Parking permits given to firms 'like confetti' (From Wimbledon Guardian)
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Merton Council parking permits given to firms 'like confetti' in Wimbledon
9:01am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Omar Oakes
Coun Suzanne Evans: "Residents were struggling to park their cars"
Businesses accused of abusing parking permits will not have them taken away after they were “handed out like confetti” by the council to private schools and estate agents.
A report by the head of Merton Council’s parking services, Paul Walshe, said it would be “damaging to businesses” to take away the extra permits, even though the council’s own rules state a business can only be given a maximum of two unless considered essential.
It was revealed in July 2012 six businesses near Wimbledon town centre and the Village had more than two, including a private school, a software solutions company, and four estate agents.
The Study Preparatory School was found to have 27 permits.
In the report, due to be considered by the cabinet next week, Mr Walshe said: “Rather than simply rescinding the permits, which would prove damaging to those businesses that hold them, Parking Services has contacted the permit holders to inform them only two of their permits may be used on-street.
"The rest of the permits will only be valid in the nearby Queens Road car park, which is currently under-used.”
Mr Walshe said parking wardens have been used to monitor the use of permits and that the council had written to businesses to remind them that only two permits are valid on the street at any one time.
Councillor for Hillside ward Suzanne Evans discovered the information.
She said: “It was shocking to discover on-street business permits were being handed out like confetti, meaning residents were struggling to park their cars, so I’m obviously very pleased the two permit rule is going to be enforced.
“I’m also pleased this concession has been made for businesses.
"The Labour council is refusing to reduce business rates for hard-pressed business rates in these difficult times – despite being given new powers by the Conservative-led Government to do so – and they need all the help they can get.”
Comments(2)
e.thorne
says...
12:21am Fri 8 Mar 13
Merton parking permit department is not fit for purpose. The controlled zones are meant to give residents priority to park yet we now have companies such as Foxtons filling entire streets with cars giving residents and visitors no where to park. Teachers are now sold permits cheaper than residents taking up more spaces if you live near a school. Visitors permits are meant to be limited but are sold in their hundreds to unscrupulous residents who resell them to traders and commuters. My local butcher has an annual visitors permit purchased via a local resident for a fraction of the cost of a business permit and a property developer who is working around the corner from me in the village hands out up to 10 visitor permits a day to contractors and has been doing so daily for the past 6 months despite a limit of 50 per resident. Whilst this free for all may make the parking budget sheet look good in the short term not only is he letting down local residents he is losing out on pay and display revenue hand over fist as permits are being abused to give discounted parking.
Why was this abuse ever condoned in the first place if the policy is 2 per business who decided to sell 27 and what action is being taken against them?
I suspect as the Study is a school they will simply buy the new teacher permits instead of business permits so residents will be no better off and Councillor Evans is having the wool pulled over her eyes.
tjames says...
7:39pm Thu 7 Mar 13