Why the Council decision just does not add up
The Croydon Cabinet Committee responsible for Transport, and the draconian proposals, backed down on their plans for all but the area along London Road and up to Mayday Hospital.
The problem with this is that residents haven’t been properly consulted. Some might actually want it (Midhurst Avenue in Broad Green Ward might be the exception), but I have not (yet!) come across any in my ward (Selhurst) who are in favour of this scheme. Putting up A4 sheets of paper on lamp posts is never a great way to consult on a decision that affects so many people.
From the Consultation, the Cabinet Committee (all Tory Councillors) stated that they had only got 2% of residents opposing the scheme in the North Zone, so it must be wanted… in essence saying that the ‘silent’ majority must win out on this!
Apart from the number of objections within the new draconian zone is fairly similar to the areas not in the new 8 am – midnight / 7 days a week zone.
The total objections are fairly similar between each zone too.
East Inner – 315
East Outer – 541
North – 590
South – 438
West - 826
So what has gone on here?
Residents have pointed out to me the sums that the Council have raised from parking charges for the Zones:
| Zone | On / Off Street | Total |
| East Inner | ON STREET | £150,546.51 |
| East Outer | ON STREET | £220,690.95 |
| North "N" | ON STREET | £536,720.25 |
| South "S" | ON STREET | £74,254.21 |
| West "W" | ON STREET | £347,864.93 |
| Grand Total | | £1,330,076.85 |
Is this what has really led the Council to target the North Zone for longer hours and thus more income from on street charges? The above figures exclude income from tow away fees and fines. I have asked the officer what the estimate of extra income is from these new hours of operation, the committee report does not make this clear. The cost of new signage etc is £15,000 (committee report paragraph 4.2.1).
Gavin Barwell MP
On my blog I challenged Gavin Barwell MP to provide the evidence for his statement that in a few roads around Mayday Hospital, residents want something done. His only response has been that residents on Midhurst Avenue wanted something done. Fair enough for the residents of Midhurst Avenue, if that is actually what they want (pity the 5 objectors), but what about the other 10 roads in the new draconian zone?
It sticks in the throat to have a Tory MP in another constituency praising the Tory council for listening and then following the Council line that these restrictions being imposed in North Croydon are actually wanted by local residents.
The figures below prove just how arbitrary the decision to impose these restrictions on residents in North Croydon actually have been.
If the Tory Council was consistent, then working on their own logic, they would have imposed these restrictions on the 65 roads listed below in addition to the 11 roads that are getting this treatment.
ROADS IN THE NEW ZONE
Bensham Lane – 4
Buxton Road – 3
Cambell Road – 1
Constance Road – 4
Dennett Road – 2
Earlswood Avenue – 4
Francis Road – 2
Lodge Road – 4
London Road (north of St James Road) – 12
Mayday Road – 2
Midhurst Avenue – 5
ROADS EXCLUDED FROM THESE RESTRICTIONS WITH SIMILAR RESPONSES
Addington Road – 2
Ainsworth Road – 3
Cornwall Road – 3
Cuthbert Road – 1
Eastney Road – 1
Mead Place – 1
Mitcham Road – 1
Montague Road – 2
Parsons Mead – 5
St Saviours Road – 1
Windmill Road – 1
ROADS EXCLUDED FROM THESE RESTRICTIONS WITH SIMILAR RESPONSES IN OTHER CONTROLLED PARKING ZONES
SOUTH ZONE
Addiscombe Road – 2
Anselm Close – 1
Bardley Close – 2
Beech Copse – 2
Brownlow Road -3
Chiltern Close – 1
Danecourt Gardens – 3
Deans Close – 4
Deepdene Avenue – 2
Delmy Close – 2
Digby Close – 1
Green Acres – 4
Langton Way – 3
Leyburn Gardens – 3
Lyndhurst Close – 3
Minster Drive – 4
Pageant Walk – 2
Ranmore Avenue – 2
Rosamund Close – 3
Rowan Gardens – 1
Rushmead Close – 2
South Park Hill Drive – 2
Spencer Road – 4
Sudbury Gardens – 4
Thanescroft Road – 2
The Avenue – 1
Waldgrove – 4
Witherby Close – 2
West Zone
Aberdenn Road – 3
Ashley Lane – 2
Bartlett Street – 1
Blunt Road – 3
Duppas Hill Road – 2
Haling Park Gardens – 1
Hurst Road – 1
Lower Church Street – 2
St Andrews Road – 2
St Johns Road – 3
The Waldrons – 1
Wayneflete Avenue – 1
East Outer Zone
Academy Gardens – 3
Colworth Road – 4
Grenaby Road – 2
Lamberts Place – 1
Morland Road – 1
Mulberry Lane – 2
Tavistock Road – 2
Turnpike Link – 1
East Inner Zone
Brickwood Road – 4
Colson Road – 1
Garrick Crescent – 2
Leyburn Gardens – 2
Park Hill Rise - 1
So are you going to post gavin Barwells reply to you so we can all see it?
ReplyDeleteseems when you read it it says a little bit more than your 'His only response has been that residents on Midhurst Avenue wanted something done.'
ReplyDelete....and why weren't you there?
Okay, I just can't hold this back any longer.....I'm a lifelong Labour supporter who just can't get his head round this. The Tory council propose a whole set of ridiculous parking restrictions and we all get up in arms about it quite rightly! BUT, and this is the thing I don't get. The TORY MP whips up a campaign and mails all his residents AND ends up getting ALL the extensions in his constituency shelved and what are MY Labour reps doing? Where was MY MP? Was he at that meeting? NO! Did he send me a letter NO! What did you all do about it!!
ReplyDeleteNothing except whinge! Don't complain about Gavin Barwell, at least he did something for his residents....makes me wonder why I bothered to vote for you!
Hi Anonymous (the post at 12.30) I have linked back to Gavins blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous (12.43 post) Malcolm Wicks MP did write in to object. Under normal circumstances I probably would have got more involved earlier on this, but was slightly distracted with the proposals to close 6 local libraries - one of which serves the eastern side of Selhurst and one that serves the western end (South Norwood and Broad Green Library).
To Anonmousy @ 12:43 - the residents campaign was kicked off by the same CRAPP campaigners that fought simular proposals from the Council in 2002 (Labour - but this isn't about party politics for us but quality of life).
ReplyDeleteIn 2002 there were plenty of Residents that helped get the message out in the North Zone. We looked for those same people but couldn't find them and we did try to find others to help but couldn't in time. Therefore the one zone thats getting hit is the one that CRAPP didn't have enough time to fully leaflet. We hoped that there was enough protest from the rest of the borough to stop this nonsense completely - but sadly no and thats why we continue to oppose this even though the streets we live in are ok.
In 2002 the Council imposed the extension on the central zone only. This time its the North zone only - we think it's a face saving move.
We have been actively talking to the residents affected - not a single one supports the extension - none. They all like the North CPZ as they have somewhere to park at night when getting home now but not the extension of hours.
Our campaign website is at croydoncouncil.com (URL saved from last time!) and you will find Tim there as well.
CroydonParking has done a fantastic job mobilising the community on this. In this area, the roads still returned the same level of objections as 65 other roads that wont be getting this treatment.
ReplyDeleteTonight is the Scrutiny Committee. Lets hope they listen this time to residents concerns.