Parking: One week on, how’s it going?

It’s a week since the introduction of parking restrictions to Wanstead High Street and surrounding streets.

  • Shops on the High Street are guarded about whether there has been an impact. At least one reported the quietest day this year so far, but another has said business has been good. Anecdotally, the turnover of cars parking for a few minutes on the High Street seems to have significantly increased – which if true would be widely welcomed.

  • The council has voted to cut the cost of the £45 residents’ parking permit to £20. This is welcome – especially since in at least one neighbouring borough, a single car permit is given to residents for nothing.

  • While there have been parking tickets in evidence, there have also been a number of warning notices for cars parked incorrectly.

  • Donna Mizzi, one of the WeWantSay group, says: “Bear a thought for the elderly infirm or slightly immobile people who now can’t park at Wanstead Library – not even to obtain assistance in filling in a tricky online Blue Badge form.  Now from Mon-Saturday, Spratt Hall Road is filled with residents’ parking and only parking via the phone. Even the library car park is RingGo only.  Juggling phone and credit cards and trying to hear the instructions is beyond the ability of many slightly disabled people … many of whom don’t own a mobile.”

  • Wansteadium reader Handsai, having received a warning ticket, warns people not to think they can park on the single yellow lines outside the URC at the top of Nightingale Lane, saying: “It is very confusing as these single yellow lines have a different restriction imposed (8.30-6.30) no parking.”
  • Many residents parking streets now seem much clearer of cars during the day, which will be welcomed by householders. Presumably the spaces were being taken by commuters?
  • Purely anecdotally –  but has the reduction in parked cars on Nightingale Lane led to it becoming a bit of a rat run? Some cars seem to be coming down it very fast.

  • The WeWantSay group is not convinced by the changes, and says council documents reveal a projected £700,000 increase in revenue from parking, though acknowledges this would not be raised from Wanstead alone. It is demanding clarification from the council leaders about this money.

  • Wansteadium has failed to get answers to its two key questions about the parking changes – ie. firstly, what are the success measures for the scheme and when will they be judged? And secondly, what monitoring about the impact on Wanstead High Street businesses is planned. If anyone from Redbridge Council wishes to answer these two questions we’d be delighted.

  • Comments on this post will remain open for the foreseeable future for anyone wishing to add comments about their own experiences. We will revisit points raised.

The Nightingale: This really doesn’t look good

After a few months in which it looked like the Nightingale Pub could be saved from closure, it appears the attempt has not succeeded. The pub now has a sign up saying it is closed, and all the furniture appears to have been cleared out from the inside. Many loyal customers will be awaiting the next development keenly.

(More to come…)

Happy P&D-Day, everyone

After years of debates, false starts, U-turns, consultations and planning, today is the day that Pay and Display comes to Wanstead High Street, along with the introduction of residents only parking on many streets.

Time will tell how successful the plan is, but let us hope it can achieve some or all of these outcomes:

  • A healthier and less polluted Wanstead*
  • A reduction in the number of people driving into Wanstead, parking, and using it as an all-day car park to go into London
  • Less congestion at busy times
  • An increase in people walking and cycling
  • An increase in casual shopping trips to Wanstead High Street, greater revenue for shops, and increased prosperity for traders
  • Greater ability for residents to park outside or near their own homes

If those can be achieved, everyone will be happy. Probably.

(*Good point, Me.)