Embattled Wood Green residents living around Haringey Civic Centre may stand a better chance of finding a parking space outside their home after the Council decided to clamp down on ‘Essential Service Permits’ in a number of Wood Green roads. The cut back on the parking permits issued to council staff comes after local residents, supported by Lib Dem transport spokesperson Lynne Featherstone, expressed their annoyance at the council employees parking in their streets.

Ms Featherstone’s intervention follows heavy criticism of Labour council leader George Meehan at a recent meeting of the Avenue Gardens Residents’ Association, an area situated between Wood Green tube and Haringey’s Civic Centre. Residents said they had repeatedly complained that council employees routinely took up the parking spaces of local residents in the Controlled Parking Zone. They had complained to Mr Meehan, their local councillor as well as Council Leader, but the problem had continued.

The decision by the Council means that ten roads between the Civic Centre and Wood Green tube station will now be out-of-bounds to council staff holding ‘Essential Service Permits’. A penalty charge will now be issued if staff are found to have parked in these roads. However, those providing much needed home services to residents of the roads listed will not be penalised.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“Hopefully this will ease parking stress in these streets, although the Council should have done something sooner. It is all the more surprising as the leader of the Council represents the area. However, I am pleased this issue may now be resolved.”