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WALTHAM FOREST: Council accused of double standards over Town Hall parking
CARS are still being parked on double yellow lines at the Town Hall, nearly a year after the Guardian highlighted the practice.
Drivers caught parking on the lines in the rest of the borough are in line for a £100 fine, or seeing their vehicle disappear on the back of a tow truck.
But it seems those working at or visiting Waltham Forest's seat of power in Forest Road, Walthamstow are exempt.
When we visited this week, cars and a white Waltham Forest Council van were parked on double yellow lines and other no-parking areas.
Community activist, Kevin Lord, has been trying to get things changed since he put an official complaint into the council in February 2007.
He said: "They said the Road Traffic Act does not apply to the Town Hall as it is private property. It's double standards.
"The council leader has this persistent green anti-car policy except for the building where he's working."
Mr Lord said in the same week the road he lives in has become a CPZ, meaning police officers who want to drive to work to fight crime will have to pay £300 a year to park outside Walthamstow Police Station.
He said the council did not take his complaint seriously, answering his questions with a response under the Freedom of Information Act instead of going through the complaint process.
Now he is going to try again, and if he does not see a result, report the council to the Standards Board of England, which examines the ethical conduct of elected members in local government.
Mr Lord, added: "I've given them plenty of time. I wanted to see if anything happened in one year and it hasn't. They've made vast amounts of money, nearly £4 million in the last two years, in parking fines so they can't say they can't afford to control it."
1:05pm Tuesday 19th February 2008
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CommentPosted by: Oberver on 2:38pm Tue 19 Feb 08
The road system within the gates where the Town Hall is located may not consitute public highway, and the lines might therefore be unenforceable and no more than a bluff. I suggest you check on their legal status.
The road system within the gates where the Town Hall is located may not consitute public highway, and the lines might therefore be unenforceable and no more than a bluff. I suggest you check on their legal status.
Posted by: Neil Herron on 7:16pm Tue 19 Feb 08
Ask the Council under the Freedom of Information Act for a full list of 'exempt' vehicles. If they are receiving a benefit then this is a case of double standards, especially if ordinary members of the public have been ticketed at the same location.
Anyone wishing to forward any information send it to enquiries@parkingapp
eals.co.uk
Ask the Council under the Freedom of Information Act for a full list of 'exempt' vehicles. If they are receiving a benefit then this is a case of double standards, especially if ordinary members of the public have been ticketed at the same location.
Anyone wishing to forward any information send it to enquiries@parkingapp
eals.co.uk
Posted by: Mr. T. C. Hull, Walthamstow on 12:19am Wed 20 Feb 08
Doesn't Mr. Lord know by now that the Council is incapable of giving a straight answer to ANY question?
Doesn't Mr. Lord know by now that the Council is incapable of giving a straight answer to ANY question?
Posted by: CG, Chingford on 10:04am Wed 20 Feb 08
Leave it Out! so many of these double yellow lines are unnecessary anyway. there should be lots fewer of them. Let people park quickly and conveniently instead making them drive round and round looking for spaces.
Leave it Out! so many of these double yellow lines are unnecessary anyway. there should be lots fewer of them. Let people park quickly and conveniently instead making them drive round and round looking for spaces.
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