'Shoddy' CPZ consultation (From Times Series)

'Shoddy' CPZ consultation

5:19pm Wednesday 14th April 2004

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North Finchley residents have hit out at the underhand tactics' they claim Barnet Council employed before imposing a controlled parking zone (CPZ) in their area.

The council consulted on whether to extend North Finchley's CPZ to take in more residential streets last November. The council initially proposed a scheme involving parking restrictions between 2pm and 3pm, Monday to Friday, with permits costing £30 per vehicle.

Following the consultation, the council announced that the scheme, which is scheduled to start in June, would run Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm, with permits costing up to £90 each.

Sarah Black, of Coniston Close, said: "I am disgusted at their the council's underhand tactics.

"In normal business practice, this would be called deception and legally treated as such.

"Do they think we are so stupid as to accept this shoddy behaviour where we are asked to vote on a scheme and then the scheme is radically changed after approval?"

She added that all but one of Coniston Close's thirty households voted against the scheme at first, but that they were forced to agree to it when the council announced the scheme would apply to all the surrounding roads and, therefore, create parking problems in their road.

"Six months ago, we had no parking problem. Now we have no parking problem, but in three months' time, when the scheme is installed, we will have a parking problem unless we join the scheme," she added.

A council spokesman said: "Residents in Coniston Close were consulted twice about the CPZ and voted to be included.

"During the second consultation, residents were informed that there would be a new charge of £35 for the first permit and that the operative hours of the zone would be 9am until 5pm."

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