Free weekend parking in Ealing until Christmas

Nov 29th, 2011

Most car parks across Ealing will be free of charge at weekends throughout December.

The council hopes it will attract residents to shop, eat and drink locally in the run-up to Christmas.

Council leader Julian Bell said: “When we offered free weekend parking in the weeks following the summer riots, businesses and traders in Ealing said it made a big difference. It is in all of our interests to use local businesses for shopping, eating and drinking.

“I hope many residents will take advantage of this generous offer in December, which I’m pleased to announce includes the brand new temporary car park in Southall.”

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Parking Wars in London

Nov 27th, 2011

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It’s Thursday evening in the West End of London and the Christmas lights are glimmering as tourists swarm and pub crowds spill out on to the pavements. But as she parks her beloved Nissan Micra amid the immaculate stores of Savile Row, Sheila Murray is feeling little festive cheer.

“It’s just so unfair,” she says, on the way to starting her hour-and-a-half cleaning shift. “I need my car. And we’re not causing any problems, are we?”

Murray is far from the only one to be enraged by Westminster city council’s plans to start charging, as of January, for evening parking during the week and from 1pm-8pm on Sundays.

So incendiary is the proposal that it has united in opposition a colourful array of characters, including Topshop boss Sir Philip Green, Richard Caring, owner of The Ivy restaurant, and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. Lord Young of Grantham, the Tory peer who was industry secretary under Margaret Thatcher, says the move will “destroy” much of the West End. So does Ken Livingstone.

Churchgoers, fearful for their right to worship, have linked arms with bar workers and other denizens of the night. The council, which insists the change is needed to ease worsening congestion, stands increasingly isolated.

As high-profile as this parking battle is proving to be, however, it is by no means the only one going on in England. Up and down the country, from Sunderland to Brighton, tempers are fraying as more and more cars vie for room on the road and the economic climate means that money is as tight as some of the parking spaces their drivers are squeezing into.

In the ordinarily restful market town of Lewes in East Sussex, vandals have even been blowing up parking meters. The new urban warfare, it seems, has come to a street corner near you.

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Parking restrictions eased for district nurses in south London

Nov 25th, 2011

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Lambeth Council has agreed new parking arrangements for nurses and other health professionals who visit patients at home.

In a new arrangement with St Thomas’ Hospital, district nurses and other health care professionals in Lambeth can now park on single yellow lines for up to two hours.

The change is designed to make sure they can park near to patients’ homes and do not miss appointments because they cannot find a parking space. Previously, community nurses were given a parking permit that only allowed them to park in pay and display bays without paying a fee.

Counsellor Jim Dickson, Lambeth Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “This is a simple change but one that should make a major difference to nurses and their patients.

“Healthcare professionals do a vital job and should be free to concentrate on providing the best possible care for local people without worrying about whether they will be able to find a parking space.”

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Pressure mounts on Westminster Council for parking charges U-turn

Nov 15th, 2011

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Pressure is mounting on Westminster Council to retract its controversial weekend and evening parking charges with the Mayor of London adding his voice to widespread concern about the plans.

Boris Johnson says he has “grave misgivings” about the charges and has asked officials to review their impact.

Meanwhile opposition Westminster Labour councillors have called for a special council meeting to debate the issue.

A petition signed by more than 8,000 people against the regulations was handed into Westminster last week and campaigners are planning legal action to apply to the High Court for a judicial review of the plans.

Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone has also come out against the charges while a number of MPs have signed an Early Day Motion expressing concern at the impact of the charges on night time workers.

Although the Mayor does not have the power to reverse Westminster’s decision, he says he has “made it clear to the borough, as forcibly as we can, that we are deeply uneasy about their proposals”.

“I have grave misgivings about the impact these charges may have on the night time and weekend economy,” he said.

“They potentially discourage people from shopping, heading to the theatre or going to church in the area and I have heard a great deal of concern from people who may be affected.”

The regulations, due to come into force on January 9, will see parking controls imposed in parts of Marylebone and the West End on Sundays from 1pm to 6pm and from Monday to Saturday between 6.30pm and midnight.

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Westminster Town Hall’s ‘bogus congestion claims to justify evening parking charges’

Nov 15th, 2011

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Westminster council was today accused of making “bogus claims” about traffic congestion at night in the West End to justify evening parking charges.

