Jo Rigby can't understand how Wandsworth Council will waive the fees to host a street party for a royal wedding, but not Car Free Day.

Come September 22, residents in Merton, Richmond, Lambeth and Lewisham will have closed many a road, without cost, in an effort to mark the annual occasion.

But as it stands, Wandsworth will not be one of them.

As well as being an Earlsfield councillor, Mrs Rigby is a mother and throughout the year has sent letter after letter asking the council to reconsider its stance.

"Experience throughout the country has shown that with some clever placement of cheap cones and the good will of the people, this can be a cheap day out," she said.

"Lots of councils are doing this and we should too."

A flat fee of £60 was introduced in 2011, which the council says covers the "basic admin charge" of hosting a street party. This fee currently sits at £93.

Since that initial introduction, only five times has the fee been waived to allow people to enjoy a street party, free of cost.

These were:

  • Wedding of HRH Prince William and Catherine Middleton
  • Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
  • London 2012 Olympics
  • Queen’s 90th Birthday
  • Wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

"Every year I organise our street party," Cllr Rigby added.

"I do it to build our community. I do it to watch the kids make new friends and race up and down on their skateboards and scooters.

"I will continue to do it long after my kids have grown up. There is no sound more beautiful than that of children playing and laughing.

"The roar of a car and then the empty silence before the next one isn’t joyful or safe."

But after months of campaigning there is a glimmer of hope.

After being contacted by the Wandsworth Times as to whether it would consider waiving the fee, it left the door open for that possibility.

A spokesman for the council said: "We are currently evaluating and considering a proposal which would mean our residents could participate in a London-wide scheme of this type without Wandsworth’s council tax payers having to pay a penny to take part.”

Cllr Rigby was delighted by this, but added that if something is to be done, it needs to be done quickly to give residents enough time to organise themselves for the September 22 date.