Showing posts with label parking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parking. Show all posts

Monday 18 October 2021

Controversy over Brent Council's proposal for Traffic Management Orders on its council estates - £50 annually per permit and no visitor parking at first


 



Brent Council is currently undertaking a major consultation exercise across its council estates on parking enforcement LINK. They wish to introduce a Traffic Management Order (TMO) on the estates and note 'should residents not support the proposals...an alternative enforcement service will not be available on the estate.'  In other words, according to some residents if you do not support this proposal current difficulties will continue and we will abandon you to your fate.

The parking restrictions will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and will require residents to purchase parking permits at £50 per permit per year. Given the number of people living on all the above estates that amounts to a considerable sum, leading some people to suggest this is just a money raising venture.

A further criticism has been that this is a 'one size fits all' approach ignoring differences between estates and their proximity to Wembley Stadium, underground stations, major shopping centres etc which lead to outsiders parking on some estates but not on others.

A particular issue that has been drawn to my attention is that the consultation states that 'due to the restricted amount of parking space available on the estate and the need to provide the maximum amount of parking for residents, visitors will initially be unable to park within the estate' - this would be reviewed once the scheme is operational and the number of free spaces determined.  Given that family visiting at weekends and particularly for festivals is an important cultural tradition for many of Brent's communities this is seen  as posing a challenge for any equalities impact assessment.

Since publication of this article the Kilburn Times has published an article where women on the Kings Drive Estate have raised the issue of women's safety if they have to park a distance from their homes. See  LINK

Visitors parking on the estate would risk a Fixed Penalty Notice which at present is £130.

On my estate the removal of garages and a car park for 'in-fill' housing has reduced the number of parking spaces available but will also increase the population. While wanting people to rely less on cars and use public transport instead I cannot deny the impact this has had  and will also affect other estates ear-marked for in-fill developments.


There are undoubtedly parking problems and this has meant many missed waste collections when the huge  Veolia vehicles cannot get access. There are outsiders who park cars and vans on the estate overnight with the occasional overnighter sleeping in their vehicles on the access road. 

 The maps produced for the consultation appear to indicate fewer parking bays than are currently available. On this plan for Kings Drive, Wembley, you can see that there are 17 blocks each with 10 households. The number of parking bays is indicated in green.


A key question, given previous problems with enforcement by Brent Council, is will this mean anything if enforcement is not effective? Look again at all the estates affected and the ground that has to be covered.

Engagement sessions have been organised as part of the consultation, many of which have already taken place DETAILS

 The consultation closes on November 4th at 23.59

BRENT COUNCIL'S REASONS FOR THE CHANGE

 

Why do we need to make these changes?

 

Vehicles parking in an unsafe and inconsiderate way blocks roads and pavements, and are making it difficult and unsafe for residents to move around their estates, as well as hindering access for the Council’s refuse collection vehicles. Residents on the estates are also finding it more and more difficult to find a space to park their car. More seriously, unsafe parking can prevent fire engines and ambulances from getting to the estates for emergencies.

 

How do the new controls work differently to the current ones?

Under the current system, Wing Parking (enforcement agents) are not legally allowed to access DVLA information, meaning they can only ever enforce against estates residents, not those parking there without permission. The new system will make it easier for the Council to enforce against vehicles parked poorly or inconsiderately which cause problems in the estates. These stricter controls have been proven to deter nuisance estate parking when used by other London authorities.

 

What are the benefits of these changes?

  • Residents should find it easier to access a suitable parking space.
  • There should be less disruption to emergency service vehicles, allowing them to respond more rapidly to issues on the estates.
  • Unauthorised vehicles will be deterred from entering the estates and parking in resident bays, which will increase parking availability for estate residents.
  • Unobstructed footways will improve parking accessibility and safety for pedestrians, the mobility impaired and pedestrians with pushchairs.
  • There should be an improvement in access for Council services, including a reduction in missed waste collections.

 


Saturday 8 September 2018

Brent Event Day Parking Enforcement from 8am for a match that starts at 7.45pm today!


