A TaxPayers' Alliance investigation has uncovered that UK councils have spent a total of nearly £5 million on the construction and maintenance of parklets. Parklets, existing car parks converted into green social areas, were a part of a temporary measure to ensure safe social distancing in public spaces after the pandemic. For the last three financial years, the total spent was £4,800,347.45.
Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance:
“In the midst of soaring council debt and tax rates residents will be questioning whether parklets, which were supposed to be temporary, are worth their hard earned cash.
“ Councils may have thought that these communal areas were worthwhile during the pandemic, however with COVID behind us, the cost for them to stay is unjustifiable.
“ Local authorities should not be responsible for pointless parklets. If businesses or communities want them then they should incur the costs, otherwise they should be removed.”