Parking in Mile End during the Olympics

What will the Olympics mean for parking in Mile End?

The London 2012 Olympics are "car free".  100% of spectators travelling to the venues will arrive by public transport - or that's the theory!

In order to ensure those living near the Olympic Park are not affected by lots of extra people trying to park their cars in the borough, Tower Hamlets Council has extended the parking controls in the Borough to all those parking zones nearest to the Olympic Park and other venues.

The whole of the Mile End area covered by Mile End Residents Association falls within Parking Zone B2

This means all our roads and parking bays in the Mile End area are affected by the new parking controls for the period of the Olympics.

Olympic Parking Zones in Tower Hamlets 16 July - 9 September

If you've been walking around the area recently you will have seen the new yellow signs indicating that  revised parking controls are now in force.

Parking controls now apply EVERY DAY between 8.30am and 9.00pm.

The major changes are that

• parking controls now apply every day
• the start time remains the same but parking controls are now extended to 9pm at night

This is what the Tower Hamlets website has to say about Parking during Olympic and Paralympic Games

Approximately half of the borough (the areas closest to the Olympic Park and Excel) will be subject to extended parking controls. If you live or work within controlled parking zones (CPZ) A4, B1, B2, B3, B4, D1 or D2, the parking controls in your street will be extended to Monday to Sunday, between 8.30am–9pm during the Games. These changes will be in place from 16 July – 9 September. During this extended period all restrictions will operate as they do now. View a map of the affected CPZs. (85kb PDF).

Other CPZs will have no extension to the hours or days of operation.

The bottom line for residents

If you have a permanent parking permit you have no need to worry - your permit still allows you to

• park your car all day long 24/7 in the zone in which you live
• park anywhere in the borough (where parking is permitted) for up to 3 hours.  

If you do not have a permanent parking permit you will only need a 2012 Games parking permit if you plan to use on-street parking during the extended hours.

The following ONLY applies to those without a permanent parking permit

Apply for a temporary permit

This temporary permit will cover the extended hours of control only and will enable you to park within your CPZ.

To apply for your Games permit, you will have to send a photocopy or scanned image of one of the following proof(s)to qualify:UK Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C) showing their Tower Hamlets AddressNew keeper supplement (V5C/2) - dated within 8 weeks of the date of application showing their Tower Hamlets AddressSales Invoice - only for a ‘brand new’ vehicle dated within 28 days of the date of application showing their Tower Hamlets AddressVehicle Lease agreement showing their Tower Hamlets AddressCompany vehicle - a company letter dated within 28 days of the date of application to confirm that:

a)You are an employee or a licensed taxi or minicab driver;
b)Your home address
c)You are authorised to drive the vehicle

In addition to the company letter you must also provide a photocopy or scanned image of the UK Registration Certificate (V5C) showing either the company or lease name.

If applying by post please send us a photocopy of your proof(s)to Parking Services, Mulberry Place (AH), PO Box 62475, 5 Clove Crescent, London E14 1GL.

You can apply for your Temporary 2012 Games parking permit with immediate effect by post, and online athttp://parking.towerhamlets.gov.uk/pages/OnlinePermitAppEntry.aspx. If you apply before 2 July you should receive your permit by no later than 9 July.

It is important to note that you will not be able to apply for a permit at a One Stop Shop or via the Customer Contact Centre.

Visitor Scratchcards

The important points about visitor scratch cards are as follows

• you do NOT need new scratch cards for the extended hours
• existing visitor scratch cards will be valid throughout the Games, however, they will cover an extended period of time. If you use a five-hour scratch card after 12.30pm on a week day, your visitor will be able to park until 9pm. 
• When you use a five-hour scratch card on the weekend, it will be valid for the whole day.

More information

If you have any queries then you can

• consult the Council's website
• email parking@towerhamlets.gov.uk or 
• call the council on 020 7364 5003 (from Monday to Friday between 8am–8pm. On Saturday between 8am–4pm).
• get more information about parking and the local area traffic management plans around the Olympic Park and ExCel from the London 2012 website at: www.london2012.com/accessandparking.
• You can also plan your travel during the Games at http://www.getaheadofthegames.com/.

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A prompt response from Tower Hamlets Street Works

MERA has had two responses to the blog posts and emails sent to various council officers, councillors and Optimise

• On Friday, MERA received an email and photos (see below) from a Tower Hamlets Street Works Officer following the despatch of emails to various parties within LB Tower Hamlets
• On Thursday we got an acknowledgement of our email from Optimise - but no proper response to date.

We're grateful for the prompt response -  but have some issues we still want to pursue.  Read the Street Works email and our comments below.

Brokesley Street 16.45pm (after the contractors had gone home)
- the work is still not complete,
the road has not been cleaned to remove soil debris as required by the planning conditions
Street Works photo

Footpath Closed - but does this have a current permit?
Street Works Photo 26 January 2012

Hello Mile End Residents, following the receipt of your concerns and complaints yesterday I visited Brokesley St and took the attached photos.