Paul Lorber has returned to the issue of Event Day parking restrictions affecting local residents and community activities as restrictions are put in place today for the England vs Spain match.

The notice says that enforcement will run from 8am today until midnight on main roads and between 10am and midnight in residential areas.

The match does not start until 7.45pm.

In an email to Carolyn Downs, Brent Council's Chief Executive, Lorber says:
As someone who helps to run a Community Library in the Wembley area which serves local people - many of whom are disabled and elderly - I find the tone of these emails unacceptable.

The notification does not state the time the soccer match will start and does not make it clear when enforcement against normal parking will be carried out.

This is important as at a public meeting in 2017 the current Leader reassured Wembley residents that enforcement does not start until 2 hours before the start of the event and ends 2 hours after the event finishes.

He did so in response to anger from residents against the Brent Council for allowing growing disruption to their lives by all day parking restrictions/enforcement while allowing a growing number of events at Wembley.

In view of this any tickets issued on easy event for simple parking infringement within the window specified by the Leader of Council should be cancelled. 

Even more importantly the Council should now clarify its Event Day enforcement policy and advise residents clearly and openly.

In addition, as raised in my earlier email to you, the policy of dispensation (granting of parking permits on event days) for local community groups should be reviewed so that they are treated as religious venues so that they too can go about their normal business of serving local people.

I would appreciate your early reply and confirmation that these issues will now be addressed in the interests of and for the benefit of local people.



Saturday 18 June 2016

Revised parking changes for Brent including £25 diesel car supplement

The Brent Cabinet on June 27th will consider recomendations LINK for revised parking charges.


.        2.0  Recommendations Cabinet is asked to formally express its thanks to all those who responded to the on-street parking consultation, and then agree: Demand-Led Pay and Display Tariffs:
.        2.1  To freeze parking prices in Pay & Display bays borough-wide. Daily Visitor Parking Charges:
.        2.2  To proceed to formal consultation on a Traffic Management Order, under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, introducing new visitor parking charges in CPZ areas, with a £1.50 charge for up to 2 hours, a £3 charge for up to 4 hours, and a £4.50 charge for ‘all-day’ visitor parking of more than 4 hours.
.        2.3  To delegate authority to implement the price changes following formal consultation, including amendment of any relevant Traffic Management Orders, to the Strategic Director Regeneration & Environment, in consultation with the Lead Member for Environment. Visitor Household Permit  
.        2.4  To retain the Visitor Household permit.  
.        2.5  To increase the charge made for the Visitor Household permit, from 1st October 2016, to a 2016/17 rate of £163 for a full year; £98 for 6 months and £66 for three months; and with future increases linked to the price of a third Resident Parking Permit for vehicles in the proposed ‘Standard’ emissions band. Carer and Support Permit:
.        2.6  Dependent on agreement to recommendation 2.4 above, to withdraw the proposal to introduce a new Care and Support permit. School Parking Permits:
.        2.7  In respect of parking for school staff: § To allow schools within CPZs to purchase a maximum of 3 business permits, at the standard rate (£366 in 2016/17) and terms & conditions, with immediate effect; § To introduce a new scheme allowing qualifying schools to:
§  Purchase a maximum of 3 school staff parking permits at a rate discounted by 25% to reflect term-time use only, providing the school has a bronze level accredited travel plan;
§  Purchase additional school staff parking permits at the reduced term-time rate should they have either a silver (up to 6 school permits in total) or a gold (up to 9 school permits in total) level accredited travel plan. Residents Parking Permits:
.        2.8  From 1st April 2017 to amend the resident parking permit scheme as follows:
§  Simplifying emission-based bandings for resident household permits, as set out in paragraph 7.3, to provide a clearer signal and encouragement to switch to lower- emission vehicles
§  Introducing a minimum charge of £25 for a resident’s parking permit for any vehicle (other than a powered two-wheel vehicle)
§  Reducing the permitted size of vehicles with resident permits to those weighing no more than 3.5 tonnes
.        2.9  To agree in principle to introduce a £25 supplement for diesel car permits, reflecting their additional contribution to air pollution, with effect from 1st October 2018 to give adequate notice and therefore time for owners to change to less polluting vehicles or transport modes.
.        2.10  To note that further research is required regarding the proposal to reduce resident permit entitlement from 3 permits to 2, as set out at paragraph 7.2. Visitor Permit Entitlement:
.        2.11  Dependent on agreement to recommendation 2.4 above (to continue the offer of the Visitor Household permit), to cap the number of visitor permits any household can buy to a maximum of 300 permits p.a., commencing from 1st April 2017. Trader Permits:
.        2.12  To develop and introduce a new one-day All Zones trader’s permit, allowing a business vehicle to park in any CPZ within Brent for one day.
.         
.        CPZ Concerns Cabinet 27 June 2016 On-Street                          2.13 To note that a further report detailing and scoping a comprehensive review of the operation of CPZs will come to Cabinet in the autumn.

