Highgate’s Liberal Democrat councillors are calling on the Labour Council to put on hold its plans for a controlled parking zone (CPZ) in the area unless they can demonstrate that a real majority is in favour of the scheme. The move follows the release of the detailed results on the consultation exercise which show that local people voted ‘no’ to a CPZ and to introduce it at this stage would go back on a promise made by Labour lead member Ray Dodds, who said in July: “We’ve said all along that what we do would depend on what people said. If they’ve said no then that’s what they’ll get.”

However, the Council is now planning to press ahead with parking controls in Highgate Hill and Highgate High Street, as well as Cromwell Avenue and some surrounding roads. The Lib Dems say that to implement a CPZ now would go back on an earlier promise, and means that an area where 62% of residents voted ‘no’ will end up with a CPZ anyway.

The Lib Dems now want the following from the Council:

* Press Camden Council to put its own plans on hold following further consultation in Haringey

* Put the Haringey CPZ plans on hold and consult again over the smaller area now designated for a CPZ once the situation in Camden becomes clear.

* Reconsult in six months in Priory Gardens, where residents were broadly in favour of a scheme, but with a separate zone for their own road near the Tube Station.

Local councillor Neil Williams comments:

“Whatever your views on the CPZ, if the Council consults the views of local people and then ignores the outcome of that consultation, then there can’t be any faith or confidence in the process. Ray Dodds has stated categorically that local residents would not get something they did not support.

“A breathing space is now needed, and every possible pressure must be placed on Camden to think again about its own plans. No consultation is a scientific exercise, but all the indications are that the village as a whole voted against the proposals of the two boroughs. It would be very unjust for these plans to go ahead at this time.”