Despite an overwhelming majority voting against parking charges in Richmond and Bushy Park, the Government could take until the end of the year to decide if they should be axed.

This week Royal Parks published the results of its public consultation into the controversial charges proposal and a whopping 84 per cent of park users gave the idea the thumbs down.

But Twickenham’s MP, Vincent Cable, believes the obvious opposition does not guarantee the scheme will be scrapped.

He said: “I find it difficult to believe that the Royal Parks management will proceed with charges in the face of such overwhelming public hostility or that the minister would approve any recommendation to that effect.

“We must however be prepared for the eventuality and for a fresh round of campaigning in the autumn.

“The amenity societies led by the Friends of Bushy and Home Park have done a splendid job mobilising opposition and they deserve to prevail.”

Fellow MP, Susan Kramer, said “the people have spoken” and demanded the Royal Parks acknowledge their opinions.

Ms Kramer hit out at the agency for commissioning a report she claimed offered no clear way forward.

“I am concerned that taxpayers’ money has been spent on a report that offers no substantial analysis or recommendation about the next steps in this process,” Ms Kramer said.

Chairman of the Friends of Richmond Park, Ron Crompton, also criticised the report.

He said: "For some reason the report combines the results for Richmond and Bushy Parks, when we know that the results were different because the parks are very different.

"We have asked for the separate results so that we can give an informed response when the final proposal is produced after the summer."

Richmond Council’s deputy leader, Councillor Stephen Knight, and parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park, Zac Goldsmith, heaped more pressure on Parks' Minister Barbara Follett - tasked with deciding the fate of both parks - by urging her to put an end to the parking plan.

Over the 13-week consultation period, Royal Parks received 1,986 responses and five petitions, containing about 13,000 signatures, against the parking charge proposals. Two petitions against the scheme, which were placed on the Number 10 website, received 5759 signatures.

A spokeswoman for Royal Parks said: “The report has been sent to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for Ms Follett to consider and advise how we are to proceed.

“We expect a decision by the end of the year.”

She added: "The report on ‘Amending the Royal Parks Regulations’ provides a robust analysis of the responses received to the public consultation, and was compiled by independent analysts to ensure an impartial view."

She said it was not yet known how much the report cost to produce.

To see the report visit royalparks.org.uk

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