Threats to supporter of Bristol residents' parking zones

A campaigner in favour of a Bristol residents parking zones has told how she received a threat to burn her house down, simply because she supports the scheme.

A pilot residents parking scheme in Kingsdown and Clifton Wood moved closer to reality last night when a city council committee voted not to refer the project to a meeting of the entire council for more debate.

One of the scheme's supporters, Suzanne Gardner, told last night's meeting that she had put her name and contact details on a number of leaflets distributed in the affected areas.

But shortly after doing so, she received an obscene e-mail abusing her for supporting the scheme.

It went on to warn: "hope you have a fire proof letterbox" and warned her she also faced having excrement posted through her door.

Mrs Gardner, a criminal lawyer from Clifton Wood, has informed police of the e-mail.

She spoke out about the abuse at a meeting to discuss the proposals, attended by more than 100 people at the Council House last night.

The Conservatives had "called in" an earlier Cabinet decision to approve the next stage of the plan, in a bid to have it referred to the full council for a vote.

But this proved unsuccessful when Labour and Liberal Democrat panel members voted for the scheme to be allowed to go on to the next stage – a further consultation process on detailed plans to be drawn up by officers.

Mrs Gardner told the Post: "I had an e-mail from what turned out to be a fake name, saying our car might be burned, and that this person and several others wanted to come to set fire to our house, so they hope we have a fireproof letter box.

"It said 'how could I be so selfish'. It was very scary, it's a very frightening thing. The police are looking into it and have put an extra watch on our house.

"It's unfortunate that of all the burning issues in the world, it is parking that is turning neighbour against neighbour.

"It has polarised people."

The residents parking scheme would see households having to pay for the right to park; £30 for one vehicle, £110 for two, £310 for three, and up to £50 on visitor permits.

The council's minority Labour cabinet approved the pilots in November, subject to further consultation.

But the Tories called the decision in, supporting the "no" campaigners' view that the first consultation process carried out last summer was biased.

As a result of last night's meeting, officers will now go ahead and draft a fully-costed and detailed version of the pilots, which will be presented to the public this year.

The council has yet to decide how it will gauge the opinion of people living in the proposed zones.

But if the schemes are backed by a majority, they will go back to cabinet for the final say-so with an aim to begin by the end of the year or early 2010.

In the meantime, a report will be drawn up to look at possible effects on people living outside the zone boundaries.

Once the pilots begin, reviews will carried out on a regular basis to gauge their success.

More than 100 statements were submitted to the call-in meeting.

The vast majority were in favour of the pilots, but opposing views were also heard.

June Jeffreys, of Clifton, said: "I don't think this is going to sort out anything – you're going to leave us with more bills.

"Given the terrible financial state we are in, this will just make it worse, particularly for the elderly.

"Many don't drive but will have to pay for visitors, leaving them isolated. I'm so appalled and disheartened by the whole thing."

Scheme supporter Stephen Perry, of Clifton Wood, said: "The Tory group has said this has been shambolic, but what is shambolic about the council sending out 53,000 questionnaires and allowing six weeks for people to send them back?

"The parking zones are already part of council transport policy."

And he added: "A lot of the opposition is from Southville – it's none of their business."

Councillors were accused of playing political games with the issue at last night's meeting, in light of local elections this year.

All members voted on party lines; the two Labour members in favour of the scheme and the one Tory voted for it to go to full council.

Cllr Ashley Fox (Con, Westbury-on-Trym) said: "My fear is that these pilots may possibly improve the situation within the zones, but disperse the problem elsewhere.

"Then you will use that as evidence to have it elsewhere, and by salami tactics cover the entire area in five years' time. That is the Trojan Horse to get the whole of the scheme for the whole of the city."

Cllr Dennis Brown (Lib Dem, Henleaze) said: "I think there was a lot that was unfortunate in the original consultation, but I don't think this should go to full council, I don't think that would add anything more than more debate."

Cllr Ron Stone (Lab, St George West) said: "This is too important an issue to play party politics and party games with people's lives."