief that they want to make the parking situation round here even worse for residents. The Lib Dems put in a CPZ so that residents can park near their homes. No commuters, even bus drivers, should be excused from this. Local residents needn't worry - unlike Labour the Lib Dems won't take away their parking spaces. " Lib Dem Executive Member for Sustainability, Bridget Fox adds: "To give commuting workers - even bus drivers - permits in residents' parking zones would be at odds with the aims of introducing CPZs which are to discourage car commuting and to put residents' parking needs first. The Council's sustainable transport policy promotes bus travel and discourages commuting by car, and I would have hoped this is something that all our elected representatives would support."