A massive programme of pole and machine installation is going on around Wanstead as the council brings in its double whammy of pay-and-display on the High Street and residents parking restrictions elsewhere.
Machines have now been installed, and the poles for signs are gradually being installed. Meanwhile residents who will be affected are desperately applying for £45 parking permits before the new rules begin on 19 February (ie a week on Monday).
The council’s parking registration site warns permits may take 10 days to be received by residents following an online application.
Businesses have to apply for permits too, at £300, but details are still sketchy about where those parking spots will be (or if there will be enough spaces to meet demand).
Imran Asfhar, who runs the Tool Box on Wanstead High Street, told Wansteadium: “I have contacted the council by email on a few occasions but still haven’t had a response. There is still no clarity on where the business permit bays will be. Also the quantity of bays being made available. From what I gather there is no limit on the amount of permits a business can purchase.”
Oh dear. People will have to walk to the shops now, literally around the corner
Can’t come soon enough. I already know of 2 roads on the border whose residents are overwhelmingly in favour of having it extended to their roads. Hopefully this will be heard by Redbridge in Phase 2.
The residents of Hermon Hill will have nowhere to park. Dozens of vehicles will be without parking. Until now we parked in Sylvan Road or Nelson Road which will no longer be possible. We are not eligible for permits. I imagine soon cars will park all along Hermon Hill causing massive traffic hold ups. We raised this with Redbridge. The council will tell us nothing.
I assume Redbridge will be quite happy with this outcome: the more extensions to the original CPZ, the better in revenue! A cynic might even say that this is all part of the Council’s plan.
In January 2017 Wanstead people were told by Councillor Athwal that if they did not want new parking controls they would not get them. Over 3,500 people signed a petition saying that they did not want them. Did the “robber barons” of Redbridge Town Hall listen , no !
There is an election in less than 10 weeks when you will be able to tell Mr Athwal what you think about his broken promises
What you refer to as a “double whammy” is really a triple whammy.
In addition to the Pay & Display system and the extension of the controlled parking Zones, a little publicised third prong of this programme is a significant reduction in the overall number of parking spaces in the area.
In particular, On Redbridge Lane West, large sections of road which currently allow parking outside of a one-hour slot on weekdays will be daubed with double yellow lines so there will be no parking allowed at any time even in the middle of the night and at weekends. The so-called consultation process avoided any questions on this aspect of the plan which has largely been ignored in on-line discussions of this topic.
There are little/no issues with parking on this road; the bigger problem is the constant flow of through traffic speeding from the A12 to Overton drive. The parked cars at least had the benefit of forcing some of the traffic to slow down. Introduction of the parking restrictions will simply encourage this traffic to go more quickly.
The only time there is significant parking on this road is at kicking-out time for Wanstead High School. Cars that currently park at this time will not magically disappear- but will simply migrate into the residential streets around Warren Road and Langley Drive. This will then no doubt be used by Redbridge council as an excuse for extending the controlled parking area into these roads – which of course is exactly what they tried to do in their original plan last year!
No excuse needed. Both those roads (and a couple of others) have overwhelming desire from the residents to be included in the next Phase.
Finally, it’s not a whammy, but a welcome relief. I am hopeful for the small number of drivers to be restricted to improve it for the massive majority who use our high street without arriving by car.
Perhaps now is the time to put a cycle lane along Wanstead High Street, maybe using space from some of the wider pavements?
Dont be so stupid.
Looking forward too, Me, to the moment when the High Street once again becomes full of beaming, skipping pedestrians and cyclists shouting toodle-pip as they considerately pass by in a waft of fresh bread and scented roses. Ahh. Except we live in a busy London Borough in the 21st Century. Nothing much will change. Apart from all Wanstead residents having to pay handsomely to faff around with Parking Permits. Such fun.
And like most other London busy boroughs in the 21st century, drivers are no longer getting priority. I have 2 cars and occasionally drive to the high st. As it is the lead efficiant, most polluting, most dangerous method of arriving there, I expect to pay a small amount for the privelidge. Drivers and parking is the worst part of the high st. Fir heavens sake it has killed people there. The vast majority do not drive there. Yet we have to suffer fir the minority that do. It has 2 tube stations, several bus stops, pavements and cycle locks. The major or are about to be prioritised. I can’t wait. If you want to live in a place dominated by cars and traffic,
Well I for one welcome the restrictions in Redbridge Lane West. I’ve not been able to park within view of my house for 10 years, sometimes having to park 5 minutes walk away – mostly because of commuters parking here. As for the cost – look at Brighton – 7, yes 7 days a week, 9am to 8pm restrictions, at £120 per car!! We live in London near excellent public transport systems. Get over it. Mike
As a long term resident of Redbridge Lane West (30 plus years) I totally concur with you comments. There never has been a parking problem in this road other than as you describe, and I pointed this out in correspondence with the Council. It does not appear any local knowledge has been applied to the plan in respect of our road since a simple walk along at any time of the day would have evidenced this. The speeding issue gets worse and parking on both sides of the road adjacent to the school where no restrictions apply is clearly a serious hazard and an accident waiting to happen. How to deal with carers or contractors will be an issue as Warren Road becomes more crowded then as you say no doubt the original plan will be instituted. How could they have missed the commuter car park of both St Mary’s and Draycot Roads. It is a pity the response to the consultation document was so low but I guess apathy prevails.
My previous comments were in support of David Heaps post I would just like to add. The following details are part of the responses to the consultation in Redbridge Lane West. I quote, “60 properties were sent the consultation of which 30 responded. Of the 30, when asked the question ” Do you agree that parking controls in your road will make it easier to park” 8 strongly agreed, 7 agreed, and 1 said neither, 5 said disagree and 9 said strongly disagree” My maths are not what they were, but I cannot see how, given 15 for 14 against and 1 dont know, can be interpreted as a clear majority as claimed by the parking authority in an e mail answer to a question I raised . The majority of the questions were either poorly devised or devised to give the outcome required.
Just another tax on residents, parking has never been an issue on residential roads in Wanstead for 25 years and still Isn’t….watch the £45 permits rise to hundreds over the coming years and the local shops close down as even more people use the free car parks at supermarkets.