These are TW-Optimise works - being undertaken by the section known as 'Developer Services', carried out by a Statutory Undertaker under the terms and conditions of NRSWA - New Roads and Streetworks Act.

As a Statutory Undertaker TW have the right to place and maintain apparatus within the Highway - and under their governing body, OFWAT, have the duty to maintain this supply, and also the duty to respond to a reasonable request for a supply connection.

These works are however monitored generally by the Highways Authority and subject to the Codes of Practise. These codes require the Undertaker to Notice these works, carry them out to a standard of reinstatement and again generally to complete works without undue delay, minimise disruption to road users, and where the access to a frontage is affected to allow for consultation before works start, (unless works are deemed to be 'Emergency' or 'Urgent').

Following discussion with Optimise personnel I understand these works were to have been carried out without closing the road formally and best maintain access for residents by suspending Parking Bays. To minimise the time on site the JCB 'Digger' was used where possible, the gang being aware of the need to maintain Emergency Service access at all times and able to move this vehicle if required.

It does appear that works were carried out after the formal Bay Suspensions were removed and this is a matter that will be discussed with Optimise to establish what went wrong here and how they propose to avoid a repeat in future.

We will continue to be aware of these works and the potential to cause concern to residents and the works will be monitored for any failing with regard to the specification following reinstatement.

Please let me know if you have any comments, and if you have further concerns regarding future Statutory Undertakers works in Brokesley St do not hesitate to contact the Streetworks section - if you can attach photos it does help, thanks, regards, CNH.

Charlie Harrison
Street Works Officer
CLC Streetworks
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
e-mail charlie.harrison@towerhamlets.gov.uk

The officer does not address:

• the planning conditions relating to no access/no parking allowed by vehicles associated with construction (as these are - even if they are a utility company)
• the parking of vehicles on double yellow lines as indicated in previous posts (which as the Council's own policy highlights cannot be suspended)
• the parking of vehicles within suspended parking bays - not allowed as per the Council's own policy (ie the bays were suspended for access not for use by vehicles working on site)
• the lack of consultation with residents about how the works were to be conducted and the potential for the road to be completely obstructed 
• the inconvenience caused to residents by works taking place AFTER the parking bay suspension finished.  He recognises that requires further enquiry.

The Works are not Complete - but have no completion date
No permit number displayed re pavement closure
How does this comply with the Code of Practice? 
Compare to photo (below) of sign as at 26 January 2012 8.47am 
(Street works photo)

Optimise Notice photographed 26 January 2012 8.47am
Stated Completion date 27 January 2012
Permit Number 74YSYF

In addition three more matters not previously raised will also be pursued 

1. the fact that the Optimise Notice now has no permit number and no completion date despite the fact the pavement is still closed (which was not the case prior to the works)
2. the absence of any Notice of the Council order to close the pavement (Should it be closed at all?  When will it be open again?)
3. the failure to mark the Optimise road works in the manner as required by the planning permission / Code of Practice (no lights at night earlier in the week when they were in the road, fences fell over on a regular basis)

We're also still wondering why none of the irregularities in relation to parking bay suspensions and parking on double yellow lines got picked up by the parking wardens.


We'll be corresponding further to ensure there are no further repercussions of this serious disregard of the interests of local residents and the contractor's breaches of the law and the Council's own policy on parking suspensions.

To date MERA has not received any acknowledgement or reply from any of the Ward Councillors or Development Control.

DO PLEASE TAKE PHOTOS / EMAIL TO MERA

IF YOU SEE ANY OTHER WORKS CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS

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Suspension of Parking in Tower Hamlets - Policy and Rules

Highway Maintenance - parked on yellow lines
following several days of water works in 
Brokesley Street 26 January 2012
(There is no notice of suspension and no dispensation in force
and planning conditions prevent access by construction vehicles)

MERA has been looking up Tower Hamlet Council's Policy on Parking and Traffic Enforcement.

For the benefit of residents in the Mile End Area and all those who seek suspensions of parking bays we've reproduced the section relevant to the suspension of parking bays in this blog post.  (It starts on page 40 of the document which you can access by clicking this link)

We've highlighted the parts of most interest to local residents.
__________________________________________

This section reviews -

• The exemptions included in the Council's Traffic Management Orders (parking and moving traffic)

• The availability of dispensations from the waiting and loading restrictions

• The ability to suspend certain parking regulations

Suspensions, dispensations and exemptions all seem very similar, but in parking they have quite specific meanings and uses, not only in relation to CPZs but more generally (and they are not the same as permits, which are explained in Section 5)

Suspensions


Having introduced (or "designated") a permitted parking place (permit holder, shared use, pay and display, doctor, disabled, etc.), it may be necessary to suspend it for a short time. (If the parking place is no longer required, or it is deemed that it would be better utilised for another purpose, it should be revoked. A Traffic Management Order is required to revoke a designated parking place).

