Islington Council's plans to extend hours for CPZs

cliqmo

Have any of you had a copy of Islington Council's parking consultation leaflet through your door? (So far I haven't found anyone but me who has) They say they want to "provide better peeking protection from stadium visitors", but the area they are suggesting seems to cover most of the borough. The main proposal is to extend all existing parking controls to 9pm EVERY day of the week. To sweeten this awful idea they are proposing to have free e-vouchers for visitors between 6.30 and 9.00. They don't say how these would be issued, but I can only imagine that you would have to go online at the time your visitor / emergency plumber / etc. arrived in order to input their registration number. Nightmare! Not so very sociable either! But as well as that - many elderly people, and people with Special Needs, find it very hard to manage online things. Don't they realise that? (And I am against all these paperless permits anyway. I recently got a ticket be mine had run out, but they hadn't sent a reminder, and there's nothing to look at on the car to check the date)

cliqmo

Sorry. Seems not all of my message got posted. Go to www.islington.gov.uk/cpzconsultation to see full proposal and have your say. Then please make sure as many of your neighbours as possible do the same. It's not democracy, and it's not a consultation if nobody gets the information or the possibility of really having a say.

marko

According to the consultation webpage:<div><br></div><div><h3 class="lbi-Element-Heading3" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.3em; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 128, 145);">What we are trying to achieve:</h3><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: url(http://www.islington.gov.uk/_layouts/1033/styles/Perspicuity.LBI.WebSite.Branding/images/bullet-teal.png); background-position: 2px 7px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">to make it easier for residents to park near to their homes<br></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: url(http://www.islington.gov.uk/_layouts/1033/styles/Perspicuity.LBI.WebSite.Branding/images/bullet-teal.png); background-position: 2px 7px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;"><p class="lbi-Element-Normal" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">to ensure those that most need to park can, such as disabled and elderly drivers</p></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: url(http://www.islington.gov.uk/_layouts/1033/styles/Perspicuity.LBI.WebSite.Branding/images/bullet-teal.png); background-position: 2px 7px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;"><p class="lbi-Element-Normal" style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">to reduce traffic, congestion, pollution and discourage unnecessary car use, in line with our <a href="http://www.islington.gov.uk/services/parking-roads/Pages/Transport-Strategy.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 121, 44);">Sustainable Transport Strategy</a> and <a href="http://www.islington.gov.uk/services/parks-environment/sus_pollute/air_quality/Pages/air_quality_action_plan.aspx" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 121, 44);">Air Quality Strategy</a>.</p></li></ul></div><div>Given the third point, and the general policy of discourage travel to matches by private car, I'd be very interested to know why the council lets schools under its control to rent their playground as match-day parking.  </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

NorthNineteen

Peeking protection eh?<div><br></div><div>I don't understand their rationale for doing this, i'm sure at least in part they are doing it to save money but it would be good for them to explain how.  My area remains unaffected by this but will no doubt lead to even more parking at weekends.</div>

marko

Money: I think part of the rationale is that the are doing away with the fold-down signs they currently have which say 'Matchday parking...'  applies today/ doesn't apply today.  Somebody obviously has to fold them down and back up again.<div><br></div><div>Also, the simplified hours are likely to reduce the quantity of appears from confused drivers.</div>

Papa

I arrived home to this the other day. It's ludicrous. It claims to be solving a problem that doesn't exist - there isn't a problem with the stadium, because people already can't park when matches and events are on.<div><br><div>For us in the upper reaches of IS-J it is insane - we are miles from the stadium - why do we need parking controls until 9pm every single day?</div></div><div><br></div><div>It's crazy that we have them six days a week until 6.30pm anyway - in much of the rest of Islington it is only until 1.30pm on  Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>What about people driving to eat in the restaurants on Stroud Green Road? It's all very well saying they should use public transport but the reality is some don't ( often to meet locals here for dinner) and this will harm local businesses.</div><div><br></div><div>This is a cynical, money grabbing exercise to raise more revenue from catching people out during extended hours.</div><div><br></div><div>I think we need to organise some kind of fight back against it.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Arkady

I've been asked to draw -people's attention to this petitionm opposing the changes: http://www.islingtonchamber.org.uk/business-petition-changes-to-islington-controlled-parking-zone/

