‘There’s no democracy’: Residents claim no proper consultation on new parking permits

Residents claim they have not been fully consulted by the council on the introduction of parking permits in their area.

Residents of Riseldine Road, in Honor Oak, have signed a petition to fight the introduction of parking permits in their area due to the additional costs for residents and tradespeople.

The parking permit has been proposed by Lewisham council as part of its Sustainable Streets program.

The cost of a parking permit is calculated based on the emissions of a vehicle. On average, the cost of an annual residential parking permit is expected to be around £12 a month or £3 a week.

A series of public consultation meetings have been held by the council and Project Centre, an architectural consultancy company helping to implement the Sustainable streets program.

Michael Singer, 74, from Riseldine Road, attended these meetings.

Mr Singer said: “People had questions and the company that was responsible couldn’t answer any of the questions.

“Project Centre had a few staff present who knew practically nothing as to the council’s actual proposals and certainly couldn’t answer any questions.”

At one of the meetings, Mr Singer handed in a petition signed by 55 residents on Riseldine Road opposing the parking permit.

Mr Singer said: “If you have friends and family you could end up spending three or four hundred pounds a year just to park outside your own front door at a time when people are struggling to make ends meet.

“We never get a say anymore about what’s going on. There’s no democracy.”

A spokesman from Lewisham council said: “More than 75 per cent of roads in the borough currently have unrestricted parking. This encourages unnecessary car journeys into and around the borough, contributing to traffic, congestion and air pollution.

“It also results in parking difficulties for some local residents and means there is limited road space available for new sustainable transport measures, such as cycle hangars, electric vehicle charging points and car club bays.

“The proposed introduction of parking permit schemes would help reduce unnecessary car journeys into and around the borough, reducing traffic and air pollution and improving road safety, as well as helping to fund the delivery of new sustainable transport measures and ensuring parking is prioritised for local residents and businesses.

“All households in the consultation area were sent information about the Sustainable Streets programme by post, with information about the proposals for their road and how to complete the consultation survey.

“We are in the process of analysing the consultation responses received and we will be updating residents on next steps in due course.”

Pictured top: Michael Singer on Riseldine Road (Picture: Michael Singer)