Proposed Zone SW Extension, South Wimbledon - November 2011

The Council is proposing to introduce a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in the South Wimbledon area. This proposal is in response to representations and a petition received from local residents who are experiencing parking difficulties in their road(s). Generally, residents feel that the problem is being caused by:

• Commuters who park and complete their journey via South Wimbledon underground station or by other public transport means.
• Surrounding CPZs displacing parking into the uncontrolled area.
• Residents and staff of nearby businesses within the neighbouring CPZs avoiding parking charges.

The Council is undertaking an informal consultation to seek your views on the proposals to introduce control parking in your road (see plan of the proposals).

As part of this consultation, we are also seeking your views on the proposal to become:

• Part of the existing CPZ SW, which operates Monday to Saturday between 8.30am and 6.30pm or to be part of a new CPZ with its own hours of operation, to be determined by the outcome of this consultation.
• A new CPZ also aids the residents close to South Wimbledon Station from internal commuting by other residents further away within the zone.

What is a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ)?

A Controlled Parking Zone is an area where parking controls are introduced to protect the parking needs of residents and their visitors, as well as those of local businesses. Parking bays are marked on the carriageway to indicate to motorists where they can park. Yellow line restrictions are also introduced to improve safety by removing dangerous or obstructive parking. In a CPZ the operational times for the single yellow lines are indicated on signs as you enter the zone. In some cases, there may be single yellow lines that operate at different times, and these will be signed separately.

Double yellow line restrictions do not require signs. In the absence of loading restrictions, you may stop on a yellow line to load or unload goods for a limited period of time. All parking places within a CPZ will be signed accordingly to ensure that motorists are aware of their operational times and conditions. This ensures that the bays are fully enforceable. To help reduce the number of new posts required for these signs, every effort will made to ensure that signs are placed on existing street furniture, such as lamp columns or combined with other street signs.

Within a CPZ, residents, local businesses and their visitors are given priority to use the appropriate parking places by displaying a valid permit in respect of that zone. However, a parking permit does not give the holder the right to park outside a particular property and does not guarantee an available parking space.
More information about the operation of CPZs

How will it work?

All road space in a CPZ is managed by the introduction of parking controls. Parking is only permitted where safety, access and sightlines are not compromised. It is therefore, normal practice to introduce double yellow lines at key locations such as at junctions, bends and turning heads and at specific locations along lengths of roads where parking would impede the passing of vehicles. It is also necessary to provide yellow lines (effective during the CPZ hours of operation or at any time) where the kerb is lowered, i.e. across crossovers for driveways.

The key objective of managing parking is to reduce and control non-essential parking and assist with parking needs of the residents, short-term visitors and local businesses. Within any CPZ, only those within the zone are entitled to permits. This means that long-term parking is not permitted within the permit bays during the operational times. An incremental pricing structure for second and subsequent permits also assists in minimising the number of permits issued to individual residents and help discourage unnecessary multiple car ownerships.

CPZs comprise of various types of parking bays such as permit holder bays (for use by resident or business permit holders and those with visitor permits); shared use bays (for permit holders and pay and display) and pay and display only bays (permits are not valid). Council appointed Civil Enforcement Officers will enforce the controls by issuing fines/Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to vehicles parked in contravention of the restrictions. Outside the controlled times the restrictions are not enforced. However, Civil Enforcement Officers will issue PCNs for any other parking contravention such as parking on double yellow lines, footways and parking across individual crossovers without the property owner’s consent.

The Council aims to reach a balance between the needs of the residents, businesses and the safety of all road users. In the event that the majority of those consulted do not support a CPZ in their road or area, and the Council agrees, officers may recommend that only the proposed double yellow lines identified at key locations are introduced to improve safety and maintain access.

Proposal

The proposals include a number of options which are detailed below. Please indicate your preference on the reply card provided.

Operational Hours

All Day Controls (8.30am - 6.30pm): This will provide maximum protection to the residents by removing short and long-term parking. It will, however, be less flexible for residents and their visitors who will need to obtain a visitor’s permit in order to park in the permit holder bays. Alternatively, visitors can pay to park within shared use / pay and display bays.

Part Time Controls (10am - 4pm): These operating times offer less restriction. It is still effective in preventing long-term parking. However, it may encourage short-term parking by non-residents or businesses, such as shoppers outside the operating times. Residents returning from work later in the afternoon may find less available parking in their street due to this.

One-hour control (11am - 12 noon): This minimum restriction offers more flexibility to residents and their visitors than the part time day controls, reducing the number of visitors’ permits they would normally obtain, and is still effective in restricting all-day parking. However, it may encourage other short-term parking outside the restricted time, by non-residents such as shoppers and other residents from neighbouring CPZs. Non-residents may also work their way around the one-hour by moving their vehicles and then returning to park for the rest of the day.

Operational Days

Monday to Friday: This will offer more flexibility to residents and visitors at weekends. However, it may encourage non-residents, especially shoppers, to park on Saturdays, therefore reducing available parking for your visitors.

Monday to Saturday/Sunday: Provides maximum protection to the residents. However, it will be more restrictive on visitors who would require a visitor’s permit to park during the controlled times.

The standard prices for annual parking permits apply to all operational times, whether all day, part time, or 1-hour controls.

Parking Provisions: The following are incorporated within the proposed measures:

Double yellow lines at junctions, bends, ends of cul-de-sac and at strategic sections of the road to create passing gaps. (This will improve safety and access at all times by reducing obstructive parking that is currently taking place).

Shared Use Pay and Display bays are also proposed where it is necessary to provide parking for non-residents for a short period at specific locations such as near shops, schools and also in areas for longer term parking where residents are not directly affected, to allow effective use of the bays. (This will increase the use of parking provisions in the area by pay and display customers whilst still maintaining parking facilities for permit holders).

Car Club parking

In partnership with car club parking operators and Transport for London (TfL), Merton Council is seeking to introduce car club parking bays throughout the Borough. It is proposed to implement these bays in locations where local residents are members or have expressed an interest in car clubs. Car clubs are short-term car rental schemes, allowing its members quick access to a range of vehicles, whether you need a car for just one hour, or for several days.

The cars can be booked through a pay and go system, and members are charged according to the mileage driven and the length of time the car is in use. There is a range of social, financial, economical and environmental benefits of becoming a car club member. If you drive less than 6,000 miles a year you can make savings of up to £1,500 a year. The main advantage is that car club members enjoy the freedom of using the cars without the burden of owning one.

To become a member of Zipcar and for further information, visit Zipcar Club or phone 0845 644 8475 to register.

Let us know your views

The decision on whether or not to proceed with the next step, which would involve a statutory consultation on the proposals, will be subject to the responses received during this consultation.

We would ask residents within the proposed zone only to complete and submit the online questionnaire with any comments or suggestions by 2 December 2011.

We regret that due to the number of responses received during a public consultation of this size it will not be possible to individually reply to each respondent. We welcome your comments on this proposal, which will be noted and included within the proposed measures where appropriate. It should be noted that subject to the responses received, a recommendation may be made to only include those roads where there is a majority in support of the proposals.

What happens next

It is envisaged that the results of the consultation along with officers’ recommendations will be reported to the Street Management Advisory Committee before a decision is made by the Cabinet Member for Environmental Sustainability and Regeneration. Once a decision is made you will be informed accordingly.

See also

• Informal consultation leaflet and plan of proposals (1.2MB)

Contact us

Traffic & Highways
Merton Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX
Fax: 020 8545 4865
Email: trafficandhighways@merton.gov.uk