Possible reduction in days and hours the scheme operates

Residents who live in East Chiswick's Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) have been voting on whether they want the Council to go ahead with proposed changes in their area.

Earlier this year, the Chiswick Area Monitoring Committee heard results of a consultation which showed support from a number of roads in the zone for a reduction in the operational times and days of the CPZ.

Whilst there was support for a Monday-Friday only scheme (current scheme is Monday - Saturday) for much of the zone, the responses to the operational times were not conclusive and therefore further consultation was required.

Analysis on a road by road basis showed that the majority of respondents from Mayfield Avenue, Thornton Avenue, Upham Park Road, Stamford Brook Avenue, Chiswick High Road and Turnham Green Terrace wish to retain the existing CPZ operational times of 9.00am to 7.00pm.

The response from South Side, Prebend Gardens, Pleydell Avenue, Vaughan Avenue, Ennismore Avenue, Merton Avenue, Ravensmede Way, Homefield Road, Airedale Avenue, Netheravon Road, Beverley Road, British Grove and Goldhawk Road shows support for a shorter duration CPZ therefore the Council has proposed reducing the existing restrictions to 10am–11am and 3pm–4pm.

However, one Netheravon Road resident voiced concerns that the reduction in hours would ostensibly equate to paying for commuters and traders to have the spaces. She said: "People come to park near a tube station and go off for the day, or perhaps even fly from Heathrow for the weekend and have free parking from 4.00pm Friday until 10.00am Monday. Or even workers / visitors from the western end of Hammersmith coming into our roads for the time when the scheme will not be in operation, just like they use to before the introduction of the CPZ."

She went onto to question whether the 'pressure' to reduce hours was coming from East Chiswick residents or was it a cost-cutting exercise by the Council to reduce budgets. "After all they will only need to pay for parking attendants for two hours a day."

The results of the latest round of voting, which closed this week, will be presented to the Chiswick Area Planning Committee in May.

March 30, 2011