Grimsdyke Car Park Charges

Harrow Council has gone ahead with a statutory consultation on the introduction of charges in Grimsdyke Car Park and in the bays by the station, despite local opposition. The Association opposed these charges on the grounds that the public consultation carried out in the early part of last year demonstrated a clear majority against such charges. In addition, it fears that these charges will have a detrimental effect on the turnover of local shops and restaurants and therefore the vitality of Hatch End. Charges will also adversely impact on residents who live in the roads off the Uxbridge Road, who will experience more on-street parking as motorists seek to avoid these charges.

Read the specific details of the consultation on car parking charges November 2012

The Hatch End Association (HEA) formally objects to the introduction of car parking charges in the Grimsdyke Car Park and in the parking bays adjacent to the station in Hatch End.
Our objection is founded on the opposition to such changes as expressed by local residents and traders in the consultation that took place in early2012. 68.7% of those responding to the public consultation expressed no support for the introduction of changes. When these proposals went before TARSAP in June 2012 the reason for the recommendation of these proposals was stated to be ‘a consequence of the inconclusive results of the public consultation’. We do not think a majority of two thirds is inconclusive. These proposals are being driven, in our view, by a misguided policy of imposing a uniformity of car parking charges across the borough, a uniformity which ignores the wishes of local residents and traders, and one that threatens the vitality and viability of local shopping areas such as Hatch End, a viability that is under threat from a number of sources and these proposals will aggravate this situation.

Furthermore, we object to these proposals because we consider that to leave one road with free parking, namely the service road along the Hatch End Broadway, while bringing in charges elsewhere lacks logic. These charges will produce displacement parking that will use the service road especially for long term parking and this will threaten the use of local shops and restaurants in Hatch End where customers require short term parking. This policy was justified at a meeting on November 1st at the Civic Centre as one that was requested by residents and traders but as both groups have expressed their opposition to any charges this justification is misleading.

Tony Allen

Chairman

Hatch End Association