Campaigners to unite against Royal Parks' plans for Richmond and Bushy Park (From Surrey Comet)

Oh for heaven's sake. This beautiful park is already blighted with far too many cars. Modest parking charges would be a way of moderating the volume of cars and encouraging people to walk, yes walk, or bike or use public transport to get to this lovely place. And shame on local MPs for jumping on to this less than environmentally friendly campaign. I thought Vince Cable could rise above this silly campaign. Presumably the leaders of this "demonstration" will be driving in their 4 x 4s to get there.

The charges are being justified to cover the costs of renovating the existing car parking facilities in the park. Perhaps Mr Goldsmith (a man of considerable means but uncertain geographic affiliation) would get more credibility by paying for these renovations himself as a sign of his commitment towards his intended constituency? It would be nice to see a politician put his money where his mouth is. Better still he could set up an independent trust fund of say £10 million for the use of the park. If he did this before the election it would do him no harm. It would suggest that he didn't see the area as a soft shoe-in so that he could keep lunching with his old school pals. He certainly doesn't need the Westminster salary. It would also be good to see a return to the days when MPs could be real and substantial real benefactors of their constituents, not merely seekers after expense accounts.

“The Parkie, Old Surrey” needs to get his facts straight instead of making fatuous suggestions that Zac Goldsmith ought to pay for renovations to Richmond Park. This is as ridiculous as suggesting Zac Goldsmith pays for renovations to Buckingham Palace because Richmond Park belongs to the Crown – and is administered by this rotten government. And – as usual – motorists are being persecuted with yet another stealth tax that picks their pockets.

Current Richmond Park MP – the Illiberal Undemocrats’ Susan Kramer – is hardly a pauper as she, and her late husband were bankers – and – according to the website “They Work For You” – she has an “Interest in a holiday flat in Southern Spain”, and an “Interest in a family trust which owns and manages a ranch in California, USA, from which rental income is received”. I wonder why “The Parkie” has overlooked this, and hasn’t lobbied Susan Kramer with his fatuous financial suggestion?

Moreover, as “The Parkie” alleges that Zac Goldsmith’s “geographic affiliation” is “uncertain” – I suggest he checks out Zac Goldsmith’s website that states: I’ve lived in Richmond my whole life. Indeed political commentators were shocked when I turned down the ultra safe Conservative seat of East Hampshire in favour of Richmond Park. I have made it clear that this is the only place I will ever seek to represent in Parliament.”

It is also a puzzle that “The Parkie” doesn’t question the “geographic affiliations” of various “local” Illiberal Undemocrats because their roots turn out to be not so local! Although I have noted that fact checking isn’t “The Parkie”’s speciality. Susan Kramer’s website states that she “grew up in Holborn and Baron’s Court”, and lived in the USA for nearly 20 years. Twickenham’s current MP Vincent Cable was born in York where he was an unsuccessful parliamentary candidate twice, and he’s also been a Labour councillor in Glasgow – and lived in Kenya. As for the leader of the Robber Barons of Richmond’s council – Serge Lourie – he was Labour member of the GLC – for Hornchurch, Essex.

I fear McGregor both misunderstands me and the way in which the park's amenities are supplied. There's nothing ridiculous in the suggestion that Mr Goldsmith should fund the car park renovations; the Tamsin Trail cycle path in Richmond Park was financed by a private individual; the Richmond Park Charitable Trust exists for such purposes. Paying for car park renovations is no different. As to the separate trust fund suggestion, I merely thought it unlikely that Mr Goldsmith, given his political ambitions would want to share any plaudits with other donors - his money would of course be equally welcome in the existing charitable trust. I do feel that having spent £250,000+ to secure his name on the Richmond nomination it is incumbent on him to make a somewhat larger contribution to the constituency itself.

As to the incumbent MP - I hold no torch for her populist knee-jerk whining about the annual deer cull. I'm grateful to McGregor for the information regarding her finances. I have no doubt that Richmond contains many other wealthy individuals who could pay for the car park renovations with a stroke of the pen - I would be only too happy to see a race for whose cheque gets there first. I and many others would be deeply annoyed if we attended the meeting of local motorists on the 30th January 2010 only to discover it being commandeered as a photo-opportunity by self-serving individuals who could have resolved the matter themselves - especially if the charging went ahead.