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the Council will only suspend a designated parking place in the following circumstances:-

a) to facilitate maintenance and repairs to the highway
b) to facilitate maintenance and repairs to services (gas, water,
electric, telecoms etc.) buried within the highway
c) business or domestic removal
d) building works
e) filming
f) at the request of the Police (events and public safety)

Anyone can request the suspension of a parking place (or part of a parking place), provided it is for one of the reasons stated above. The suspension is provided to help carry out a task or event but clearly causes inconvenience to those motorists who are then not permitted to use the parking place; and in extreme circumstances a long-term suspension (for example, to facilitate a major redevelopment) can impact on the viability of a small business.

To minimise the inconvenience caused by suspensions the Council will:-
a) only grant a suspension when absolutely necessary
b) restrict the suspension to the minimum space required to perform the task or carry out the event
c) restrict the duration of the suspension to the shortest possible amount of time ) consider the size of suspension in conjunction with the duration (i.e. a long term suspension is more acceptable if only a short
length of kerb is taken)
e) normally make a charge for each suspension based on number of bays/number of days plus administration charge, to encourage the speedy return of the parking place to its designated use. (These charges are reviewed annually and a “parking bay” is defined as 6 metres in length)
f) where there is a choice (and usually there is not), choose to suspend "pay and display only" bays rather than "permit holder only" or "shared use" bays
g) ensure that suspensions are correctly and clearly signed
h) monitor suspensions to ensure they are removed when no longer required

Generally, no more than ten car parking spaces will be approved per day for a suspension.

For a domestic removal a total of three car spaces only will be suspended (approximately 18 metres) and there is no charge for this type of suspension. If the applicant considers this to be insufficient space, additional space may be agreed and the normal suspension charges will apply.

Applications for suspensions should be made no later than five days in advance as the Council will give at least three days advance notice of the suspension for the benefit of residents in the area. However, this is not always possible as emergencies will require priority suspensions and the Council will be unable to give advance warning. Residents are advised to check that there are no suspensions in place on a daily basis if they are leaving their car in a permit or multi use bay.

All documents supplied to holders of permits issued by the Council will include advice to the holders of the need to check their vehicle every day and to ask a neighbour, friend or relative to do this for them if they go away for any length of time, leaving their car in a designated on-street parking bay (that might have to be suspended). All designated parking bays in the Borough might be suspended at some time.

Enforcement action will be taken against any unauthorised vehicle parked in a suspended bay, even if it is displaying a resident permit. Some residents believe that if a bay has been suspended for their use, to facilitate a house removal for example, they may park their own vehicle in the bay if it is not being used by the removal vehicle. This is not the case as a suspension is authorised for a specific purpose and may only be used by the vehicle engaged in that purpose.

Any vehicle parked in a suspended parking place will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and authorised for removal to the Council's car pound. Removal is appropriate because the parking bay is required for another use during the period it is suspended

It is also important to note that a suspension is actually in force at any time, even if the bay would normally be in force during a shorter period. Where times are specified on the suspension notice this will not be the case, but if there are no times shown, enforcement action may be taken at any time during a 24 hour period.

A vehicle displaying a disabled person's parking exemption, parked in a suspended parking place, will be ticketed (PCN) and relocated to the nearest safe parking place.

There are occasions when suspensions are introduced without warning (usually urgent repairs to underground services). Any vehicle that is illegally parked in the bay at the time the suspension comes into effect will be ticketed and removed to the car pound. Any legally parked vehicle will also be ticketed (this creates a unique reference number for the enforcement action) and whenever possible be relocated. The Penalty Charge Notice will be subsequently cancelled.

Where a suspension is required for such a considerable time that the Council must reconsider whether the parking place should be re-designated (as it becomes apparent that the carriageway in question is again required for the passing of vehicles), it becomes inappropriate to levy a daily charge to encourage the early return of the parking bay since this is actually outside the control of the contractor/utility company.

We are committed to giving residents and other drivers as much notice of the suspension as possible, ensuring that the signs indicating that a suspension is in place are clear and give full details of the duration, location and nature of the suspension, to regular checking of suspensions and prompt removal when they are no longer required.

There are three further key points to parking suspensions:-
a) It is not possible to suspend a parking place to permit parking, e.g. the Council can suspend a parking place so that a wedding car can wait for the bride (or groom), but will not suspend a parking place so that guests can come to the celebrations after the wedding.
b) The suspension process can be open to abuse, e.g. a builder may request the suspension of a parking place to assist with delivery of materials to the site, and then use the suspended area to park his own van. Suspensions therefore need to be properly monitored and the Council will issue PCNs in these circumstances.
c) It is not possible to suspend a waiting restriction (yellow line) or waiting and loading restriction (yellow line and kerb blips). If this is what is (in effect) required, then it may be appropriate to grant a "dispensation".

