Agenda item
Response to petition seeking the lifting of the special parking restrictions introduced each year within part of the KQ Controlled Parking Zone
- Meeting of Highways Committee, Tuesday 20 March 2012 7.00 pm (Item 7.)
- View the background to item 7.
This report advises the Committee of a petition requesting an abandonment of the current arrangements so that visitors to the area during the periods of Ramadan and Muharram would be subject to the same parking controls that exist at other times during the year.
Decision:
(i) Noted the contents of the petition and the response of officers;
(ii) Instructed the Head of Transportation to review the operation of the current arrangements, in consultation with representatives of local residents, ward members , the lead member and the representatives of the Foundation in order to identify opportunities to adjust and improve the arrangements;
(iii) Agreed that where opportunities to make improvements were identified then changes should be made, if practicable and subject to proper consultation and consideration of responses to that consultation, in time for the 2012 Ramadan and Muharram periods;
(iv) Agreed that, if opportunities for acceptable changes cannot be identified the current arrangements should continue in place, subject to the appropriate advertising and making of Traffic Orders etc.
Minutes:
The Committee considered a petition which called on the Council to lift parking restrictions for part of KQ controlled parking zone (CPZ) during the periods of Ramadan and Muhurram. The petition stated as follows:
“We the undersigned petition the Council to lift the special parking restrictions imposed around Imam Khoei Islamic Centre in order for those visiting to be able to park as they would otherwise during the year.”
The petition was presented by Mustapha Field. He complained about the existing parking restrictions (8:30am to 6:30pm) which were extended twice a year during periods (Ramadan/Muharram) at the Mosque when there were high levels of visits to the Imam Khoei Islamic Foundation Centre. He continued that the extended hours were disproportionate and added that the levels of visits were not as high as for the Temple in Brentfield Road where there were no extended parking restrictions. Mustapha Field urged the Committee to reverse the extended controlled parking hours around Imam Khoei Islamic Centre in Chevening Road and within the KQ zone.
Tim Jackson, Head of Transportation introduced the report that responded to the petition. He advised members that the current arrangements were not necessarily “tuned” to the variation in visitors to the area that occurred during Ramadan and Muharram. There may be times during those events where the arrangements could be adjusted so as to better respond to the potential problem. He continued that the Foundation had been unable to provide data (on timings, visitor numbers, travel choices etc.) to enable officers to recommend changing the current arrangements. He recommended the setting up of a working party comprising* officers, ward members, residents’ representatives, the lead member and the representatives of the Foundation to examine the current arrangements with a view to identifying opportunities to make changes that would satisfy all parties without compromising council policies or obligations.
Tim Jackson informed the Committee that if the working party were to identify changes that would improve the situation during the 2012 events these could be implemented and their impact monitored. If the opportunities for improvement could not be identified in time for 2012 (July 2012) the current arrangements would have to remain in place. He added that any arrangement identified would need to go through the normal process of advertising, consultation, the making of Traffic Orders and a further report for consideration of any recommendations before being implemented.
In welcoming the report, Councillor Powney reiterated the need for officers to adhere to the Council’s equality duty.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the contents of the petition and the response of officers be noted;
(ii) that the Head of Transportation be instructed to review the operation of the current arrangements, in consultation with representatives of local residents, ward members , the lead member and the representatives of the Foundation in order to identify opportunities to adjust and improve the arrangements;
(iii) that where opportunities to make improvements were identified then changes should be made, if practicable and subject to proper consultation and consideration of responses to that consultation, in time for the 2012 Ramadan and Muharram periods;
(iv) that if opportunities for acceptable changes cannot be identified the current arrangements should continue in place, subject to the appropriate advertising and making of Traffic Orders etc.
* Minute as amended at Highways Committee on 17 July 2012
Supporting documents: