Lee Green Councillors faced a barrage of protests from angry residents about the plans for Controlled Parking Zones at the last meeting of the Assembly.
The Council had promised that an officer from the Sustainable Streets Programme would attend the meeting to answer questions, especially about proposals to introduce all-day CPZs in four areas of the Borough, including parts of Lee Green.
At least sixty residents attended the meeting at Lochaber Hall. Many reacted furiously to the news that no officer could attend, saying they had come expecting to get some answers to their questions about the CPZ plans.
One member of the audience said “I think a lot of us have lost faith after the fiasco of the Lee Green LTN and the implementation of that. I don’t think any of us believe our views will be taken into account”
Cllr Eva Kestner, who chaired the meeting, said that due to “last minute issues” no one was available to attend. She accepted a lot of people were angry and apologised, saying she herself had only been told that morning. She would instead read out a briefing on the progress of the programme.
Cllr Kestner stressed that the Sustainable Streets programme was about reducing car journeys to help encouraging walking, cycling, and using other public transport, and to help reduce air pollution, decrease traffic and congestion.
She said that there were three stages to the consultation; it was currently in the second stage. She said the results would be fed in to the process to see where there might be revisions.
“Just to be really clear, what you have seen in the consultation is not a decision that is being finalised,” Cllr Kestner told the meeting.
“I appreciate the strength of feeling. I really, really do, but I think it’s important to say that this is a huge consultation exercise, so it is looking at everything in the round.”
Cllr James Rathbone added : “The first stage of the consultation was at a very high level. What are the issues in your area to do with your streets? What would you like to see change? And various components came back in responses, something which lots people said was, we have problems with parking, with too many commuters parking. Then they went through the second stage, which is what we are in right now, which is an indicative proposal at a very high level and people are asked to think back and consult with that, which is what has just been going on, where people have been asked to comment on proposals. Do you like them?
“Stage three is officers will then draw up proposals based on what you have said. It’s too early at this point in time to say what the proposal for any one specific road would be.
“If you get a road where 95% of people say, we don’t have a parking problem, we don’t want a CPZ. I can guarantee I would go to the town hall and I’ll say to officers, 95% of the people on this road said they don’t have a problem and they don’t want it. But I can’t promise you that the outcome will be there isn’t one.”
Cllr Rathbone noted: “If you go back to the last time there was a consultation on this, one side of Burnt Ash road responded, but they would like a CPZ, and the other side said they wouldn’t like one. That’s why one side of road has it and the other side doesn’t.”
The Lee Manor Society has voiced opposition to all-day CPZs and said that 10 AM-noon restrictions should be enough to discourage commuter parking in roads near Lee station.