Construction vehicle related to
Telford Homes Development and Thames Water Works in
Brokesley Street on 26 January 2012 (1.49pm)

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RESULT! Brokesley Street open again

Following this morning's blog post and various reports to the "powers that be" (see Optimise continue to ignore regulations in Brokesley Street), cars are now able to park again in the "suspended parking bays" at the top of Brokesley Street.

That's because the bays were NOT suspended for the 25-26 January 2012.

Brokesley Street 2pm 26 January 2012

The reality is that Thames Water - via its agent Optimise - OBSTRUCTED the street for two days without the necessary authority. 

There was no emergency which necessitated this obstruction.  These are planned works for a new housing development project - managed by Telford Homes - and as such should have been completed within the time allotted ie within the time allowed by the permits.

However the parking bays were rendered inaccessible by the fencing in the road and the works by Thames Water and its agents which took far too long to be completed.  Difficulties were caused for residents trying to get in or out of the street and delivery vans got stuck while trying to make deliveries.  Deliveries were taking place because of course there should have been no obstruction in the street!

Proper permits for suspending parking should have been in place at all times if required - but neither the developers Telford Homes nor the utility company Thames Water, nor their agenct Optimise made sure this happened.

Proper notice should also have been given to householders - but this did not happen.

Despite overhearing a contractor this morning stating that the fencing would be moved at the end of today, by midday the fencing had been moved back to the pavement - but not before it had succeeded in blocking a very large van making a delivery to the street.

We will now wait to hear from the Council what actions they will be taking for the fact that the road was obstructed without permit and construction vehicles are still parked in the street - on double yellow lines - which are not suspended!

Construction vehicle NJ57 GDF - parked on yellow lines in Brokesley Street

This vehicle has been reported to Tower Hamlets Parking and Transport for London - as will all construction vehicles which are parked in the road.  The place for parking is the Approved Access Route to Site 10 - via the old St Clements Hospital site

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Optimise continue to ignore regulations in Brokesley Street

Thames Water's contractors Optimise (which combines contractors Clancey Docwra and J Murphy and Sons) are currently breaching:

• the suspension of parking in Brokesley Street which was limited to 23-24 January 2012
• the ban on construction traffic in Brokesley Street as per the planning conditions for the development on Site 10 (1 - 14 Brokesley Street).

It's worth repeating - that says "No Construction Traffic in Brokesley Street"

Roadworks are complete - so why is the fencing still there?

Where is the parking control notice
for 25-26 January 2012?

This follows on from the post on Monday when access to the street was blocked by contractors vehciles - see Clancey Docwra block Brokesley Street to emergency vehicles

The photographs in this post were taken just before 9am this morning.

The road should be clear of all fencing - because the holes in the road were completed yesterday.  There is now no reason for fencing to be protecting the area of road they have been working on.  

The other reason the fencing should not be there is because cars are now allowed to park on the other side of the street according to the suspended parking notice!

There are works to do to the pavement but:

• they do not require the fencing which remains and 
• if they do - then they need to apply for an extension of the parking suspension

The road should also be clear of all construction and contractors vehicles - as per the planning conditions - but it is not.  

• There is a lorry parked at the top of the street 
• an Elm Surfacing Van (Transit Connect - Vehicle Reg. HK57 FLC) - which is parked within the "suspended parking area".  Which means it's definitely breaching parking controls as it has neither a permit if the parking is not suspended and it's parked in an area of suspended parking (ie required for access in and out of the street) if the controls are still in force.

Our understanding is that the suspended parking bays are not suspended unless there is a clear notice and the area is marked on the pavement.

Elm Surfacing Van Reg. No HK47 FLC
reported to parking control and TfL

Brokesley Street has had a series of suspended parking bays - ostensibly for works - when nobody has turned up and nothing has happened.

We now have work occurring which ignores both the planning conditions and the parking controls.  This is completely unsatisfactory.

Luke, the Telford Homes Project Manager, knows all about this as he was present on site this morning when we arrived to take photographs.  He disappeared very rapidly from the scene as the camera appeared.  We wonder why.........

Reports of the very poor management of these utility/road works by Thames Water, Optimise and Telford Homes are being lodged by MERA with:

• Transport for London - the Reportit website for reporting unauthorised or badly managed road works.  
• FixMyStreet - which we have found works very well as it records on a website things which need fixing fast.

You can also send in your own reports.

UPDATE: Click on image to read report filed 10am on 26 January 2012

MERA will also be sending emails again to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Parking Control and Development Control)

This is the standard which Thames Water SHOULD be working to - over and above the requirements re planning conditions and parking controls.  

The Mayor of London's Roadworks Pledge

Roadworks should...

