We all want to encourage greater use of public transport, more cycling, and just simply walking: it is good for our environment and our health.
But the Lib Dems Councils in Watford and Three Rivers have allowed a positive idea to become an attack on car owner:
- Parking policy is seen as just another opportunity for a stealth tax;
- Shops are being cut off off from customers who can't get near enough with their cars for it to be practical to shop there - a particularly concern for the elderly and young families for example;
- Traffic calming is important but it needs to be organised in close consultation and cooperation with local residents. Width restrictions - such as on Woodmere Avenue (photo) - can be much more trouble than they are worth.
We are campaigning for a constructive approach: balancing the needs of car owners, local residents, and our local shops with our desire to improve the environment.
