Agenda item

The Cabinet received a valid petition requesting the Council to introduce parking restrictions at the Caxton Village Area (W12), containing the six streets, due to recurrent parking problems.

The Deputy Leader invited Mr Michael Rainsford, the petitioner organiser, to address the Cabinet for 5 minutes to present his petition.

Mr Michael Rainsfordstated that he was a member of the elected management committee of the Caxton Village Tenants and Residents Association (CVTRA), which represented over 400 households. This petition had received 272 signatories, which indicated strong support for the petition request.

This petition called for theincrease in parking restrictions to 24 hours a day, seven days a week for permit holders only;no blue badge parking except for permit holders and resident visitor parking permit holders (as is the case in nearby MacFarlane Road); and to increase resource and time period for enforcement patrols to support these greater restrictions.

As a result of this proximity to Shepherd’s Bush Green and Westfield, Caxton Village received high volume vehicles parking on their streets. This often resulted in there being no available parking spaces for permit holders after 10pm in addition to noise disturbance to residents, pollution and littering. This was particularly problematic at weekends.

The request for no blue badge parking except for resident and resident visitor parking permit holders was a result of the unsustainable level of blue badge parking in Caxton Village. Many local residents had counted the high level of blue badges parking in use at any one point in time by blue badge holders. It was the perception of residents, through witnessing the behaviour of many blue badge users, that this was the result of fraudulent use by visitors going to Westfield Shopping Centre. An employee of Westfield had said that free parking for up to four hours was only granted upon the presentation of the blue badge containing the photo of the presenter. Therefore he believed that fraudulent blue badge users were taking advantage from parking in Caxton Village instead of Westfield, as it did not required validation and was not time limited.

Bram Kainth, Strategic Director of Environment, stated that the Council would need to complete a parking stress survey exercise, to get necessary data on parking stress and the split between resident and visitor parking in the affected area. Based on the results they would decide what changes to the parking hours would be appropriate and seek the residents views on a consultation process.

Councillor Andrew Jones asked the reasons they were seeking parking controls after 10pm. Mr Rainsford replied that the main challenge post 10pm was the nigh-time economy, when their streets were peppered with delivery vehicles, idling taxi drivers, people getting take-away food nearby and eating in their cars with their engines on or off and playing loud music. Residents coming home late at night did no feel safe and had nowhere to park.

Councillor Wesley Harcourt asked the average length of time blue badge holders were parking their vehicle on their streets. Mr Rainsford was not certain of the time, but blue badge holders dominated the parking on their streets throughout the day and he believed it could be a mix of short and long stay. The motorcycle restrictions had improved the high level of motorcycle parking on their streets, but the problem still existed.

Councillor Rebecca Harvey asked whether many blue badge holders were also parking on their streets after 10pm. Mr Rainsford replied he did not have this information and would appreciate a survey on this issue.

Councillor Rebecca Harvey asked Bram Kainth to ensure an investigation on blue badge holders parking after 10pm was picked up on the survey. Bram replied that this would certainly be part of the survey.

Councillor Ben Coleman asked if there was more the Council could do for a period of time to try quantifying the problem with the fraudulent use of blue badge. Bram Kainth replied that they could try to look into it, but this was a challenging enforcement as both the driver and the passenger could be a blue badge holder.

Councillor Ben Coleman asked if Council officers were able to employ the same validation process for blue badges that Westfield employed on the spot. Bram Kainth replied that they should be able to but might need to check the database first and that could give an insight of the problem.

Mr Rainsford stated that he had spoken to some of the plain clothes officers and had concluded that due to current level of issues it wound not be economical viable to try to police the number of blue badge permits sitting on their streets at any one point in time. Should their proposed measures come in place they could act as a deterrent to blue badge permit holders in addition to reducing the load and the cost of checking for potential fraud.

Councillor Ben Coleman asked officers to verify some of the blue badge vehicles in that area during a period of time to certify whether they were all genuine in order to build a proper evidence base.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

1.    To complete a parking stress survey exercise, to get necessary data on parking stress and the split between resident and visitor parking in the affected area.

2.    To undertake a parking consultation of residents and seek views on making changes to the parking hours of control.