The row over parking charges in Harpenden has taken another turn this week after St Albans City and District Council declined an offer to work on the plans with Harpenden Town Council (HTC).

Cllr Richard Scott said he was "disappointed but not surprised" by the decision to rebuff the proposal made at an emergency meeting of the town council last month (July 22).

On July 18, SADC launched a consultation on proposals that would bring in charges for some currently free parking lanes.

If approved, only the first 20 minutes of parking would be free, with fees applying thereafter.

The town council meeting saw a motion passed asking for the creation of a joint working group and a delay to the implementation of changes until at least March 2025.

But in a letter seen by this newspaper, the chief executive of SADC wrote to HTC to decline the offer.

The letter says: "Officers from St Albans City and District Council are always willing to work with the town and parish councils throughout the district.

"We welcome the views of all those impacted by this proposed change, however, this must be through the formal consultation channels as this ensures there is a clear auditable record of the response and that it has been received and considered within the formal consultation process."

It concludes: "The district council cannot enter into a formalised task and finish group as requested in the HTC Resolution but would be happy to consider any representations you wish to make during the consultation process."

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Responding to the letter, Cllr Scott said: "It seems clear now that SADC’s motivations are primarily financial. They have a hole in their budget and have identified Harpenden’s High Street as a rich source of revenue. 

"SADC’s proposed scheme contains no measures to remedy their persistently poor enforcement. If SADC can’t enforce their existing policies and charges, what gives Harpenden any confidence that they can competently enforce any new regulations?

"Harpenden is counting on SADC, in particular the 12 district councillors elected to represent Harpenden, to do the right thing, to listen to the feedback from residents and withdraw this badly-conceived scheme that will degrade our High Street and make life more difficult and more expensive for local residents and retailers."

More than 5,800 residents and business owners have now signed a petition opposing the plans.

The consultation runs until August 14, with SADC saying they will make no public comment on the matter before then.

Residents can view the consultation proposals, including details of the bays involved, and give their views online at https://consultation.appyway.com/st-albans

Consultation documents are also available to view at the Civic Centre in St Albans or Harpenden Town Hall.

People can also submit a response by email to parking.development@stalbans.gov.uk or in writing to: The Parking Development Team, St Albans City and District Council, Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3JE.