End of road turning and double yellow lines

Residents at the underground railway end of the road have always suffered from vehicles turning, or attempting to turn, and damaging walls and fences. This has become worse over the past year since the council installed bollards to protect the (unfenced) private land in front of 59. In addition, the frequent parking on the single yellow line by a Blue Badge holder makes it much more awkward to turn, especially for larger vans.

The council propose to change the single yellow line into a double yellow line with a no loading at any time restriction. This will protect the turning area at all times. Note that this will result in the loss of evening and overnight parking spaces.

The council's process involves advertising the change in the local press on two occasions, something that should happen early in the new year.

Parking Changes Update #3

The Chiswick Area Committee meeting on Tuesday 27th September 2011 finally addressed parking changes in the East Chiswick (EC) CPZ. The decision was that there will be no change.

The full text taken from the Hounslow web site is:-

1.1 That Members considered the consultation and agreed that:

(a) No changes are made to the operational times and boundaries of the Bedford Park, East Chiswick/1, Central Chiswick, Chiswick Mall, West Chiswick, Stile Hall and Gunnersbury Estate CPZs;

(b) Subject to the approval of the Chiswick Area Committee, Officers introduce additional parking spaces in the above zones where feasible and subject to the availability of funding, officers carry out the formal (statutory) consultation and (subject to there being no unresolved objections) implementation described at para 4.10 for the additional parking spaces;

1.2 That Members considered the outcome of the separate Zone EC timings consultation and agreed that:

(c) Zone EC remains unchanged.

(e) Residents and Businesses in the current Zone EC be informed of the Committee’s decision.

Also see the September 2011 Committee Meeting minutes.

Committee Meeting 28th September 2011

Present
Carol Stone (Host, Minutes)
Jackie Aust-Lean
Richard Palmer

Apologies
Marise Lee
Graham Tigg

Matters arising from the Minutes of the 22 February 2011 Meeting

Members noted that biodegradable food waste bags were not readily available in Chiswick. The problem of food waste in the road following recycling collections might be obviated if the London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) were to make bags available for purchase in the public library in the same way as garden compost bags used to be.
Carol to email the Council.

Parking and Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs)

The recent meeting of the LBH’s Chiswick Area Committee reviewed the Chiswick area CPZs and the operational times of the East Chiswick CPZ (Zone EC). One proposal, supported by the Thornton & Mayfield Residents’ Association, was to have an additional separate CPZ established including Thornton and Mayfield Avenues and Upham Park Road.
The meeting was chaired by Peter Thompson, former leader of the Council, sitting with five councillors. A number of local residents attended and addressed the Committee, including Anna Jackson, Chairman of the Thornton & Mayfield Residents’ Association; Pauline Mullin from British Grove, who presented a petition signed by 491 local residents; and Richard Palmer on behalf of the UPRRA Committee.
Members of the Committee questioned Council Officers about the merits of the various proposals in the report and, following further discussion, voted by 5 votes to 1 (Councillor Thompson) that Zone EC should remain unchanged, both in area and in operating times.

Metropolitan Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team

The Committee noted that a recent Newsletter from the Chiswick Homefields Team which had been circulated to residents seemed to indicate that the team had now been reduced to three police officers. The Newsletter outlined action which had been taken in relation to anti-social behaviour, residential burglary, theft of pedal cycles, and theft from motor vehicles.
The Committee also noted that the Metropolitan Police had introduced a new telephone number (101) for reporting crimes, seeking advice, or raising local policing issues. 999 should, however, continue to be used for emergencies.

Dates of next meeting and AGM

It was agreed that a meeting, to be arranged by email, should be held in late November to discuss arrangements for the AGM.

Parking changes update #2

The Chiswick Area Committee meeting that was to address parking changes in the East Chiswick (EC) CPZ took place on 28th June as reported on this blog here. The item has been postponed until the next meeting on Tuesday 27th September 2011, the reason cited being that further consultation was needed.

As detailed in the documentation submitted (see Hounslow site) another option has emerged that involves extending the 3 street Thornton and Mayfield Avenues plus Upham Park Road zone retaining the current restricted parking hours of 9-19h. This extension could include neighbouring Ennismore Av, Merton Av and Homefield Road. The attraction of this is that a 6 street zone would be less restrictive on parking options.

Also buried in the detail is that splitting the EC CPZ requires £5,000 to £10,000 to be found and a loss in revenue of £60,000 from visitor permits. This money would need to be saved elsewhere by the council and must make the no change option very likely, at least for now.

