Agenda item

Report of the Divisional Director of Commissioning Services.

The Panel received a report of the Divisional Director, Commissioning Services which set out the results of the public consultation carried out in the Headstone Lane area in September 2015 regarding the possibility of implementing a controlled parking scheme.

Following a brief overview of the report, an officer responded to Panel Members’ questions as follows:

·                     if the proposed parking controls were agreed, they would free up more parking spaces.  Local residents would be eligible to request parking permits;

·                     the number of Pay and Display (P&D) bays had not yet been calculated and this information would be advised in due course;

·                     the consultation results had been very close with regard to the implementation of parking controls, the majority of respondents had indicated that they were in favour of some sort of parking controls being introduced in Headstone Lane;

·                     the final provisions of a parking control scheme were designed not merely on the basis of residents’ views, but took into account consultation results, the views of local Ward Councillors as well as the advice of relevant traffic officers.  For example, officers were obliged to heed operational or statutory requirements and amend schemes accordingly.

A Member back benching made the following points:

·                     residents living in the area should not be obliged to pay to park near their homes;

·                     a five-hour parking restriction in the area, meant that local residents’ family members and other visitors such as healthcare workers, carers were obliged to pay parking charges both in the morning and in the afternoon.  The scheme should be changed so that these individuals only paid once for the entire period of their visit;

·                     there were a large number of properties in the vicinity of Broadfields with no access to parking;

·                     CPZs should be designed to prevent commuter parking and should not prevent local residents from parking near their homes.

An officer stated that:

·                     officers were exploring alternative ways of introducing these schemes.  It was anticipated that residents would be eligible to receive 1 free visitor permit per day, which would include lunchtimes;

·                     the number of P&D bays in the area would need to be restricted as it would not be possible to permit unrestricted parking on the public highway.  The Department for Transport had a responsibility to maintain traffic flow throughout the city and expected local authorities to support it in this;

·                     officers were obliged to balance the needs of residents, traders, drivers, pedestrians and shoppers equally when designing a scheme.   The proposed removal of long-term parking provision in the area would free up short-term parking spaces.

The Chair added that the Council also had a duty to meet the Mayor of London’s priorities in terms of parking, traffic, road safety and modal shift.

It was noted that the wording of paragraph 4 of the Recommendation would be made clearer by the adding of a full stop after the words ‘Headstone Lane’ and beginning a new amended sentence at ‘And in Courtenay Avenue (between Secker Crescent and Pinner Park Avenue).’

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to the Portfolio Holder of Environment, Crime and Community Safety)

That

(1)          a controlled parking zone including resident permit bays be introduced operating Monday to Friday, 10 am – 3 pm within the boundary shown in Appendix E in the following roads and that eligibility for permits be restricted to the following addresses:

·           Headstone Lane (Nos. 155 to 291 odds, 194 to 350 evens, Letchford House and Letchford Terrace),

·           Long Elmes (207 to 283 odds and 200 to 252 evens),

·           Chantry Road,

·           West Chantry,

·           Chantry Place (public highway section only),

·           Mullion Close,

·           Broadfields,

·           Randon Close,

·           Fernleigh Court,

·           Barmor Close, and

·           Parkfield Avenue (Nos. 23 to 63 odds, 42 to 94 and Laura Court);

(2)          shared use bays (“pay & display” and permit holders) and  “Pay & Display” bays be introduced in Long Elmes and Headstone Lane by the shopping parades with a tariff of 10p per 20 minutes for pay and display (first 20 mins per day free);

(3)          a loading bay be introduced in Long Elmes to operate Monday to Saturday 8 am to 6.30 pm;

(4)          Monday to Saturday 8 am to 6.30 pm waiting restrictions be introduced in Headstone Lane and be introduced in Courtenay Avenue (between Secker Crescent and Pinner Park Avenue);

(5)          “At any time” waiting restrictions (double yellow lines) be introduced at junctions, crossing points, along narrow sections of carriageway and at bends throughout the consultation area.

 Reason for Decision:  To regulate parking in the Headstone Lane area as detailed in the report.  The measures were in response to requests from residents and businesses to address parking problems in their area to maintain road safety and accessibility for vehicular traffic.

The Panel wished it to be recorded that the Recommendation was agreed by a majority of votes.

Councillors Jeff Anderson, Susan Hall, Barry Kendler, Jerry Miles, Mrs Vina Mithani and Nitin Parekh voted for the Recommendation.