Council leaders have consistently argued that the fees are needed because the streets are now “every bit as busy” at night as during the day. But one transport expert has said that the claim is fatally undermined by Westminster’s own research.

Ian Dix, of transport consultants Vectos, said the council’s “traffic data report” – a key plank of its case for the charges – shows that only a small number of roads are just as badly clogged after dark.

Westminster is planning to abolish free parking on single yellow lines and parking bays between 6.30pm and midnight Monday to Saturday, and between 1pm and 6pm on Sundays. Parking will cost up to £4.80 per hour in bays.

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Free parking in Tottenham over Christmas

Nov 3rd, 2011

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People living in or visiting Tottenham this Christmas can take advantage of free parking in local car parks until the end of January 2012 as part of an on-going campaign to boost trade in the area.

This latest move from Haringey Council - designed to help the local economy – follows the recent announcement that hundreds of riot-hit businesses will receive a cut in their tax this year worth £1.6m.

Free parking provision started on October 28th and will operate every day until January 31st 2012 at Stoneleigh Road and West Green Road.

Charges will apply before 09:00 GMT – to avoid commuters taking spaces from shoppers – and on Spurs match days.

Haringey Council cabinet member for the environment Nilgun Canver said: “Traders have asked for this to help encourage visitors back to the area to shop or have a meal and this is something we can do to help over the coming months.”

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Judges asked to review Westminster parking fees

Nov 2nd, 2011

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Westminster council is facing an unprecedented legal battle over plans to introduce “a tax on nightlife” with West End parking charges which will raise millions of pounds.

It is being taken to the High Court following a rebellion led by top chefs, actors and night-time workers.

In the biggest legal challenge of its kind, they will seek a judicial review of Westminster’s plans.

The council is proposing to abolish free parking on single yellow lines and parking bays between 6.30pm and midnight Monday to Saturday, and between 1pm and 6pm on Sundays. Parking will cost up to £4.80 per hour.

Thousands of workers, from kitchen porters to West End stars, would suffer and London’s economy would be damaged, it is claimed.

You can avoid having to pay high London parking fees and fines and find free parking in London by using the Tube and our text service to find free parking near tube stations outside the congestion zone.

Simply text the word Parking and the name of a tube station OUTSIDE THE CONGESTION ZONE to 80039 and you’ll receive a text back giving you three locations near the tube, or the station closest to it on the same line.

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Camden parking tickets may be illegal as wardens ‘flee immigration checks’

Nov 1st, 2011

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Camden Council could be forced to repay millions of pounds worth of parking fines following accusations that around 20 parking wardens have been patrolling the borough illegally for years.
A tradesman is challenging the legality of hundreds of parking tickets after it emerged that many long-serving wardens fled the service after an immigration check on September 15.

Richard Chaumeton’s construction firm has accumulated up to £91,000 of parking fines, but the Kentish Town builder is taking the council to task over what he claims could be illegal tickets.

Mr Chaumeton, also of London Motorists’ Action Group (LMAG), said: “All those tickets that have been issued are illegal and they should not be valid because they have been handed out by illegal immigrants.

“How can it be lawful for illegal immigrants, who work indirectly for the council, to hand out parking tickets?”

If he is successful, the council could be forced to repay millions of pounds to other drivers who might also have been illegally fined.

It would be yet another blow to Camden’s parking service, which earlier this year was ruled to have amassed £10million in illegal fines from 2009.

Cllr Chris Knight said: “The implications are enormous. If these guys issue up to six tickets or more a day that’s roughly £1.5million worth of tickets a year.”

Parking wardens are employed to the council parking service by private company NSL, which strongly denies the allegations.

A spokesman for the company also rebuffed any suggestion that the legality of tickets is affected by a warden’s immigration status.

The spokesman said: “We were fully staffed on the day in question, and have found no-one working for us who does not have the right to work in the UK. NSL takes its responsibilities as an employer very seriously.”

Mr Chaumeton, who has offices in Grafton Road, alleges that around 20 parking wardens – some who have worked in the borough for seven years – failed to turn up for work last month after being warned of an immigration check.

