THE political appetite for paid parking has risen once again as the cash-strapped States looks forward to 2010.

Following the release of multiple reports criticising the island’s inefficient use of resources, an annual budget clamping down on wastefulness and the fall of the zero-10 tax regime, money-hungry ministers are champing at the bit over the resource that could provide much-needed millions.

Treasury minister Charles Parkinson said he would not hesitate to support a requete aimed to bring it in at last.

‘I still favour the introduction of paid parking and I think this States has been particularly weak on this issue,’ he said.

‘To me, this is simply a no-brainer. We need to raise revenue from somewhere – probably several places – and we simply cannot afford to give away the use of tens of millions of pounds-worth of public assets.’

The current Environment board’s attitude to the issue was making progress painful, he said.

‘It will be difficult to bring paid parking back to the States when the entire board of the Environment Department opposes it, but I would certainly support a requete on the subject.’

But he would be concerned if deputies saw this as a means of raising money to fund extra public expenditure.

‘We are running a large deficit and need to collect more revenue simply to restore our public finances to long-term balance.’

Another high-profile supporter, Education minister Carol Steere, whose amendment seeking paid parking was narrowly defeated in the February States debate.

‘With hindsight and with the reports that have come out, if we had the debate now we may well have a different outcome,’ she said.

‘These outside bodies have brought reports backing up a lot of us were saying – that may well have swayed a lot of the floating States members.’

Deputy Steere thought many members were waiting to see what would replace the zero-10 tax regime and whether it would restore the island’s troubled finances.

‘It is a case of wait and see, but if it is not going to be our saviour and give us the necessary income, these issues will have to come back, as we will be looking to plug the hole and deal with the deficit.’

Environment minister Peter Sirett denied the island’s appetite for the subject, but he too believed it would come one day.

‘It is inevitable that paid parking will come in, he said.

‘It does not matter whether I back it or not, it is inevitable, it happens all over the world.’

Oddly, it was his department which was tasked with bringing a paid parking proposal to the States, but instead turned up with a parking permit report that even they would not vote for.

Instead the whole board voted for an increase on fuel duty to fund the transport strategy – the subsidised buses.

A defensive Deputy Sirett said he had not changed his position and denied paid parking was even on the menu.

‘Paid parking was not an option, it was not debated in the States.

‘What was debated was a proposal to introduce a parking permit, which was thrown out.’

‘I was in favour of paid parking. I had a board of four other members who were all opposed to it. We could not bring a proposal we were against.’

He denied there was an appetite for a debate saying no one had called him about it in six months.

Al Brouard, who was responsible for suggesting the approved fuel tax hike to fund the transport strategy, was unhappy with Deputy Sirett’s comments.

‘I understand Deputy Peter Sirett has made some comments about the possible return of the paid parking debate,’ he said.

‘I am disappointed because the States has this year decided to fund the transport strategy by way of an increase of 1.2p a litre on fuel rather than with selected paid parking.’

Deputy Brouard saw two difficulties with paid parking.

‘Firstly, it is an extremely expensive way to raise taxes, in administration, and secondly it will have an effect on Town and office and shop workers who rely on the piers for parking. These people are on wages that are usually lower than those with access to private parking.’

‘If, in the years to come, we are going to have this debate again, then let’s be clear on what we are trying to achieve. If it is more tax revenue then there are far better ways to do it.’

Deputy Steere questioned whether members had their priorities right.

‘It’s not just about how much we get in, but also about making best use of the resources available, and we are not doing that at the moment.’

‘If you can’t get them through in a period of not much money and when things are very tight, we have a hard job ahead of us.’

The question is who will be willing to make unpopular choices and how much will they be prepared to pay.

Many people would question the constant prioritisation of vehicles over people.

They argue that the island has given up enough to the car and tarmac.

If we were to adopt a Continental approach the central piers might be reclaimed for pedestrians, cafes and green space and pushing the cars to the sides of Town.

Islanders could then walk the rest of the way – and deal with obesity problems in the process.

‘Restore human legs as a means of travel – pedestrians rely on food for fuel and need no special parking facilities.’ – American philosopher Lewis Mumford.