We never knowingly undercharge, boasts council parking chief Brian Coleman

A senior councillor in a London borough stunned motorists by telling them the council's parking policy was to "never knowingly undercharge".

Brian Coleman, cabinet member for environment of Conservative-run Barnet, further infuriated residents who questioned the 150 per cent increase in their parking permits, London's highest, by branding them "hysterical".

Barnet is the latest council accused of using motorists as "cash cows" after a Standard investigation last year revealed town halls across the city were raising the cost of residents' parking by up to 150 per cent.

Drivers at the heated council meeting were told their residents' permits would rise from £42 to £100. It also proposed scrapping free parking bays and increasing pay-and-display fees.

Mr Coleman said: "We are proposing to increase parking charges to less than £2 per week, less than the price of a cup of coffee. We will not entertain this sort of nonsense from hysterical, over-the-top residents."

He told the meeting that Barnet's £54 million of cuts needed over the best four years "has to be made up" but Labour councillors accused him of levying a "stealth tax".

Playing on the John Lewis slogan "never knowingly undersold", Mr Coleman told the meeting "I never knowingly undercharge" when answering a question about visitor parking vouchers.

He also hit back at drivers living in "affluent" Hampstead Garden Suburb after he received angry emails from its residents. Mr Coleman said they could afford the increased charges or they had drives of their own to park in.

More than 3,000 residents have signed a petition against the increases. Tory councillors were also attacked for using free permits given to them during council duties. Councillor Susette Palmer, a former Liberal Democrat mayor, called the increases "disproportionate, exorbitant and outrageous". "You're just inept and making residents pay for it," she added.

Mr Coleman defended the extra charges, saying they are used for road repairs and transporting local children with special educational needs.

Campaigner Rachel Zegerman said: "I'm disappointed but it isn't over yet. The fight continues. The Labour councillors were calling for fair and respectful treatment of local residents and we will support them. It's a disgrace - we will continue to protest."

Last year Barnet, which pioneered the "easyCouncil" no-frills model of local government, voted in an allowances rise for its leader from £41,893 to £47,027. Cabinet members such as Mr Coleman also agreed their allowances should rise from £17,454 to £27,580.