One of the first acts the Liberal Democrats, supported by Labour, took in Wokingham Borough was to more than double car parking charges, ignoring 4,000 residents and Conservative councillors calling for a rethink.
Last month, Conservative councillors proposed temporary one-hour free parking in Wokingham, whilst large-scale road works are ongoing, affecting Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane to support local businesses.
The motion, put forward by my colleague Cllr Charles Margetts, aimed to help business owners in our town centre who say turnover is down about 30%. Shops, hairdressers, cafes and restaurants are struggling.
The administration dismissed these concerns, focusing instead on pollution from cars, ignoring that many residents and businesses rely on them. They also objected to the potential cost of a temporary parking concession, whilst parking is actually almost pure profit, ringfenced to the parking service. They refused to consider the real risk: businesses closing, jobs lost, and the Council itself losing income from business rates and commercial rents. Doing nothing means fewer thriving businesses, less footfall, and shrinking revenue for vital services.
What really made these responses so frustrating is how much money this Liberal Democrat administration has wasted. £1 million has already been squandered on planning a housing scheme at Toutley East that will never happen.
Council property has sat empty for over two years, earning nothing - Shute End empty office space could generate a rental income of £300k per annum. Flats at Carnival Pool, meant to generate income, are now set to cost taxpayers £2.7 million thanks to delays and mismanagement.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats continue to find other ways to hammer residents who drive. Not content with massive hikes in parking charges, they’ve cancelled free Christmas parking for the third-year running. Instead, the Liberal Democrats will spend taxpayers’ money on providing free bus travel to Reading or Bracknell to spend money, rather than with local shops and traders within Wokingham Borough.
At a recent Scrutiny Committee meeting, the Liberal Democrat administration announced further anti-car proposals. They want to reduce speed limits to 20mph, because of alleged public demand, but when asked how they would control excessive speeds in current 30mph zones, they had no answer. I hear from residents asking how we plan to stop people driving at 50 plus in 30 and 40 mph zones. Instead, the Lib Dems plan to spend more than £1m on more ineffective signs rather than providing much-needed safety measures, such as the promised (but not yet delivered) crossing on Shinfield Road.
While 20mph zones are appropriate on some roads including near schools, blanket implementation can increase congestion and travel times. The RAC has warned 20mph limits on roads better suited to 30mph can lead to lower compliance, undermining road safety. Even in Wales, the Labour government has begun reversing its default 20mph policy after widespread backlash, admitting, “We’ve put our hands up to say the guidance has to be corrected.”
The Conservatives strongly oppose the Liberal Democrats’ growing anti-car agenda in Wokingham Borough. We will continue to stand with residents and local businesses to challenge these damaging policies and push for a balanced, practical approach, one that protects the environment without destroying local businesses or punishing residents.