• Be tidy and safe with a clutter-free site so it is safe for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users
• Always explain what's happening through detailed, clear and consistent signage
• Always have activity on site or, if not, explain why (e.g. concrete is drying)
• Take up as little road/pavement space as possiblewith a compact working area and eliminating the unnecessary use of cones, safety barriers and storage of materials
• Help keep London moving by working outside peak hours, re-opening the road to traffic at peak times and, where this is not possible, working 24/7 or extended hours to complete works as quickly as possible. Diversion routes should be clearly signed

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Clancey Docwra block Brokesley Street to emergency vehicles

ClanceyDocra are ignoring requirements to maintain 24/7 access for emergency vehicles into Brokesley Street by repeatedly blocking it with their vehicles during works to Site 10.

JCB blocks access of emergency vehicles to
Brokesley Street 23 January 2012
(right click image to see a larger version)

One of the conditions of the planning permission for the Eric/Treby Street Regeneration project was that there should be NO CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES in Brokesley Street due to the difficulties this presents for access by residents and, more importantly, to the 24/7 access required by emergency vehicles

Parking has been suspended at the top end of Brokesley Street over a number of days recently due to the need for water works relating to the new development on Site 10

In other words these are utility works which are directly related to the construction of the houses on Site 10 - 1-14 Brokesley Street

The suspension of parking was to allow vehicles to pass up and down the road as part of the road was cordoned off to allow works to drains.

The suspension of parking does NOT permit the road to be blocked by construction or utility companies.

Two separate incidents were witnessed within a period of 30 minutes at lunchtime on 23 January 2012 by a MERA Committee Member.

Firstly a truck was parked in the road - completely blocking the road - while it removed material. The line of the driver was that he could move at any time.  He ignores how long it takes him to get out of a street where he has to reverse up the street and into a main road to allow access by a fire engine or an ambulance.  There is no reason why a very large truck was required to remove the material.  A much smaller vehicle could have been used as has occurred elsewhere on the other regeneration sites which are part of this development.

Clancey Docwra Block access to emergency services
and local residents of Brokesley Street

Next a JCB set up - and became immobile - while it helped dig a trench.  This effectively blocked the road to emergency vehicles or local residents needing to leave their homes by car.  Hence photographs were taken.

The trench did not need to be dug by a JCB.  Trenches are dug all the time all over London without the use of a JCB.

This vehicle is being reported to Tower Hamlets Street Services
for blocking Brokesley Street on 23 January 2012

This vehicle and this infringement of the planning permission will now be reported to Parking Services and Decelopment Control respectively.

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Broke Club: Notes from October Review Meeting

It appears that the reassurances that Broke Club gave to the magistrates about the change in the nature of the nightclub are looking more and more threadbare.

Here's a summary of points raised at the Liason Meeting held on 26th October 2010

1. Clientele - a decline in standards The nightclub assured the Licensing Magistrates that it would aiming to attract an upmarket clientele from Canary Wharf.  The reality is that it will now be holding regular "student's" nights with cheap drinks - starting tonight Thursday 28th October.  The dress code will not be enforced and residents fear that this will mean a a decline in standards for customers.  This perspective is further reinforced by the name of the events (ie "F**k me I'm Broke").  This is hardly going to attract the "better class of customer" that residents were promised at the Appeal Hearing.
2. Misleading marketing The website appears to be repeatedly at variance with what is stated to the Licencing Officers and residents.  This currently indicates that these will be weekly events and not limited to those who can produce an NUS card.
3. Anti-social drunks  Residents consider that the proposed low price of drinks is likely to attract an  undesirable element.  It also completely contradicts government policy on action on drink pricing to deter anti-social behaviour
4. Noise leakage A resident of Wentworth Mews had previously complained about noise break-out from the club. He had sent a message to say that he had not experienced noise from the club in the previous month but had experienced disturbance in the early hours from the cab office at the rear of the club.
5. Continuing parking problems The owner, Benn Wilson, gave an assurance at the September meeting that the signs directing customers to the designated car parks would be replaced (the original ones had been lost).  There is no evidence this has happened.  In the meantime, local residents continue to complain that the club's customers are still parking in Aberavon Road and making a noise while going to the club and returning in the small hours.  Residents also stated that there had been no evidence of the street marshals who were supposed to patrol local streets while the club was in operation.

Overall most of the assurances given to the Magistrates about parking, the nature of the customers and the control over anti-social behaviour and noise in neighbouring residential streets are now being breached on a regular basis.

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Inconsiderate deliveries and ineffective parking controls

Photo taken 11.00am on 22nd October 2010 in Brokesley Street. 
This delivery lorry is completely blocking Brokesley Street

Registration Number FJ56 VWV - parked next to the double yellow lines
next to the Hanover Place gates and on top of the Keep Clear Notice

Many residents in Brokesley Street - a very narrow cul de sac - are more than a bit fed up with the way parking controls are constantly ignored by those making deliveries and parking very badly in the street.  

