Reviewing Controlled Parking Zones
The Consultation Process
Why do we review?
Hackney Parking Services carries out regular reviews of its Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) to ensure that parking controls continue to meet current and future parking need in the surrounding area.
Hackney’s socio-economic profile is rapidly changing with new residents and businesses being drawn to its exciting environment and increased opportunities. Parking controls often require alteration so that bay allocations and operational hours can reflect the changing needs of road users.
Hackney roads have a limited amount of kerb-side space available for parking and many competing demands for the bays that are created, so we make every effort to balance the needs of all road users; from private car and commercial vehicle drivers, to cyclists and pedestrians.
The Council’s commitment to review and monitor all CPZs after their first year of operation and then every three years thereafter, is set down in the Parking and Enforcement Plan (2005).
What is a consultation?
Public consultations provide an opportunity for local residents and businesses to be involved in how their CPZ works. We ask for feedback on the parking layout, bay allocations and operational hours, as well as experiences of parking enforcement and customer services. All comments received during the consultation period are considered and help to produce any revisions to the CPZ design.
At the start of a public consultation, we send out a pack (including a leaflet, questionnaire, freepost return envelope, and translation request) to all addresses in the consultation area. This ensures that everyone has an equal chance to provide feedback. We also hold ‘drop in’ sessions where the public can meet the team and ask questions about their CPZ and the proposed changes.
Once the consultation closes and all the feedback is analysed, we write up the findings and recommendations in a formal report that is available for public view following approval by the Council. At this point, we send out a summary letter or booklet to all addresses involved in the consultation to inform them of any changes.
How do you use public feedback?
We use both general and specific feedback, especially in terms of bay allocations, to determine which proposed changes should go ahead. Operational hours in particular are very much based on public preference and the recent round of reviews has seen a reduction in times in several CPZs.
Your comments about customer satisfaction have been very important in helping us shape how we deliver our services in the future. We have made improvements to the Parking Shop, including extended opening times and online payments, as a result of your feedback. We have also added more information to our website and made ‘user friendly’ maps of parking spaces available for download.
Parking Design
We adhere to a set of design criteria as a basis for creating parking restrictions that reflect both the Council’s wider parking policy and the Department for Transportation’s Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (2002). These identify key areas of consideration for the placement of signs and lines, junction protection, and maintenance of private access.
We also confer with the Emergency Services (Police, Ambulance and Fire), StreetScene and Transport for London to ensure that all safety issues and traffic flow requirements are met.
Making the roads safer
As we review each CPZ, we are bringing them in line with current safety standards to improve overall road safety. These include implementing double yellow lines (‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions) in the following places:
- at most junctions to make sure that visibility for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers is preserved – ‘junction protection’.
- along some sections of road where the ‘minimum running width’ needs to be maintained for emergency vehicle access.
- in heavily congested areas and on some priority bus routes to ease obstructions and keep traffic flowing.
Preserving access to property
We are also consulting people about the implementation of double yellow lines across access to private property; these allow us to enforce on obstructing vehicles at any time of day. Although we make a decision based on majority preference, it is likely that we will still introduce double yellow lines across shared access points, such as for housing estates.
Recent Reviews
We wish to thank all of you that participated in the consultation either by returning a questionnaire or attending our public drop-in session; your feedback plays a vital part in developing the changes made to your area and will also help us shape how we deliver our services in the future.
If your CPZ has been reviewed recently and you haven’t received a consultation pack or summary booklet, you can download it from the relevant CPZ page or contact Hackney Service Centre on 020 8356 8877 to have one sent to you.
Review of Controlled Parking Zones N & Displacement Consultation
The London Borough of Hackney is currently reviewing Controlled Parking Zones N (Homerton and Lower Clapton). The purpose of the review is to ensure that the design of the new parking scheme is meeting the needs of local users.
In conjunction with the review of Zone N, Parking Services are also consulting residents in the streets outside the CPZ to gain feedback about the proposed extension of the Zone to the surrounding area. Residents in streets outside the CPZ will receive a separate consultation pack.
If you live or work within Zone N or in the wider displacement area and have not received a consultation pack, please contact Hackney Parking Services on 020 8356 8877 or email consultparking@hackney.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can download a copy of the leaflet and questionnaire from the Zone N page on the left of this page.
Zone N Extension: Glyn Road and Rushmore Road
During the summer people from roads immediately surrounding CPZ N (Homerton and Lower Clapton) were consulted about the proposed introduction of parking controls. These streets have been suffering extreme parking stress due to displacement from the controlled area.
The final report and recommendation have now been approved by the Council. Feedback indicates that the majority of respondents (59%) are in favour parking controls being implemented in their street as part of an extension to Zone N.
Parking controls will be implemented in sections of Chatsworth Road, Elderfield Road, Glyn Road, and Rushmore Road by the end of 2008. Please see the Zone N page for further details.
Controlled Parking Zone J (Queensbridge)
Residents and businesses in Zone J were consulted as part of a regular review in early 2008 and the final report is now available. Works have begun to implement the changes which are scheduled to come into effect in mid-December 2008 (please see the Zone J page for further details).
The uncontrolled area east of London Fields was also under review at the same time. Following public feedback, parking stress surveys and Councillor comments, the decision has been made to proceed with the introduction of parking controls in these streets as part of Zone J. Residents and businesses will now be consulted on the proposed layout of parking controls and bay allocations (please see the Zone J page for further details).
Rectory Road Consultation Results
Last spring, people in the uncontrolled roads surrounding Rectory Road rail station were consulted about the proposed introduction of parking controls, either as part of CPZ E (main) or E (extension).
Residents in streets close to the rail station and bus routes have been experiencing parking difficulties due to the high level of car ownership in the area.
The final report and recommendation have now been approved by the Council. Feedback indicates that the majority of respondents (58%) are against parking controls being implemented in their street.
Parking controls will not be implemented in the area at this time, although we will continue to monitor the parking situation. Please see the Rectory Road page for further details.
Page updated: 7 Jan 2009