Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety presented proposals to amend the Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ) decision-making criteria and other aspects relating to CPZs.

The Cabinet Member explained that the current CPZ decision-making criteria had been in place since May 2019.  A recent review of arrangements suggested an improved, more transparent criteria and the introduction of thresholds would help local residents better understand how to influence the decision-making.  The new decision-making criteria would apply a minimum response rate of 30% of all affected households and, subject to that threshold being achieved, a 2/3rds majority either in support or against would determine whether a scheme should be progressed or withdrawn.  In the event of either of those thresholds not being met, the determining factors would continue to be identified need and ward councillors’ feedback, although the feedback from residents would continue to be an influencing factor. 

The Cabinet Member clarified that in cases where proposals for a CPZ scheme were based on other factors such as serious safety concerns, severe congestion and/or the concerns of the emergency services or Transport for London, those concerns would continue to take precedence over all other factors and the final determination would ultimately be made by the relevant Director in light of the Council’s overall duty of care.  The Cabinet Member cited concerns raised by the London Fire Brigade regarding obstructions caused by parked vehicles as an example of where the relevant Director may be responsible for determining a scheme.

The report also outlined plans to only review existing CPZ schemes in exceptional circumstances until at least the completion of the current CPZ roll-out programme, expected by Autumn 2025, as well as restrictions to the number of parking permits issued per household where parking was limited, to ensure that available spaces were shared out evenly.

Cabinet Members welcomed the improved clarity that the new CPZ decision-making would give to residents.  Reference was also made to the improvements to the Borough’s road network, both in terms of condition and safety, that the income from CPZ schemes had contributed to.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Agree amendments to the CPZ decision-making criteria and, in particular, the Resident Feedback section of the Implementation of CPZ Residents Parking Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)  Agree the revised arrangements regarding reviews of implemented CPZ schemes, as set out in section 2.3 of the report; and

(iii)  Agree the restrictions on parking permit issuance within a CPZ, as set out in section 2.4 of the report.