Ealing Dean extension is not welcomed by all
As residents of the five roads celebrate their inclusion in the extended Ealing Dean CPZ, traders on Northfield Avenue are not so happy.
Brian Davis is chairman of NABTA (Northfield Avenue Businesses and Traders Association) and urges the council to consider the needs of business in parking plans, he writes:
Each time a CPZ either comes into being or is extended, those people, who have been using parking space in the new zone, have to find another space outside the zone. This causes congestion around the outside of the zone and residents are then compelled to request that their road is included in order that they can park outside their own houses.
As the available non-zone space diminishes, so the congestion intensifies while there are numerous empty streets within the zone.
However, notwithstanding that Ealing Council has the most to gain from these zones, I have to agree with the basic tenets of CPZ's and the need to preserve road-space for local people.
But this is where I think the interpretation of "local people" has and will be the cause of problems. The Council Ward Forums and indeed the residents associations, are run by residents for their own good. There are no votes in business-rate payers but in order to succeed, businesses should and must be included in that group, "local people".
Some, but not all of these people are local employees who have little choice than to come to work by motor car because they either start work before public transport is up and running, or may need their cars for banking, collecting/delivering supplies or visiting other people in the course of their work.
I have appealed to Ealing Council for recognition of shop and business employees (and owners) and may well include others such as teachers and health professionals etc., as an integral part of the local community and be afforded the same consideration as residents.
This will be an important step in preserving the nature of local shopping areas and community. In the current CPZ's, businesses 'may' be permitted a business vehicle permit but at a cost of ten times that of the same space as a resident's permit.
Despite the councils denial, business rates play a large part in the finances of the borough and a little acknowledgment and some help to assist staying in business could have enormous benefits to the whole community.
There is currently no consideration for those of us who come to work at 4.00 am or need our cars for various errands during the day.
Kingsdown Residents Association have been consistently supportive of their local shops and businesses and have made numerous appeals to councillors to consider local workers as part of the local community.
Councillors are well aware of these suggestions but are quick to say that these ideas are outside of the current CPZ policy. Who makes the policy? We all appreciate the "Think Local, Shop Local" initiative started by Cllr. Millican some time ago but when council action (or inaction) is seen to have a detrimental effect on the small and specialist shops that remain, then we may all see the day when the supermarkets have it all their own way. That would be a great pity.
Brian J Davis
Parkers Bakery
November 11, 2009
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