Labour councillors said there shouldn’t be “any further delay” in bringing in new permit zones for residents who want them, despite opposition from Reform UK and Green councillors, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter
A call to review Barking and Dagenham’s parking permit zones has been rejected by Labour councillors.
Reform UK councillors, supported by the Greens, said the council should examine how its current parking zones have worked before rolling out new ones. But Labour councillors voted unanimously to reject their proposal.
Opposition leader, Reform councillor Ben Suter, said the council should see if its current zones have had “unintended consequences” before putting new ones in place.
But Labour councillors said there shouldn’t be “any further delay” in bringing in new permit zones for residents who want them.
Some 75% of Barking and Dagenham is already covered by controlled parking zones (CPZs), where permits are required to park during certain times.
The council is now considering covering the remainder of the borough with CPZs.
These would be in streets around Chadwell Heath, William Bellamy Primary School, east Dagenham, Leys Estate, Marks Gate Estate, Eastbrook and Rush Green, Barking Riverside and Scrattons Farm.
Reform councillors said Labour leaders should agree to review how the current CPZs work first, at a full council meeting yesterday (Wednesday 23rd).
Cllr Suter said: “The boroughwide expansion began eight years ago and during that time there’s been no full review of our CPZs.
“We don’t know if CPZs have caused any unintended consequences on communities.”
He added: “Different areas require different things. We are not saying no CPZs whatsoever. There are areas that need them.
“We’re saying review the existing ones, see whether they are good, see whether they are effective, see the levels of public support, see the impact on our businesses, our local people, our faith groups.”
Green group leader Moin Quadri supported the Reform motion.
He said: “Any time I meet any residents they are utterly not pleased with the way we manage our CPZs at this moment in time.”
Cllr Twomey said there had been several public consultations since the council first proposed to cover the borough with CPZs in 2018.
He argued that it wouldn’t make sense to have a review before all of the CPZs were in place.
Cllr Twomey said: “I’ve sat in many, many, many meetings with residents as part of a consultation on CPZs over a number of years.
“Areas have voted that they want a CPZ because of the parking issues in and around stations, schools and other areas.”
He added: “How do you do a review in an area where actually there is nothing there to review?
“Once we have delivered on the policy then we will be conducting reviews, as the policy sets out.”
Labour councillor Rubina Siddiqui said residents in her ward, Whalebone, had been asking for a CPZ. She said that conducting a review first would delay this.
Cllr Siddiqui said: “We promised residents that they would get the CPZ that they have been campaigning for.
“We don’t want any further delay.”
The meeting rejected Reform’s proposal, with Labour councillors voting against, and Reform and Green councillors voting in favour.
