Councillor Paul Canal believes the recent expansion of Wanstead’s permit parking zones is misguided and will put pressure on independent shops and complicate daily life for residents
Wanstead is being slowly strangled – not by a lack of community spirit, not by a failing High Street, but by yet another parking scheme imposed by Redbridge Council. Piece by piece, bay by bay, Wanstead is being hemmed in.
This latest scheme – an expansion of the WD permit parking zone imposed on 22 September – further restricts parking to an even smaller area, making it harder for residents, businesses and visitors to go about their daily lives. It is the latest example of ‘incremental creep’: one scheme leads to another and each new measure quietly chips away at Wanstead’s accessibility.
Our independent shops and cafés already face enormous pressures. The ability for customers to stop by easily is vital for their survival. Squeezing parking options doesn’t encourage people to cycle to the butchers or carry heavy shopping on the bus – it drives people away to retail parks and supermarkets with ample free parking. For high streets like Wanstead’s, where margins are already tight, these schemes risk being the final straw.
It isn’t just businesses that suffer. Many residents have elderly or infirm relatives in Wanstead. Popping in for a cup of tea, to check on them or to provide care has always been an essential part of community life. Yet parking restrictions now make these short visits difficult, stressful or impossible. Family care is being actively discouraged by policies that pay little regard to the human cost.
What is most frustrating is that Wanstead already had a simple, sensible solution that worked: the 9.30am to 10.30am commuter parking prohibition. This targeted approach stopped commuters from clogging up our roads all day, while leaving residents and shoppers free to park at other times. It struck the right balance between deterring all-day parking and supporting a thriving local community.
Instead, Redbridge have chosen to go further and further, pushing through measures that nobody asked for, that are neither needed nor wanted.
Each new restriction may seem small on its own. But together, they add up to a serious erosion of Wanstead’s vitality. The freedom to shop, to visit loved ones, to live in a community that is open and welcoming, is being strangled – one parking scheme at a time.
If the council truly wants to support local businesses, build resilient communities and keep Wanstead alive, it should listen to residents and restore the common-sense approach that served us well for years.
Paul Canal is a Wanstead resident and Leader of the Conservative Group on Redbridge Council. Visit wnstd.com/canal