Updates will be posted when we have them.

Parking changes update #1

The Council's timetable for a decision on East Chiswick Controlled Parking Zone (EC CPZ) has slipped from May and the target is now the June 28th meeting of the Area Committee  at 7:30 pm Chiswick Town Hall. There is little new information other than neighbouring Thornton and Mayfield Avenues have the Council's analysis of parked vehicle survey data confirming that a significant number of vehicles from elsewhere in the EC CPZ park on their streets. This is the main reason why they understandably pressing for a smaller zone.

The Council have not shared proposed solutions and this may not happen before the Area Committee meeting. Feedback from residents has been limited, but mainly supports the status quo. The Council have their 2008/9 review survey data where the majority of UPR residents favoured retention of the current restricted hours of 9-19h - see here on this site for more background.

The outcome at the Area Committee meeting could be: -

1. A 3 street zone on current restricted parking hours 9-19h (i.e. Thornton and Mayfield Avenues plus Upham Park Road)
2. Shorter restricted hours (perhaps 10-12h and 14-16h) with the EC CPZ loosing Thornton/Mayfield
3. EC CPZ loosing Thornton/Mayfield but otherwise no change for Upham Park Road
4. No change - perhaps unlikely given that this has been a Thornton/Mayfield concern for years.

Richard Palmer has the June 28th meeting in his diary. When we hear more we will pass it on.

If residents have any further views on this then they can be recorded as a comment to this entry.

Committee Meeting 22nd February 2011

Present
Carol Stone (Host, Chair)
Graham Tigg (Treasurer, Minutes)
Jackie Aust-Lean
Richard Palmer

Apologies
Marise Lee

Matters arising from the AGM

The Snickett seems have been regularly cleaned for the past few months.

Recycling collection calendars have been delivered to residents. The resident who complained at the AGM about kitchen waste not being collected reliably now leaves the green bin in a more obvious place (but still behind a low wall) and no longer has problems.

Rubbish in the road on collection day continues to be an issue. The majority of this is kitchen waste and it seems some residents still leave this in general waste (plastic sacks) that animals break into.

Nobody has expressed interest in joining the committee.

Parking and CPZ

The committee has been sent the Thornton-Mayfield Residents’ Association February Newsletter. This states that a parking proposal will be taken to the Chiswick Area Committee (Monitoring) in March* and that the nature of this proposal is for a separate CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) for Thornton and Mayfield Avenues plus Upham Park Road. The agenda will be published on the Council website link here the week before.
* Subsequent to the meeting we know from the Council this will be the May meeting.

The background to this includes: -

• There was a review of the East Chiswick CPZ in 2008/9 that included a survey/questionnaire of all residents in the zone - results of the review are linked to this page (PDF files)
• The review report noted that “Thornton Avenue, Mayfield Avenue and Upham Park Road form a smaller inclusive area supporting retention of the existing operational times. The Thornton/Mayfield Residents’ Association has requested a standalone zone, which Members may wish to consider especially in view of the consultation responses”
• The review concluded “The decision on Mayfield Avenue, Thornton Avenue and Upham Park Road be deferred until the outcome of the Mid-Chiswick CPZ review is reported”
• The Mid-Chiswick CPZ report is expected to be presented in May 2011.
• The report states that for the whole of the East Chiswick CPZ there are 100 more parking bays than issued permits.

From the Thornton/Mayfield perspective the main concern appears to be residents of other streets in the East Chiswick CPZ parking on their patch – presumable to commute from the station or visit shops etc. The newsletter states that the Council have made two surveys and found that 25% of permits are indeed from other streets in the zone. How many of these are from UPR is not known but this information has apparently been requested. The newsletter also conveys surprise that Upham Park Road is being included in the Council’s thinking (the survey did not include UPR).

From the Upham Park Road perspective concerns around this include: -

• Council consultation with UPR residents over any changes
• No information on the likely impact of any changes on UPR parking pressures
• A three street zone (with UPR) seems too restrictive and parking elsewhere in the current zone when the road is full (typically Sunday and other evenings) would presumably not be an option.
• A Mayfield/Thornton two street zone may displace out-of-street permit holders into UPR.

The newsletter seems to convey that Thornton/Mayfield residents desire a two street zone without UPR.

Actions:

Carol will contact Councillor Todd to establish how UPR becomes involved with any proposals.
Graham will monitor the agenda for the May meeting
Graham will draft a communication to residents


Dates of next meeting

To be arranged by email.