The Parkie stated “the Tamsin Trail cycle path in Richmond Park was financed by a private individual”. It would be helpful if The Parkie supplied further details as they are certainly not readily available online. Checking the Royal Parks website reveals “The Tamsin Trail is a man-made walking trail” - and - “is a shared path with walkers and has recently been resurfaced so is easier to cycle on.” In 2006 there was an application to Richmond council to extend the Tamsin Trail – by the Royal Parks Agency. Note this word of caution: “There are dangers in accepting funds from third parties (Transport for London) for proposals that are not part of the Park’s immediate priorities.” How curious that their definition of “third party" funding concerns money from the taxpayer via Transport for London - and hasn’t referenced The Parkie’s “private individual”.

Taking The Parkie’s argument to its logical conclusion - as Richmond Park belongs to The Crown - why not lobby the Queen to fund the car parks?

The Tamsin Trail was funded by Peter Beckwith and is named after his daughter. The Royal Parks issued a press release (available online) to that effect in 2008. It is not the only amenity in the park to have been financed by private individuals and I believe even some of the drinking fountains in the park were funded by outside bodies. Meanwhile Zac Goldsmith was brought up next to the park at Ormeley Lodge - still owned by the Goldsmiths through other trusts , has a fortune estimated variously at £300 million and has contributed er ... nothing. By that standard, paying for some car park repairs and setting up a £10 million trust fund to benefit one's home constituency doesn't seem too tall an order does it?

Richmond Park’s Charitable Trust needs a publicist as Peter Beckwith’s contribution was ignored by Richmond Council’s 2006 commentators. However, Peter Beckwith’s daughter – who has been dubbed an “It girl” is called Tamara. The long-standing name of the Trail is the Tamsin Trail.

Both Zac Goldsmith – and his mother Lady Annabel – are charity patrons, and this argument concerns car parking charges. This is controlled by this damaging government – which isn’t the same as making charitable contributions to amenities.

Zac Goldsmith is a Trustee of the Royal Parks Foundation which raises money for all the royal parks. On his own website he says "There are countless ways to raise money without alienating people who use and love the Parks." So far on this issue he's only suggested large collection boxes. Hopefully he'll come up with something more realistic.

To get the subject back on track, readers might like to know that the Liberal Democrats have issued a press release claiming that the rally being organised against plans to introduce parking charges in Richmond Park risks becoming party political.

RALLY NOT PARTY POLITICAL

For the avoidance of any doubt, the rally is absolutely not a party political event and there will be no political banners of any colour.

The organisers want as many people as possible to help send the Government a clear and strong message, and if Vince Cable or Susan Kramer want to support it, we would obviously appreciate that.

We are expecting a huge turnout for the rally, which is a reflection of how strongly people feel about the proposed charges.

It will start at 10:30 in the car park at Pembroke Lodge on Saturday January 30th. We hope you'll be able to join us.

Phillip Taylor

In response to Phillip Taylor (whose contributions I have read elsewhere) I say that it is an inescapable conclusion that the rally in Richmond Park is politically inspired given the political aspirations of those convening it.

However it is what is said at that meeting that matters. The best meetings are those at which pragmatic solutions are announced, rather than the mere airing of perceived grievances. It goes without saying that "honesty boxes" are not a pragmatic solution. It would be a sad day indeed were people to turn up and hear someone with £200m of assets standing almost in view of his childhood home of Ormeley Lodge telling them that he "feels their pain".

Richmond Park is a wealthy constituency and needs a parliamentary representative who can mobilise the wealth in the constituency in the interests of the general body of the constituents when and where that is appropriate. I believe this issue is such a case.

It sounds from Phillip Taylor's posting as though the Liberal Democrats are unwilling to take up that challenge. I look forward to reading that press release when the press get around to discussing it.