National Secular Society defers JR threat after council amends parking policy

The National Secular Society has postponed legal action over a council’s policy of granting car parking exemptions to religious groups, after the local authority issued a clarification.

The Society had threatened to seek a judicial review of Woking Borough Council’s decision to adopt the policy in July 2012.

It claimed that allowing free parking for worshippers amounted to direct discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief and contravened the Equality Act 2010.

Woking has now amended the policy to read:

“4. The Council recognises that non-faith based community groups can (i) similarly encourage people to participate in society, thereby promoting social inclusion, and (ii) undertake considerable voluntary work, often for the benefit of more disadvantaged members of our society.

“5. The Council will, where it is reasonable and proportionate to do so, support non-faith based community groups in the borough of Woking. Such support will include the provision of free car parking in the Council’s off-street car parks in appropriate circumstances.”

Decisions as to which groups (faith or community based) are allowed free parking will continue to be for Woking BC to determine on an individual basis.

Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said: "We are pleased that the council has responded to our allegations of unlawful discrimination by revising its policy parking charge exemptions.

"We will postpone any court action until we can assess how the new policy works in practice."