Lib Dem councillor for Stroud Green, Laura Edge has written to Haringey Council to express her deep concern at its decision to extend parking restrictions to 8.30am-6.30pm Monday to Saturday in the Finsbury Park area, and to include Oakfield Road, N4 in the CPZ.

The decision was made at the Council’s Executive meeting last month and despite Cllr Edge’s involvement in the consultation process as ward councillor, Haringey Council failed to send her a copy of the report prior to the meeting.

One of the main concerns Cllr Edge has lies with the potential impact on the local economy that the CPZ could have, with many shoppers opting to shop in other areas with car parking, rather than spend time finding a parking space amongst all the restrictions. She is also concerned at the amount of bureaucracy faced by local residents in getting visitors’ permits and alike and does not understand why the Council could not have imposed a two-hour restriction in the middle of the day to deter commuter parking.

Furthermore, Cllr Edge is angry at the news that Oakfield Road has been included in the CPZ plans. Having turned down proposals for an extension of the CPZ to cover their road, residents were re-consulted by the Council. They were given to understand that this was a statutory consultation in case an extension of the scheme was later approved by residents and that the scheme would not go ahead at the present time if residents voted against it once again.

Cllr Edge who has been contacted by a number of concerned residents in the area is awaiting a response from the Council.

Cllr Edge comments:

“I am deeply concerned at the Council’s handling of the consultation and its failure to keep me informed. This CPZ could be detrimental to the regeneration of this part of the borough and is being imposed in Oakfield Road against the will of residents. I will be looking at what options are available to fight this decision.”