Its far more complex that wanting to park outside your front door.You will be lucky to be able to do this in a CPZ in such a compact area.With all the restrictions that the Council will also incorporate into a CPZ there will be a substantial loss in existing space all round.The problem here is that the rather stupid policy of doing a street by street CPZ is that it simply pushes the problem from one street to another street.Living by a station comes at a price. Your property might be worth a lot more due to the convenience factor, but the station is there for all. It is not for the exclusive use of the surrounding streets.The trouble is in this part of town, the streets and thus the spaces, run out at the river. There is nowhere else to go.The Current stupid CPZ is forcing this and it is largely caused by residents who live in a CPZ not buying permits nor prepared to pay extra for second cars. ( which is quite wrong for discriminating against individuals in the same household and probably illegal under discrimination laws)But on the other hand who can blame them? If I leave for work at 6am and come home at 7pm like very many do, why should I pay for a permit which does not bring me anything?I would do as many are and park in the next few streets. But then I am causing an artificial problem which leads to the desperate cries for another CPZThe problem is a complete CPZ which will end up being the only option in the end, but is not going to solve all the problems. Sure, a simple one hour scheme will banish day long commuters and what is the problem with a few who park during the day for a few hours to visit or whatever?We here are quite lucky, good daytime public transport but increasingly vulnerable to traffic congestion and the sharp rise in population.But it is another story at night. Underground and mainline services finish quite early and with such an old and heavily used infrastructure will remain that way, perhaps forever.The night bus network is much improved but only if you are lucky enough to live and work on a route. But it is still very patchy.West London and it's suburbs are largely residential but an awful lot of it is a long way from public transport services especially at night.Ruislip and Eastcote still have no 24 hour bus links.At the same time, shift working and late hours are on a big increase with so many industries demanding trading times compatible with global centres. Many have no choice to do so ( who can pick and choose a career nowadays?) but for very many the only choice is to drive to a point so they can get home in the small hours. They like most of us, pay their taxes and council tax so why should they be denied their only option to get to and from work?One of the causes is the London Zone system. Kew Bridge is in Zone 3, Brentford and Boston Manor Zone 4 but the buses are still in zone 3.Many park in Brentford and beyond and bus it to Kew, Northfields and South Ealing.Brentford and Boston Manor ought to be in Zone 3 but really the whole zone thing ought to be reviewed.The difference between a 3 and 4 season is considerable as is between 4 and 5 and between 3 and 5, huge.The big difference is that little further out one goes, the streets become larger and off street parking the norm. Where street parking may not be desirable but at least does not cause total parking problems.Shortening the journeys of commuters brings a raft of benefits especially for the environment.What needs to happen is accept that we will always have a need for mechanised personal transportation. It has transformed the lives of most of us, opened up a new way of life and we are no longer living at top of road by t' factory. We have to accept that public transport needs to be fully integrated to minimise use of cars but has to accommodate it as well.Every station possible should have a car park. In other countries they have built low rise car parks over cuttings. They should be affordable but not free. It would minimise car journeys. £5 spent on parking could be £5 saved on fuel , but that £5 saved on fuel is fuel saved with mileage and pollutants reduced whatever that fuel may be.If you drive from Norwood Green to Brentford you could maybe go to Syon instead. Less mileage, less road use, less congestion.By combining that with a better zone system, there would be less need to drive into more compact cramped districts. It seems pointless having no parking zones by stations as it defeats the object of a rail link. But we also have to consider how night workers can get about.But CPZs are not the answer that's just local inhabitants paying a contractor and a council to make huge profits which will get squandered in other districts and the core problem never getting solved.
Michael Brandt ● 4412d