Parking charges Levelling up with a sliding scale Hierarchical electric vehicle charging is part of Islington Councils ambition to create a more equal borough, says Rowena Champion n Islington, were determined to create a more equal borough, where streets are cleaner, greener, and more sustainable for all. Doing so is crucial to tackling the climate emergency, which is especially important in Islington, as we are one of the six London boroughs most susceptible to climate change. As part of our mission to reimagine streets, we have introduced seven low-traffic neighbourhoods, 35 school streets, and a network of cycleways, to help improve air quality and make it easier for people to walk, cycle and wheel. The huge progress we have made is reflected in the fact that, for three years in a row, Islington has been recognised as the top-performing inner-London borough in the Healthy Streets Scorecard. This ranks boroughs based on their action to create greener streets. According to data from the 2021 Census, 33 per cent of households in Islington own a private vehicle thats the second-lowest of any London borough. Its yet another reason why reimagining our streets so they are better suited to walking, cycling and wheeling is so vitally important. I Were taking a bold approach to creating a greener borough, and that extends to our parking policy. Last year, we carried out a full review of our parking charges, to support our wider ambitions to encourage local people to switch to sustainable transport, and to ensure that charges more accurately reflect the pollution they create. The groundbreaking element of the changes was the introduction of hierarchical charges for electric vehicles (EVs). While EVs have less environmental impact than petrol and diesel vehicles, they nevertheless cause pollution through the release of tiny particulates from the brakes and tyres that can be breathed in by people and cause harm. EVs also contribute to congestion and take up road space, making roads less safe for people who are walking or cycling. Like petrol and diesel vehicles, they take up valuable parking space, which could instead be devoted to environmentally friendly measures such as greening or tree planting. The decision to reimagine parking charges in this way is another example of Islingtons progressive approach, and we look forward to seeing the positive benefits it brings in creating more pleasant, less-polluted streets for all. Cllr Rowena Champion is executive member for environment, air quality and transport at Islington Council Paying for your pollution Islington has introduced: Europes first multi-band parking permit scheme for EVs, with charges ranging from 50 for a battery size of 1-39kWh to 140 for batteries of 90kWh 1 per day short-stay parking for petrol motorbikes and 50p per day for electric motorbikes, to encourage travel by foot, bike and wheel A simplified seven-tier charging system for resident permits New charges for households wanting to park more than one vehicle on the street. All the changes were subject to statutory consultation and approval by the councils executive committee. 30 PN Sept 2023 pp30-31 Islington.indd 30 24/08/2023 11:06