Monday 18 November 2013

Budget cuts, Veolia, Copland, racist letting agents and violence against women on Council agenda tonight

The most important item on tonight's Brent Council Agenda is probably the first reading of the budget which includes the cuts already listed on this blog LINK

Executive members will give reports as follows:

1. The opening of the LDO and update on appointmentof Ben Spinks (Cllr Butt)
2. New Public Realm contract (Cllr Mashari)
3. The future of Copland school (Cllr Pavey)
4. Integrated Care Pioneer bid and conference on adult safeguarding (Cllr Hirani)
5. Action taken on racial discrimination by local letting agents and private rented
 sector licensing (Cllr McLennan)
6. The live-streaming of Council meetings (Cllr Denselow)
7. Conference on khat (Cllr Choudry)
8. An update on parking (Cllr J Moher)
9. Regeneration tour of the borough by Deputy Mayors of London (CllrCrane)
10. Visit from the Mayor of Johannesburg (Cllr R Moher) 

Each party group has tabled a motion for this evening.  They are:

LABOUR


Tackling violence against women

This Council commends the work of the members’ task group on Tackling Violence against Women and Girls in Brent. This task group is committed to ending harmful practices by raising public awareness of issues such as female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriages and honour-based violence. These practices, and all instances of violence against women, constitute illegal, intolerable acts and human rights violations.

This Council notes the positive influence members can wield within communities by encouraging individuals and groups to speak out against harmful practices, which impact on the wellbeing of women and girls in Brent. To ensure that members are fully informed on all these harmful practices and how to deal with them effectively, there will be a member development event held on Thursday 21 November 2013. Sessions will be led by the expert organisations FORWARD and the Asian Women’s Resource Centre.

Members also note the work of the White Ribbon Campaign day- a charitable organisation started by men which seeks to end violence against women. Members whole-heartedly support this cause and will sign the White Ribbon pledge to affirm that they will never condone or remain silent about violent acts against women. A Brent Council event marking White Ribbon Day – the internationally recognised day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – will be held in the Civic Centre on November 25.

We call on all members to unite in the fight against these harmful practices, and resolve to end all practices which cause physical or emotional distress to women and girls in Brent within the 5-year target set by the Government earlier this year.

Councillor John

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT 


Cleaner streets in Brent

Council notes that Labour councillors have targeted street cleaning and waste collection for service reductions by:



        i.            Reducing the frequency of street cleaning in many residential streets from three times a week to once a week

      ii.            Reducing weekend street cleaning in High Streets

    iii.            Reducing refuse collections, even in areas with poor storage facilities for residual waste

     iv.            Introducing curtilage collections

       v.            Axing the streetwatcher scheme



Council further notes:



        i.            It is two years since Brent Council hit its target for tonnes of waste sent to landfill

     vi.            In five out of the last six quarters Brent Council failed to hit its target for the percentage of waste sent for recycling

   vii.            Brent Council has never (since the target was adopted as a KPI) met its target for Flytipping Enforcement: number of inspections and investigations

 viii.            Reported fly-tipping increased after Labour's street cleaning cuts, as dirty streets encouraged more people to dump waste

     ix.            There is considerable public concern about the cleanliness of our streets and the amount of fly-tipping in Brent

       x.            The failure to meet recycling targets has significant financial consequences



Council calls on the Executive to:



        i.            Improve Brent Council's recycling performance

      ii.            Step up enforcement in order to target more effectively those who disfigure our streets with litter and fly-tipping

    iii.            Use the resulting additional finance to increase street cleaning where it is most needed and work intensively with residents and managers of blocks of flats to address litter, fly-tipping and waste collection issues.

