Newington Green suffers from parking restrictions

by Tom Lowe

COUNCIL parking restrictions around Newington Green may have local support for protecting resident parking and improving traffic, but community businesses claim they are suffering.

With vehicles banned from pulling up outside, customers have been deterred from visiting commercial premises around the Green, and deliveries have been thwarted by patrolling wardens charging £50 a ticket. As a result, local traders have struggled to cope.

North London Wine Cellar manager Ahraz Atif said: “It really affects business. If someone parks outside, a warden will arrive in four to five minutes – it’s that quick.

“One of us has to stand there the whole time while a delivery is made.”

He said the restrictions deterred both customers and those making deliveries.

“Some [delivery] people will only come when we have at least two people in the shop, so one can stand with the van in the parking space”, he said.

“Sometimes, say on Monday, he [a delivery man] can’t find a space and has to come back on Tuesday or Wednesday.”

But ward councillor Rhodri Jamieson-Ball, said Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), which protect parking for residents, were a separate concern to the problems they can pose to shop owners.

With more cars than parking spaces on our roads, the Liberal Democrat called the balance between tackling traffic congestion and providing delivery access for small businesses “a juggling act”.

He said: “[It is a] difficult issue, protecting parking and businesses and not getting them mixed up. We have got to make sure there are alternatives.”

Mr Jamieson-Ball added: “I think there are two issues: shop issues and CPZ issues.

“We need more parking bays for shops.”

Ahraz, who lives in Palmers Green, is one of many running small businesses in Newington Green who live further away. But there are plenty of complaints from those who do live in the Green’s surrounds.

Granville Bourne, a resident of Mildmay Park, said: “Even down there [off the Green] you can’t park. You don’t get much benefit.

“You can see the wardens don’t use their discretion. People come to visit and can’t park anywhere.”

A council survey in January reported that 55% of the residents questioned supported the introduction of daytime CPZs, while 49% said they would like to see all-day parking controls and 29% favoured operating hours between 10am and 2pm.

But some shop owners insisted the council is not listening to calls for changes.

One man, who would only give his name as Ahmat, said: “They did a survey before the changes. Lots of people didn’t want the changes, but they made them anyway."

Council documents say CPZs are designed to give priority to suppliers of goods and services, as well as residents and visitors, but now the restrictions have started to have other implications – not only for local businesses, but about vehicle ownership.

Former Mildmay Councillor and local historian Pat Haynes was critical of CPZs, saying: “I’m glad to say I never owned a car.

“People get so worked up about it [parking restrictions].”

He said: “If the Government had more guts, they’d charge more for fuel. That’s the way to solve things.”