By Alex Storey
The Government has been accused of "intensifying its war on road users" after it announced plans to introduce parking restrictions in new-build estates.
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The proposals include limiting the number of spaces in an attempt to discourage car use in favour of green alternatives such as using public transport or cycling.
But critics have hit back, warning the move will lead to "misery" and "illegal and dangerous" parking practices.
Richard Holden MP, Shadow Transport Secretary, said: "Labour have ripped up the rulebook that protected families from parking misery and replaced it with a green light for councils to squeeze drivers.
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"[It means] blocked pavements, congested roads, and tickets through the post. This is how the war on drivers works. Motorists aren’t the problem. Once again, they’re the revenue stream."
Under the plans, Labour will require councils to set limits on the number of parking spaces in new developments, rather than "simply suggesting this as an option," the Telegraph reports.
In 2011, the then-coalition Government scrapped council-imposed limits on car spaces for new developments on the basis that such rules "unfairly penalised drivers" and led to "over-zealous parking enforcement."
But now, Labour will now make it a requirement for councils to set parking limits without having to provide any such justification.
The proposed framework says councils should show "allow flexibility through ranges" where appropriate, and address "specific business requirements."
Brian Gregory, of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "This is a continuation of Labour’s intensifying war on road users.
"They are quite happy to take billions a week from road-user taxation, while the roads are falling apart and there already isn’t adequate parking in many towns and cities.
"This offers councils the ability to raise more money for parking charges and enforcement. It is just another way of extracting more money from road users by making it difficult to park."
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, added: "Balancing parking provision within new developments is always difficult and often emotive.
"Not many prospective owners of these homes realise that parking is already restricted to encourage people to walk, cycle or take the bus.
"Creating tighter rules on the number of spaces could backfire, with more illegal and dangerous parking. In many cases, it takes years before the local council adopts the road from the developer and can begin to make changes to ease the pressure.
"However, the proposed changes asks councils to be flexible with their rules, which we hope allows for more spaces to be installed.”"
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "This claim is nonsense. We understand how important it is for motorists to have enough parking options and they will continue to do so under the changes."
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