Vans blocking the road make it impossible for residents to enter or exit the road by car - or for emergency vehicles to get in or out either.

Hearing a car making repeated use of the horn, our Brokesly Street representative took these photos this morning of a lorry which was completely blocking the road while making a delivery to a household in Hanover Place (the gated development).

A resident of Brokesley Street was trying to exit the street and drive his daughter to an important appointment.  He was completely unable to pass this unattended lorry for several minutes. 

These photos and a link to this blog post and the photographs on the Flickr site Brokesley Street - Controlled Parking Infringements - including a very clear photograph of the registration plate - will now be sent to Tower Hamlets Parking Control

FJ56 VWV - Caught on Camera!

WARNING!

All other deliveries which are seen to behave with similar lack of consideration for local residents will also be photographed and the photo sent to Parking Control.

This action will be repeated every time a truck blocks the street and we "hear about it".  There is space for trucks to park in the two red route parking bays on Mile End Road.  You can also get parking restrictions lifted by contacting Parking Control  

Advice to Residents

Please use your common sense and be considerate to neighbours.  Next time it might be you who is blocked from getting into or out of the street.

• DO make sure when you order goods that the company knows they will NOT be able to access Brokesley Street using a large vehicle or else will risk getting photographed and fined
• DO tell delivery companies about the red route parking bays on Mile End Road for deliveries via truck.  It's perfectly feasible for delivery men to wheel goods down the street.
• DO arrange with Parking Control for the restrictions to be lifted to allow a lorry to park in the street - if you have a major delivery or are moving house.  You will however need to give them notice.

These are links to:

• Parking bay dispensation application  Parking bay dispensation – a limited suspension service available to residents for special circumstances such as moving house.
• Parking bay suspension  Parking bay suspension

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Coniston House - an UPDATE

These are the recent blog posts on MILE END RESIDENTS' NEWS about the changes to the open space in the area surrounded by Coniston House - and an update about the outcome.

Open Space development at Coniston House (Open Space 2) as at 1st July 2010

These are the previous posts about the sudden enclosure and tarmacing of open space and removal of too little soil without proper precautions being observed in relation to the soil contamination:

• MERA comments on Site Remediation Application (and more news!) 30 Jun 2010
• A Petition from Coniston House residents 12 Jul 2010
• Investigation of loss of green open space at Coniston House. 19 Jul 2010
  
  

In response to the petition by Coniston House residents and the representations MERA made to the Council's Planning Enforcement Officers MERA received a letter from Owen Whalley Head of Planning and Building Control.  

In summary:

• Eastend Homes says the tarmac area is temporary and will be remediated and reinstated when construction works are complete
• Eastend Homes MUST submit an application for temporary planning permission in order for the Council to obtain local residents views and determine if the car parking arrangements are acceptable and
• issues re dust from the contaminated soil have been referred to Environmental Health

This is the relevant extract.  Right click the image to see a larger version.

Letter from Owen Whalley, Head of Planning and Development Control 28th July 2010

This page on the Council's website is where all the applications for planning permission re. the Eric and Treby Estate can be found.  This includes all applications for approval of details relating to satisfying planning conditions.

You can also check the latest status of all planning applications on our Redevelopment Page which tells you what is permited, what has been refused and what is "in progress" plus deadlines for all comments .

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Parking suspended in Brokesley Street 2nd - 10th August 2010

Suspended parking from here to the top of the Residents Parking Bay in Brokesley Street

About 60% of the residents' onstreet parking bay between 62 and 75 Brokesley Street is to be suspended between 2nd and 10th August according to three notices attached to lamp posts in the street.

THE PROBLEM

• Inadequate notice has been given for planned maintenance works
• the notices are all in English and assume an ability to read English
• This is the summer holidays and some of the cars in the street will belong to people who are away on holiday
• Cars will be removed to the Car Pound if they are not moved by the owners.  The cost to retrieve the car even if done promptly is astronomical and if left there for a few days could mean the fine exceeds the value of the car for some families.
• there is no information on the notice about what happens to cars which are towed.

Tower Hamlets completely FAILS to advise car owners of the cost of retrieval for the parking infringement and removal from the car pound and the cost for every extra day it is in the pound.

MERA is reporting this problem to:

• Tower Hamlets Planning Department.  We wrote back in February asking that any works due to happen in the street in connection with the new development should be the subject of adequate notice to all those who park in the street.  MERA requested an extended period of notice (of at least 14 days notice) during the period when most people take their summer holidays.  This gives people the best chance possible of avoiding fines.
• Tower Hamlets Parking Control - asking why residents' parking spaces are being suspended with no contact telephone number on the notice or information about how to retrieve cars which have been towed and how much this can cost.  We will also be asking for a copy of the order and why there is no explanation on the Tower Hamlets website of the fines which will be incurred by families whose cars are removed
• the Ward Councillors - we'd like to see a Members' Enquiry as to why families could be impoverished due to a failure of public agencies to think about the impact on family finances.  Failing to give adequate notice discriminates against the poorer members of the community.

