Leading charities call for tighter parking policy across London

An evaluation of parking policy across London boroughs by countryside charity CPRE and climate action charity Possible has concluded that more effective use of available powers would have a significant positive impact on climate, road safety, air quality and accessibility.

Researchers found a wide variation across boroughs – but said there is a clear message that all London boroughs need to do more to implement and utilise parking policies effectively.

The inner boroughs of Camden, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Lambeth were rated among the better while outer London boroughs including Bexley, Havering, Hillingdon, and Redbridge had some of the poorest parking policies, against criteria set by the researchers. The findings are summarised on Possible’s interactive Parking Action Policy map

Carolyn Axtell, a campaign manager at Possible, said, “Parking policy is one of the most effective tools a council can use to combat the climate crisis. It is not cost-prohibitive and can encourage people in all London boroughs to reduce their car use – which is necessary for both the capital and the UK to meet their climate targets.

“As the Parking Action Policy map shows, most of London’s councils are failing to make full use of parking policy to deliver safe and accessible streets, and to ensure that there is equity in the distribution of public space.

“While some London boroughs are leading the way in using parking policy to create climate friendly and more equitable streets we still have a lot of work to do.”

Alice Roberts, head of campaigns at Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) London added, “Cars are hugely inefficient of space. Car dominance leads to loss of, and lack of, parks and play spaces within cities, where land is swallowed up by huge amounts of ‘grey space’ given to roads and parking.

“We advocate for cities run on public transport, walking and cycling – with space freed up for more greenery, parks and space to be active, outdoors and in contact with nature.”

Coinciding with publication of the Parking Action Policy map, Possible is calling on every London borough to commit to reallocating at least 25% of kerbside space for more sustainable uses, such as parklets, rain gardens, cycle storage/parking and sustainable transport hire.

Additionally, says Possible, councils can take action by introducing more controlled parking zones in their boroughs, including on housing estates, “which can be susceptible to commuter parking, turning them into free-for-all car parks and limiting public space for people”.