Councillors Lorber, Brown and Hopkins

CONSERVATIVE

Parking

This Council notes that the parking policy of this Labour administration is hurting Brent's economy as high parking charges on the local high streets and the abolition of visitor parking scratch cards continue to drive visitors away.

This Council also notes that as a result of these ill-thought out policies, shoppers are deserting Brent in favour of the cheap, easy and free parking that is on offer at Brent Cross and in neighbouring borough’s. 
This Council resolves to:
-          Introduce half an hour free parking on our High Streets
-          Ensure that event day parking restrictions only apply for 1hour before the event at Wembley Stadium
-          Continue the use of visitor scratch cards indefinitely,

Councillor Kansagra


You can watch a live feed of the meeting on computer, tablet or smart phone from 7pm HERE and tweet #brentlive




Monday 15 July 2013

Looking for the X Factor at Brent Civic Centre's first Executive meeting


Well not really! The X Factor was filming outside the Civic Centre in Arena Square and Cllr Krupesh Hirani was quite overcome by seeing Nicole Scherzinger strutting her stuff, but inside Boardrooms 4 & 5 the X Factor or almost any other factor was decidedly absent. The photograph should be evidence enough.

A discussion on parking charges went on for ages and nearly made me rush out and throw myself off the Boardroom's balcony thoughtfully provided by the Civic Centre designers  for any Brent residents who can't stand it any more.

The parking discussion, where actually there appeared to be no major disagreements, was about ten times as long as the discussion on two major housing reports which will have a much more serious impact on families and individuals forcing some of them to leave Brent and others to choose between paying their rent or buying food for themselves or their children.

As Robin Sivapalan of Brent Housing Action pointed out from the floor, the report on Supply and Demand almost seemed to welcome the Coalition's Bedroom Tax as a way of shifting tenants from 'under occupied'  housing, while other actions appeared to reduce demand only by redefining overcrowding or disrepair rather than by  providing actual housing. The second report promised action to build new affordable housing but lacked detail while action was promised both to tackle poor landlords but also to encourage more landlords to rent out properties.

Michael Pavey in an outbreak of left rhetoric called private foster agencies exploitative but then seemed only to want to get a better (cheaper) deal out of them, He also suggested primary school expansions were preferable to the 'anarchy' of free schools.

Muhammed Butt was very tetchy and lost his cool on at least two occasions, giving the impression that opposition councillors had no right to disagree with him.

Sunday 12 August 2012

No right to free parking at Sainsbury's for Cultural Centre users

At last week's Consultation on the Willesden Green Cultural centre plans the Brent Council Mayor Projects and Regeneration representative stated that the Council had an agreement with the nearby Sainsbury's store to provide 2 hours free parking for local residents.  This was in response to concerns about the lack of parking at the new Cultural Centre with the current car park handed over to the developer for the building of flats. It was made clear that there was no room for negotiation on the issue.

A request for clarification from Sainsbury's at national level has produced this reponse:
Thanks for your email regarding the parking limit in our Willesden Green store.

I've spoken with the Store Manager, Jonny Magill, about your query.  He's confirmed the car park is for our customers only, and anyone seen to be using the car park to shop elsewhere will be issued with a ticket.  Jonny has said they'll of course use their discretion when customers are shopping with us and may wish to pop to the High Street for some other items.  I hope you find this information helpful.

We appreciate you taking the time to get in touch with us and hope to see you in store again shortly.

Kind regards
 
Mark Jackson | Customer Manager
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd | 33 Holborn, London | EC1N 2HT