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Manual for Streets & comments on planning conditions

Consultation deadline

The deadline for comments on the next set of applications for approvals of details relating to the redevelopment of the Eric & Treby Estate is 5th August 2010.

These are:

1. CONDITION 4 - Service and Delivery strategy: Required in advance of commencement of development.  This relates to access, circulation and servicing arrangements. MERA made significant comments on this at the time of the original application - particularly in relation to the legality of access by emergency vehicles and refuse collection vehicles at the base of Ennerdale House given the proposed plan for development. Approval of Details PA/10/01352 comment deadline 5th August 2010
2. CONDITION 18a - Energy Efficiency:  - Scheme detailing proposed energy efficiency measures required prior to commencement of development (with exception of site preparation works and the digging of foundations).   This relates to the WHOLE site.  This must include details of: energy improvements, renewable energy technology.  It must also demonstrate no net increase in carbon emissions and detail communal energy systems for Sites 2A and 15. Approval of Details PA/10/01395 - comment deadline 5th August 2010
3. CONDITION 28 - Visibility splays: To ensure adequate sightlines are preserved in the interests of pedestrian and highway safety.  Details to be provided and approved prior to the first occupation of any residential unit  - Approval of details  PA/10/01396 comment deadline 5th August 2010

The Department of Transport's Manual for Streets

Department of Transport's Manual for Streets - published 2007

Any resident interested in commenting on 1 and 3 above might well find the Department of Transport's Manual for Streets to be a very interesting and informative resource

You can download the Manual from the DoT website. You may find it easier to right click on the link and select Save Target As (IE) or Save Link As (FireFox). Please email webmasterdft@dft.gsi.gov.uk if you experience any problems downloading the PDF file.

• Manual for Streets: a summary (916 kb) The Manual for Streets was published in March 2007. This summary gives a brief overview of the Manual and is broken down chapter by chapter.
• Manual for Streets (5 Mb) Manual for Streets provides guidance for practitioners involved in the planning, design, provision and approval of new residential streets, and modifications to existing ones. Please note this is a large file which takes time to download.

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Construction Hoarding blocks view of Southern Grove, London E3

Below is the text of a recent report to FixMyStreet.  MERA will be forwarding a link to this blog post to the

• Tower Hamlets Planning Enforcement Officer for this Telford Homes construction site and 
• the Planning Officer dealing with the approval of the Construction Management Plan - which is STILL outstanding.

Hoarding blocks view of road
Reported in the Roads/highways category by Martin Peter Donkin at 21:21, Wednesday
Sent to Tower Hamlets Borough Council 4 minutes later

The hoarding erected on the corner of Hamlets Way and Southern Grove (north) blocks view of the road. When attempting to turn left from Hamlets Way onto Southern Grove I cannot see if there are any oncoming cars. Oncoming cars will be in the middle of the street due to the other parked cars. As a cyclist, I am a vulnerable road user and I feel that this junction is particularly unsafe. Either the car parking near the junction should be suspended or the hoarding needs to be relocated.

Screendump of location of complaint on Google Maps

Hoardings are FINALLY displaying licences

Further to our earlier posts about the Construction Site Hoardings and the lack of any display of a licence, we noted this week that the hoardings at Site 12 and 14 suddenly sprouted licences earlier this week.

This is what a Hoarding Licence looks like.  It should clearly state the name of the developer, the Street name and the length and width of the hoarding.

Hoarding which cover nearly all the pavement should also have lights and a safe passage for disabled people.

If you don't see a licence for a Hoarding clearly displayed AT ALL TIMES you can Report an obstruction to the road or pavement online.

See other comments about Hoarding in:

• MERA is now watching Site 12 in English Street 
• Highways #2: This parking bay is NOT suspended 
• BREACH of Condition 5 Construction Management Plan

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Investigation of loss of green open space at Coniston House.

Last week we reported that A Petition from Coniston House residents had been presented to the Council.  This related to Telfords Homes plc tarmaccing the green open space between the three blocks which comprise Coniston House.

CLEARLY THE AMENITY AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS DEVELOPMENT 

The Planning Enforcement Officer visited the site and agrees that the majority of open space has now been tarmacced.

No grass - only tarmac!

He was told the following:

• it's proposed as a temporary arrangement for resident parking
• the open space will be re-instated in accordance with the planning permission granted when this phase of the development is implemented.

In his letter to MERA, he's indicated that he's asked for further clarification of this matter - and MERA would like to know more too.