Papa

<a href="http://www.islington.gov.uk/involved/consultation-engagement/consultations/parking-consultation/Pages/Stadium-control-area-proposal.aspx">The consultation</a> is live until 7 September - have your say.<div><br></div><div>I think this is wrong, not needed and there is no evidence of a problem put forward.</div><div><br></div><div>This was my response to the consultation.</div><div><p class="MsoNormal">I would like to object to Islington’s Stadium CPZ plans. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Islington has put forward no evidence of a problem triggered by match day parking in residents bays in the consultation, despite using a supposed problem as the reason for hugely extending parking restrictions to 8.30am to 9pm, seven days a week, all-year round.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stadium visitors do not park in residents bays when matches are on, because they will get a parking ticket if they do.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have seen no evidence whatsoever that an issue exists, so to extend parking restrictions in such a way is not needed. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Existing match day restrictions mean visitors already cannot park at almost any time when events are on – these cover both evenings and weekends.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">These impose extra restrictions on match and event days up to 8.30pm on weekdays and 4.30pm at weekends. If an extension is genuinely deemed necessary, a small additional one for Saturday evenings would cover almost any eventuality.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Restrictions are only needed on days when matches or events are taking place not year-round for no reason. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Any benefit from simplifying signs brought in by constant imposition would be greatly outweighed by the detriment to residents and businesses.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Islington’s proposed parking restrictions will hit residents who would be visited; shops, businesses and restaurants deprived of trade; those who drive to church or places of worship; and residents with children driving to places such as swimming pools and leisure centres at quiet times. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This will hurt businesses and families and see vulnerable people visited less, as it will be harder to park near them.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The CPZ was brought in to solve parking problems at difficult times – not to ban parking at quiet times.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The e-vouchers scheme will be of little use to the elderly or the vulnerable who cannot use the internet. They will not be able to get vouchers for those visiting them at short notice or spontaneously. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our CPZ IS-J is a considerable distance from the Emirates Stadium (it is 1.2 miles from my home). The imposition of controls in such a blanket way over such a vast area is wrong and should not go ahead.<o:p></o:p></p></div>

rikki

<font size="4"><a href="http://www.islingtonchamber.org.uk/parking" target="_blank">www.islingtonchamber.org.uk/<wbr>parking</a><br><br></font><p>not sure if this is the same petition, so flagging it up too. 7th is deadline indeed.</p>

Papa

If you do want to object or have your say, please make sure you do it on the consultation not the petition though.

conformable_kate

Done ... I'm another in IS-J at the edge of the zone, and I haven't had a word from Islington about this plan - no leaflet, no letter - I wouldn't have known anything about it if it hadn't come up here. I wonder how many others this applies to.

miss annie

<p>Shared on facebook and responded to the consultation here.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.islington.gov.uk/involved/consultation-engagement/consultations/parking-consultation/Pages/Stadium-control-area-proposal.aspx">http://www.islington.gov.uk/involved/consultation-engagement/consultations/parking-consultation/Pages/Stadium-control-area-proposal.aspx</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">I do wish people would stop starting petitions for things that already have a consultation ongoing. People sign them and think they have responded to something official.</p>

Maximus

For those that haven't heard or seen, Islington Council has abandoned the majority of their plans on parking:<div><br></div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">THE Town Hall’s majority Labour group slammed the brakes on controversial proposals to increase parking controls across the borough at a private meeting last night (Thursday), the <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">Tribune</em> can reveal.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Hak Huseyin, chairman of the Islington Chamber of Commerce said that “common sense” had prevailed after Labour councillors voted to only increase the controls in zones K and C – the Whittington Hospital area and the Finsbury Square and Farringdon Station area – leaving the vast majority of the borough unaffected.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The original proposals were to also increase controls in Angel, Archway and for a wide area around the Emirates Stadium, which had been met with opposition from traders and residents.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Islington Chamber of Commerce had taken a leading role in opposing the plans, heading up by a coalition of local groups including the Angel Islington Business Association, the Nags Head Town Centre Group, Archway Town Centre group, the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Czestochowa and St Casmirn in Angel, and the Highbury Barn Traders Association.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">After collecting a whopping 10,000 signatures, as part of a petition against the plans, the groups met this morning (Friday) to discuss strategy, only to read in today’s<em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent;">Tribune</em> that most of the proposals had been abandoned.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“It’s wonderful news,” Mr Huseyin said. “After much campaigning from the Chamber and all the groups that have joined ranks with us, it’s nice to see that the local authority has listened to businesses and residents and that common sense has prevailed.”</p></div>

Papa

That's good news - although bad news for anyone who has to go to the hospital, which having had a few emergency dashes there in the car over the years is a real pain. <div><br></div><div>That was at least mitigated by the fact that if it was in the evening you had some grace before worrying about parking.<div><br></div></div>

ADGS

Pleasantly surprised that for once they've actually responded to what people want, rather than juggling the numbers until the consultation said what they wanted.

Papa

@ADGS hear, hear.