A Labour council has been accused of “deviously” pushing through parking charges despite nine out of 10 residents vehemently opposing the scheme.
Lambeth Council is expected to make millions of pounds from fining motorists by introducing a new controlled parking zone in the borough.
The London local authority has been accused of “insulting democratic values” by failing to explain in its official report how the vast majority of those who responded to a statutory consultation “wholly object” to the scheme.
Residents who make up the West Dulwich Action Group (WDAG) have written to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman as well as Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, calling for an investigation into claims Lambeth failed to be open, transparent, fair and act with integrity.
The council – accused of “insidiously” publishing its report on Christmas Eve “to minimise scrutiny” – is creating a £68,000 controlled parking zone in West Dulwich, where many of its residents are going to the High Court to fight Lambeth’s plans for a low traffic neighbourhood.
The parking report fails to mention that 88.9 per cent of the more than 1,300 respondents “wholly” opposed the scheme.
The council document concludes “there was some support” for parking restrictions, before eventually conceding “the majority of representations objected to the proposals, although many did not elaborate on their reasons.”
The group, which analysed the raw consultation data published in a 110-page appendix, told the ombudsman: “The vague, carefully curated and unsupported language masks the incontrovertible reality that almost nine out 10 respondents rejected the scheme outright.”
It adds that the council report “misleads readers … and policymakers” and “amounts to an insult to democratic values and an affront to the intelligence of the local community”.
The letter concludes that “the report represents a duplicitous and underhand attempt to obfuscate public opinion and circumvent democratic processes.”
One of the many who “wholly objected” to the scheme said the council was “penalising” those who do not own driveways and so have to pay for on street parking, adding: “Very disappointing for a Labour council, based on ideology and not working for people.”
Almira Mohamed, a member of WDAG, said: “We do not need and don’t want to pay for the council’s revenue generating vanity projects, which are dressed up as being done for our own good.
“It is not as if we don’t care about pollution, which these schemes do little to solve.
“We have spoken out clearly, and still the council is pursuing this controlled parking zone. This all comes at a time people are struggling with escalating bills.”
‘Taking bold decisions’
A council spokesman said the authority was “taking bold decisions” to make the borough “safer and healthier”, adding that “street improvements” were being introduced after “residents and business called for traffic reduction”.
He added: “We have thoroughly engaged with – and listened to – the local community throughout the development of these proposals, and provided opportunities for residents and businesses to feed back. We are confident that we have complied with all legislative requirements.
“The design of the original scheme was significantly changed in response to views received – including the removal of two traffic filters and three parklets, and extending some double yellow lines.”
He said a second consultation will be carried out to establish whether residents approve of a parking zone with a two-hour restriction, between noon and 2pm.
Lambeth Council made £52.4 million from parking fines during the financial year 2023/24, the highest of any local authority. Nationwide, councils collected £620 million from parking fines in that period.
