Residents of two streets in Slough have raised objections against ‘unacceptable’ plans that could see them needing to pay out hundreds of pounds for parking permits.
Slough Borough Council (SBC) has proposed plans to introduce a residential parking permit scheme in Vale Grove and Winvale in Slough.
A consultation on the plans closed towards the end of last month, but several residents have raised concerns that many in the area were not aware of the proposals and did not receive a letter about it.
If given the green light, the move would see a new parking zone N created for the area, with permits for residents and waiting restrictions in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Caroline Davidson, who has lived in Vale Grove with her husband Alex for the last 12 years, raised objections over the proposals stating that there are no parking issues in the area and voiced concerns over the fairness of the consultation due to some residents’ being unaware of it.
She said: “A number of residents haven't even received their parking scheme letters at all.
“If that happens, they [the council] just go with the majority and if they haven’t received a reply, they just assume that it’s all OK and people don’t have an issue with it.
“So, it's a really unfair consultation because people haven’t got the information.”
Caroline said residents have complained and raised concerns over the plans with bodies including the council itself and councillors and have not received a reply.
She explained that the same scheme was previously proposed by the council but was rejected.
“We've always been able to park, our visitors have always been able to park, our neighbours have been able to park, so have their visitors.”
“The majority of people can park outside their houses. Top of Vale Grove down, all [apart] from a couple [of houses] actually have driveways,” Caroline added.
This means there is additional roadside parking and there are also various car parks in Winvale which are never full, she explained.
A Freedom of Information request to the council asking how many complaints had been made about parking in the area over the last few years revealed there had been none, Caroline explained.
According to the SBC website one resident parking permit will cost £75 for a year and a second will cost £125.
Caroline added that there will be additional parking costs on top of this for visitors.
“It’s totally unacceptable.
“It’s very, very unfairly done, when there’s no reason for it at all.”
Raising similar concerns, fellow Vale Grove resident Mervyn Williams also objected to the plans, citing his ‘dismay’ at the way the consultation has been conducted.
In his response to the consultation, Mervyn said: “It is with dismay that it was only through a neighbour’s WhatsApp message that I discovered [that] for the second time in four years, Slough Borough Council is trying, yet again [to] impose parking permits on already hard-pressed residents.
“[This is] despite the fact that this proposal was rejected during lockdown and Vale Grove is a quiet and obscure cul-de-sac.”
In a statement SBC’s parking team, said: “We went out to statutory consultation, which is now closed and we are analysing all the results.
“No decision has been made at this time.”
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