A major review of parking across Newham was launched by Labour council leaders this week. However, it remains unclear whether two of Labour’s headline election promises — a free parking permit and an hour’s free parking — will be part of it.
Council leaders say the two promises “remain commitments” of the council’s Labour administration. But they chose to delay a decision on whether to include them in their parking review “to allow for sufficient due diligence”.
It comes after a leading councillor ducked questions over whether Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan could block the pledges.
What the review covers
Newham Council’s cabinet — its committee of leading councillors — voted to launch the review yesterday (Tuesday 21 July).
Officially named the “parking and kerbside space review”, it will look at how parking rules and provision currently work in Newham, and what needs to change.
Labour councillor Susan Masters, who is responsible for parking, said changes in recent years meant “the time is absolutely right to undertake a comprehensive review”.
She said: “Since our current policies were developed we’ve seen significant changes across Newham such as population growth, major regeneration, evolving traffic patterns and increasing demand for our kerbside space.
“Alongside this there is a growing focus on air quality, sustainability and the needs of our vibrant, modern and diverse communities.”
Masters added that the review would include “supply and demand, controlled parking zones, charging structures, town centre enforcement and the overall customer experience”.
She said it would also look at “future growth, the use of electric vehicles, acknowledging cycle hangar demand and how we best use our kerbside space over the long term”.
The pledges left out
However, the review does not currently include two big promises the Labour party made during its local election campaigns earlier this year.
Labour promised to make the first parking permit free for every household, and to give Newham residents an hour’s free parking across the borough.
Speaking earlier this month, Masters said these couldn’t be part of the review as they are “bound by separate legal guidance”.
She also did not give a clear answer to residents who asked whether the pledges would clash with Khan’s city-wide transport policy.
In written answers to their questions, Masters said only that the town hall would “take into account all relevant and material considerations”.
‘Announcements coming soon’
Councillors tasked with scrutinising the review earlier this month recommended that the cabinet include the two pledges in the parking review.
But cabinet members said they would “defer” their response to this “to allow for sufficient due diligence to be undertaken”.
Masters insisted on Tuesday that the two pledges “remain commitments of this administration and are being processed through the appropriate governance processes”.
Labour mayor Forhad Hussain added that a further announcement would come “soon”.
Hussain said: “This is an important priority for our residents. I know people are talking about the first parking permit, and we are looking forward to those announcements coming soon in line with the appropriate legal requirements.”
