Clock House CPZ Scheme Beckenham Starts 5th October - News & Questions!

[Jon Clarke]

The ongoing CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) saga continues this week with some roads and not all, as of this moment I'm reliably informed, receiving the Final CPZ notice and Application Form for a Residential Parking permit and Application Form for Visitors Vouchers. The start date is to be the 5th October for all three zones.

First let's get the bugs out of the way - the councillors will be reading this, so hopefully they can take appropriate action and report back quickly with binding answers.

On the Implementation Form/Map it says that if the residents would like to read the report of the important Residents Meeting of the 14th July 2009 it is on their website at http://www.bromley.gov.uk/transportprojects - this link currently just points to an error page and therefore needs fixing.

The second bug/error that needs a clear answer is that the Implementation form says ‘ Pay and Display parking bays will operate between 10.00am and 12.00 Noon, Monday to Friday. If necessary these bays can also be used by residents/visitors displaying a valid permit.’ However, the accompanying Bromley Council official application form for the Parking Permit states that under the sections ‘Condition of use for you, the permit holder’ – 5/ Parking places – A permit does not enable you to park in permitted parking zones that display signs for a zone different to that indicated on the permit, or on a yellow line waiting restriction, and not in pay and display or metered bays. I can see permit holders being ticketed by traffic wardens who don’t know about the earlier not so formal form’s lettering and then residents having to fight the payments department over it.

The third question needing answered was the assumption and what was thought was agreed at the public residents summer meeting by the councillors that the Zone 1 initial payment would be only 50% whilst the scheme runs the first 6 months before the promised re-survey – the officlal form now says it will be only discounted 40% from £75 per car to £45.

The Final point is that the rush is on, all their forms state that they need 21 days to process the Resident & Visitor permits, and as the deadline day for when traffic wardens start to patrol (hopefully) and ticket is the 5th October. As of yesterday when we received our form that gives us, hm! no spare days and today -1 day to find all the many pieces of paperwork required and sent off to the council offices for process. Why the hurry all of a sudden, there hasn’t even been any notices about road line painting? Why can’t the council do this in a mannered and timely fashion? Put the start to November?

That was going to be the final point, but one last point to make is that I’d hoped the leaflet, map, wording and forms would all be online at Bromley Council’s website, but once again they are not. Perhaps they might do this or I’ll be looking for a working scanner once again to put the docs on here for all those in and those especially on the periphery of the scheme and outside to know what’s going on.

All those points we await answers and action on.

Moving on, whether we like it or not we have a CPZ, but we were all given categorical assurances that it would be resurveyed after 6 months. So when does it start? Well the leaflet and map state ‘The scheme will be implemented in late September 2009. Information leaflets and warning letters will be issued for the first two weeks of enforcement. Full enforcement of the restrictions will commence on 5th October 2009.

The CPZ will in nearly all cases be a continuous bay type up and down the road, so one is able to park across one's front drive if one wants, but if you do within the times of the zone operation you will need to display your permit. It does also mean that you are entitled to park across someone elses driveway entrance (but hey neighbours we wouldn’t do that now would we?) , but also if you block someone in, then the traffic warden can ticket that car. (Slight issue here or question. How will the traffic warden know which permitted car across someone's drive is owned by that house owner or perhaps his friendly neighbour or a complete rogue from 5 doors away? Another one for the clarification list perhaps).

So what are the lovely costs?

Zone 1 Normal Annual Cost £75 per vehicle, Discount Cost £45, Discount Ends 30th April 2010
Zone 2 & 3 Normal Annual Cost £35 per vehicle
Visitors Permits all zones £30 for book of 15 permits (4 books per house ONLY per year) Possible cost £120 for 60 tickets!

Parking Bay Charges All Zones £2.00* The pay and display cost is for the complete hours of operation of the bay for a day or any portion therof. Payment can also be made before 10.00am.
So if you don’t buy visitor permits then get to those parking bays quick! Wonder who will park their permitted car in there and then swap it for a friend's car when the friend needs it....?

Residents over 60 get a little break – they can get Free Visitors Vouchers but must send proof when applying which can include one of the following 1/ a copy of current Freedom Pass and photo card, 2/ a driving licence (paper or photo card) (I expect they mean copy of this and the rest), 3/ letter of pension entitlement, 4/birth certificate if it shows your current name, 5/ current passport, 6/ medical card

I’ll endeavour to scan and attach or if need be type out all the blurb asap. But, if you need a permit be quick, there are several payment options and they also take cheque or postal orders made out to ‘London Borough of Bromley’.

If you need any urgent forms, questions answered, advice then here are the contact details.

Parking Permit Team
London Borough of Bromley
PO Box 313
Bromley
BR1 3GL

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.bromley.gov.uk/parking

Off to give my drive up to a needy neighbour during the day and still unhappy at how this has been so mismanaged and bulldozed through by the Council. Let the new tax begin, like we could all do with another payment for something that was once free!

Do forward this page on to your neighbours, school parents and friends, and those outside the zones.

And for the latest info for those who Twitter do follow us on http://Twitter.com/Beckenham where we bring you all the latest local news and help, answer a myriad of questions, plus add some entertainment along the way.

Cheers

JC

[Cllr John Getgood, Penge & Cator ward]

I have raised the following "matters arising" to the Environment Scrutiny committee on Monday 21st September:

• On the Implementation leaflet it says that if the residents would like to read the report of the Scrutiny meeting of the 14th July 2009 it is on the LBB website at http://www.bromley.gov.uk/transportprojects - this link currently just points to “page not found”.

