Lewisham council aims to make £1.5m in three years by clamping down on traffic offences
By Grainne Cuffe, Local Democracy Reporter
Lewisham council is proposing to make £1.5 million in savings in three years from introducing new controlled parking zones (CPZs) and more cameras to clamp down on traffic offences.
The proposals form part of the council’s draft budget cuts published last week, and are set to go to scrutiny this week.
Nearly £27 million in possible cuts have been identified out of £40 million planned over the next three years.
By introducing more CPZs, the council aims to reduce commuter parking, increase road safety, improve air quality, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and help make the borough carbon neutral by 2030.
It says extending CPZs borough-wide “would be a key tool as part of the council’s approach to tackling the climate emergency and reducing the impact of the car on the environment and health.
“There is a greater demand for parking than there is space available.
“Most of the Victorian road network was not built to accommodate widespread car ownership and use, which means the council must carefully manage the supply of on and off-street parking space according to need,” an appendix attached to the draft cuts report states.
According to the document there are 163kms of uncontrolled parking in the borough, 77 per cent of the available public highway. If CPZs were introduced into half of these streets, the council estimates an annual net income of £4 million.
The proposal could be implemented from August 1, 2023.
A council spokeswoman said: “The council is proposing to enforce traffic restrictions, many of which already exist and have been in operation for many years.
“These restrictions are designed to manage traffic flows, to improve road safety and to improve air quality.
“Enforcement by camera will encourage motorists to follow the rules of the road, improve compliance and assist with achieving a cleaner, safer Lewisham.
“All funds raised through parking or traffic enforcement charges go into a ring-fenced account to be used for transport and parking-related activities.”
Pictured top: Lewisham civic centre