He claims the missing staff are still on NSL’s books and are receiving holiday and sick pay despite failing to show up for work for more than a month.

A Camden Council spokesman said: “NSL have assured us that their employment practices are robust and that the claims being made are without any foundation.”

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Kingston’s most lucrative street for parking fines rakes in more than £100,000 a year

Oct 31st, 2011

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The most lucrative street in Kingston for parking fines has raked in more than £100,000 for the council.

Kingston Council has issued 2,879 parking tickets to motorists in Tolworth Broadway since August 2010, earning the Guildhall £127,370, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The top four streets – Tolworth Broadway, along with Kingston Road in New Malden, Fife Road and Old London Road Marlborough Street, both in Kingston – brought in more than £300,000 to council coffers.

Ewell Road and Surbiton Road, both in Surbiton, and Clarence Street, Fairfield Road, Hardman Road and the Bittoms, all in Kingston, also featured on the list of top 10 earners for the council.

The total parking fine income for all of Kingston from September 2010 until October 2011 totalled £1.8m.

Salfaya Hussein from parkingfinesuk.com, which offers free advice to motorists issued with parking tickets, said: “Nearly two-thirds of parking tickets issued by local authorities are obtained illegally which means it is quite likely around £66,000 has been stolen from motorists in Tolworth Broadway.”

Councillor Simon James, the executive member responsible for parking, said: “If you don’t park illegally you won’t get a ticket, it is as simple as that.

“We are aware some groups have claimed tickets are being issued in Kingston that shouldn’t be but, while some tickets have been retracted, we are sure that this is not the case in the borough.”

Temporary pay-and-display machines and the closure of a town centre car park lost the council more than £160,000 this year.

The Cattle Market, Bittoms and Rose car parks in Kingston used the pay-and-display system between May and August this year while replacement works to install pay-on-foot facilities were carried out.

The three council-owned car parks brought in £166,394.50 less than in the same four-month period last year, with all car parks showing a loss.

The reduced takings may have been worsened by the closure of the Bittoms car park for six weeks from July 26, and a RingGo cashless parking trial by the council during the time period.

The system required drivers to pay for parking with a credit or debit card over the phone, saving people the walk to the ticket machine and the need to carry change.

However, some people complained that, due to limited phone reception in car parks, the system was hard to use.

Kingston Council said the reduced income was due to a number of factors, including visitors avoiding the car parks because of the temporary machines, which were criticised at the time for being inflexible.

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Parking will remain free in Richmond and Bushy parks

Oct 31st, 2011

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Park lovers will be pleased to hear parking will continue to remain free in both Richmond and Bushy parks.

The reassurance came following concerns about what would happen when responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Royal Parks is transferred to a new board at the start of 2012.

Mark Camley, chief executive of the Royal Parks Agency, confirmed there were no plans to introduce car parking charges in either Richmond or Bushy Park, despite the impending management restructure.

Councillor Tony Arbour, Richmond’s London Assembly Member, said he was pleased the principle of free parking in the parks would be retained.

He said: “I have long campaigned against any attempt to introduce car parking charges for those using Richmond and Bushy, and this confirmation is fantastic news for those who use and love the parks.

“This commitment is in line with the (London) mayor’s desire to maintain the status quo once responsibility for London’s Royal Parks is transferred to a board, over which he has powers of appointment.”

The issue of parking charges in Richmond’s flagship Royal Parks has concerned residents since proposals at the start of 2009 which suggested drivers should pay to leave their cars in the park.

Although parking charge plans were finally scrapped in July 2010, visitors were concerned the proposals may be resubmitted following the switch of park management.

As part of a plan to make the Royal Parks more accountable to the general public, a new Royal Parks board is currently being formed with the hope it will come into force at the start of next year.

Partly selected by Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the board will consist of 12 members – including one from the royal household.

On Thursday, October 13, Mr Johnson officially named his first appointees to the new board, including four existing board members.

He said: “I am delighted that several members of the current board, including chairman Apurv Bagri, have accepted my invitation to carry on in their roles.

“This means we can take advantage of their extensive experience as we seek to bolster how Londoners can get more involved in the running of these wonderful parks.”

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Tagged: free parking in London · parking in London · parking in Richmond

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