I have a young family..a CPZ would actually reduce the availability of parking

I am writing to voice my objections about the proposed Controlled Parking Zone “CPZ” on Elmwood Road SE24. As a resident who has lived in Elmwood Road for over a year, I have never felt that it is necessary to enforce a CPZ on the street. The parking spaces at all times of the day are plentiful.

I am extremely concerned about the impact that a CPZ would have on the quality of life of my family, my neighbour’s and other North Dulwich residents.

I have a young family and am often visited by other family members and friends who want to spend some time with my daughter. I fear that a CPZ would inhibit this. A CPZ would actually reduce the availability of parking spaces due to the inclusion of yellow lines which forbid parking. This would mean that there is a great likelihood that my visitors would not be able to park by my house and would need to find alternate parking a distance away. Some of my family members have mobility problems and if they are not able to park outside my house, which they have so far been able to every time they has visited us, they would not be able to manage the walk and as such I think my daughter would miss out on seeing her family.

Elmwood Road is very lucky to have Sunray Gardens which is a very popular park for all people of all ages. I often see older people and people with very young children coming to spend time at the park and quite often they need to drive, again due to mobility issues or for ease of transporting their children. I fear that a CPZ would severely impact this and make it so that none residents are no longer able to visit Sunray Gardens, this would be a great and unnecessary loss to the community.

I feel that being forced to pay £100 to park my own car outside my own house is also a very unfair expense. In this current economic climate where many of North Dulwich residents have suffered financial difficulties or redundancies, it is heartless and inconsiderate for Southwark Council to try to extract this extra “tax” when Southwark Council have not offered me an explanation as to how it will directly benefit the residents of Elmwood Road.

How many parking permits will be allowed per household? We have two cars, my partner has a car as it is vital for his work, I also have a car to transport my daughter and also for my own needs. Will the cost of the second or third permit be less than the £100 for the first? If we are only allowed to have one permit per household this will force us to sell our second car. Again I think this would be such an unnecessary and unfair expense. I am sure you are aware of how much money I would lose due to the poor car sales market.

In conclusion, I have to question the motives behind this proposed enforcement zone, there is obviously no need for it. I believe that a Controlled Parking Zone is unnecessary, unfair, expensive and not in the interests of the residents of Elmwood Road. I do not want one now or in the future.

I would like a response it writing as how Southwark Council justifies this proposal, the leaflet I have received in generic and not specific to the needs of Elmwood Road.

Yours sincerely

Liane Evans
Elmwood Road