• The permit application form states that “A permit does not enable you to park ...... in pay and display or metered bays.” However, the accompanying leaflet states that in the CH CPZ, residents will be able to park in the P&D bays. Can we have confirmation that in this scheme, residents will be able to park in P&D bays and that traffic wardens will be aware of this change.
•
I believe we agreed that the Zone 1 charge would be reduced by 50% for the discount period or reduced to the same amount charged for Zone 2 & 3 permits. Why is the discount price in Zone 1 £40, a 40% discount.

• The forms state that the council require 21 days to process the Resident & Visitor permits. The date the traffic wardens start to patrol and ticket is the 5th October. The leaflets were delivered on 14th September, exactly 21 days notice, giving residents no time for any delay in replying. Will Traffic Wardens be asked to delay ticketing or should implementation be postponed to allow for the tight timetable.
•
The documents and map are not (at this time) on the council’s web site

• What progress has been made on adjusting the scheme for special cases such as the one in Chaffinch Road that you have been informed of?

• What progress has been made on making the regulations on off street parking more equitable?

Cllr John Getgood
Penge & Cator

[Jon Clarke]

Many thanks Councillor, I was informed this afternoon too that still some residents in Chaffinch Road have not received the Implementation Leaflet and the Order Forms. And only by a chance meeting on the street that they new about this going ahead on the 5th October.

[Paul Miller]

And one further mistake (amongst quite a few it would seem)...

You are asked to sign the residents' permit document and agree by the terms and conditions.... of the visitor permit scheme. Which is, of course, something completely different. I phoned LBB up and they said they were aware of this and were rewriting the document - Colin Smith (I presume) will be calling me tomorrow! Their advice was to cross out the clauses that were wrong (including the Pay and Display bit) and sign it anyway. So I did. It'll be interesting to see what I have now signed up to!

By the way, has anyone picked up that the parking restrictions for the three zones are operational on bank holidays so you will need to have your visitor passes ready for all your lovely parties and barbeques that you throw!

Paul

[Beckenham Town Residents]

Shouldn't public holidays revert to the same rules that are applicable at weekends? Will we see traffic wardens on Christmas day etc?

[Reg Adams]

Only those residents who live in the nine roads covered by the CPZ have received (or will soon receive) the eight-page document (including a map spread over four pages) titled ClockHouse CPZ Implementation. For the benefit of all those residents living just outside the zone, I've scanned in the text and posted it here as a *.PDF - This will help you to follow the valid points and criticisms made in E-mails above.

[Barbara Davies]

Maybe residents in Hayne Road received the copies of the document that should have been delivered to Chaffinch Road. My copy, delivered 'in error' has gone out with the re-cycling

Reg Adams said:

Only those residents who live in the nine roads covered by the CPZ have received (or will soon receive) the eight-page document (including a map spread over four pages) titled ClockHouse CPZ Implementation. For the benefit of all those residents living just outside the zone, I've scanned in the text and posted it here as a *.PDF - This will help you to follow the valid points and criticisms made in E-mails above.

[Cllr John Getgood, Penge & Cator ward]

I asked about the issues raised by residents at the environment meeting on Monday, though more have been raised since.

• The link to http://www.bromley.gov.uk/transportprojects is apparently working now. The maps and documents have been uploaded.


• Cllr Smith confirmed that residents will be able to park in P&D bays and that traffic wardens will be aware of this change.
• •
Apparently the reduction offered for the trial period in Zone was to be identical to that offered in the Copers Cope Scheme. That is, 40%.

• The council are aware that the date of implementation may not leave everyone enough time to receive their permit. Ticketing will be adjusted accordingly or appeals will be treated sympathetically.


• A 'carers scheme' has been introduced , to allow for elderly or infirm residents needing multiple visits. He is hoping to roll this out to all health care professionals as soon as possible. I raised the issue of informal caring arrangements and he will discuss individual cases.

• He is edging towards a recognition that the rules regarding installing cross overs and off-street parking need reviewing. I am pushing him to bring this forward as soon as possible and he has asked his officers to prepare a paper. I hope this will be discussed at the November Environment meeting.

[Jeff Jeffery]

Cllr John Getgood, Penge & Cator ward said:

• The council are aware that the date of implementation may not leave everyone enough time to receive their permit. Ticketing will be adjusted accordingly or appeals will be treated sympathetically.

That's good to hear, but the GBP aren't the enemy. To put it another way, isn't it a shame that people might find themselves in the position of having prove themselves guiltless in the first place, when all they are trying to do is to park in the road they've always been able to park in for free? It would be better overall if the council just put the enforcement date back to allow people the extra time they need anyway.

[Beckenham Town Residents]

This is the report and minutes of the July Council meeting that took place to put through the Clock House CPZ - see attached - points of interest are the for's and against's points, the wording and the costs and future expected revenues. I still find it laughable that a few petitioners were listened to and all it needed to start this ball rolling, but when the public meetings took place and the larger group of local residents wanted their views taken into account which were against the resolution, council members said that those groups views held no weight because only those who were against such solutions would attend. Oh well, it starts in the next week, but still no lines or signs to tell residents to park where whilst they paint the lines.

[Jeff Jeffery]

CPZ minus 3:

Still no sign of the roadmarkings or signage. There's no way this can actually start on Monday, is there...?

[Jon Clarke]

Elm, Queens & Cedars done earlier this week. Clock House was being done this morning. I guess signs and Pay & Display boxes don't go up until it's all done. Loved how the commuters still couldn't park their cars within the individual marked out out Pay & Display bays this morning.

[Jon Clarke]

Let's hope we don't have this here - PETTS WOOD - Residents Angry As New Parking Restrictions Not Enforced