Free parking is set to end in some of the borough’s major parks, including Burgess Park and Southwark Park.
Town hall bosses have approved recommendations for £2 an hour parking charges in six parks: Belair Park, Burgess Park, Dulwich Park, Honor Oak Recreational Ground, Peckham Rye and Southwark Park.
The move would raise a net £200,000 for the council’s Parks and Leisure division. The parking spaces cost the council £42,000 a year.
The charges are expected to be introduced after May 13, following an extended consultation process.
They had been due to be introduced the week beginning April 1, but the implementation was pushed back to allow for further consultation.
Cllr Rebecca Lury, cabinet member for culture, leisure, equalities and communities, told the News: “We are proposing paid for parking in the six Southwark parks that have off-street carparks.
“While we aim to maintain high standards in our parks, ongoing budget pressures mean that it has become necessary to find new ways of covering costs.
“We also hope to prioritise park users over commuters and improve road safety and access to the parks, in particular for vulnerable road users.”
The proposed change would relieve the pressure on budgets to maintain high park standards, said Cllr Lury, and Blue Badge holders would continue to get free access to the parking spaces.
Some changes may be made to the proposals, Cllr Lury added, depending on the outcome of the consultation.
She added: “We are currently consulting on the details with people who live near the parks, the park’s Friends groups and other interested parties.
“I look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts and we are open to making necessary changes to reflect these, at the end of the consultation.”
The plans also include a £50,500 sum to be spent on implementing the changes, including £28,000 for drainage and resurfacing works at Southwark Park, which has 90 car parking spaces.
Yet another facility lost to the family motorist . I am sure most families will NOT be delighted with the additional cost of £2.00 an hour added to whatever else it costs to take the kids to the park and feed the ducks. We are all feeding the greedy pigs in our Town Halls or so it seems to me .What a lousy country to have to live in!