What MERA Thinks

• Coniston residents now suffer a LOSS OF AMENITY AND SIGNICANT GREEN SPACE for an indefinite period.
• Coniston House residents were NOT CONSULTED about this specific development
• Coniston House residents received NO COMMUNICATION in advance of the development
• The rationale for this development - temporary or otherwise - is NOT EXPLAINED in any of the documents submitted to LBTH Planning to date
• Consequently there is no reference to this development in the Decision Notice - ie it is NOT PERMITTED

What MERA Wants to Know

• Which residents parking spaces does this relate to? 
• Why do these need to be relocated and reprovided on green open space?
• Why do they need to be reprovided at all given that there has always been a plan to reduce the number of available parking spaces on the Estate?
• Why does the Schedule of Works - not as yet provided to LBTH Planning - not address this issue without the need to remove green open space?
• How long is this green space required to act as a car park
• Where is the open space amenity to replace the amenity lost by Coniston Residents? 

Importantly:

• Why is Open Space 2 not referenced in the Enforcement Letter under Breach of Condition 3 (Contamination)?  Soil was excavated without any of the safeguards in place.  
• Why is Open Space 2 not referenced under the Breach of Condition 5?  Trucks were photographed behaving in an unsafe way on EastendHomes land (ie NOT a public highways matter).

Highways #2: This parking bay is NOT suspended

Yet again, MERA needs to remind EastendHomes and Telford Homes plc that NONE of the roads on the Eric & Treby Estate are Estate Roads

Site 12 English Street: Illegal use of constructors' barriers to prevent parking 

in a Tower Hamlets Council residents only parking bay

The obstacles in the above photograph are illegal.  This is what it says on Tower Hamlets website about obstructions to roads and pavements

Obstructions to roads & pavements

It is illegal to obstruct the road. If somebody unlawfully assumes ownership of areas of a road, they are breaking the law. If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a road, they are also guilty of an offence.

In such cases the council, as the highway authority, has legal powers to enforce their removal.

Only Tower Hamlets Council can suspend one of its own parking bays.  Suspending parking bays cannot be accomplished by a third party putting large obstacles - such as constructors' barriers in the bay. 

A parking bay is also only suspended IF it is displaying a copy of the notice citing the relevant legislation and contact details.   The only way a parking bay can be suspended at short notice is if it's for an emergency (eg a gas leak) which requires, for example, utility vehicles to attend.  Short notice suspension does NOT apply to planned building works.

The Tower Hamlets website also says

Obstructed pavements

Any building materials that block the pavement cause an obstruction to pedestrians, and are potentially dangerous. If you encounter any of the following problems please report them using our online form:

• skips / scaffolding / advertising boards blocking the pavement
• no barriers around street works / roadworks
• banners or bunting causing an obstruction, or
• any other building materials blocking the pavement, or building work that is endangering pedestrians.

Hoarding has been erected without any display of the required licence and without any consultation with residents and tenants as to the impact on local people including those with disabilities.

All works on the Eric & Treby Street site should proceed according to a shedule which should provide adequate time to apply for the appropriate licence and communicate with residents as to what is planned - allowing sufficient time for residents to make comments and plans to be revised accordingly.

Construction Management Plan and Consultation with Local Residents

One of the reasons why the Construction Management Plan was REFUSED was because of the inadequate consideration given to the management of site traffic, the separation of pedestrian routes from the site works and the general health and safety of local residents.  MERA has been highlighting causes for concern to Planning every week.

Planning have confirmed to MERA that EastendHomes agents need to submit another Construction and Management Plan for approval BEFORE any works above ground can commence on ANY of the sites.

Such a plan will be subject to consultation with residents.

MERA will be encouraging residents to write in and comment on the handling of matters relating to site traffic, parking bays and pavements during the consultation period.  

It's also very likely that we will also submit a petition - so watch this space!

IF YOU SEE CONTRACTORS OBSTRUCTING ROADS OR PAVEMENTS 

PLEASE CONTACT MERA ON THE MERA HOTLINE No 

(talk or text) 07932 626340

Highways / Traffic Management - see also:

• Telford Homes's Traffic Access Plan for Mile End   
• Trucks reversing without a banksman
• Update on Eric & Treby Construction Traffic 
• WHY the Eric & Treby Construction Management Plan was refused
• Eric & Treby Site Traffic "out of control" 
• Highways #1: (Construction) Vehicles with no parking permit

Highways #1: Vehicles with no parking permit

Parking Infringement: Telford plc's vehicles 

parked in Residents Parking Bay at 8.30 this morning

Somebody at EastendHomes / Telford Homes plc needs to wake up to the fact that NONE of the roads on the Eric & Treby Estate at Mile End are "estate roads".   They are all roads which have been adopted by the Council. 

Registration No. EU56 GUJ

parked in Residents' permit holders only parking bay at 8.30am

This means that:

• all the normal highways and parking regulations apply.
• Telford Homes needs to comply with Tower Hamlets "rules" not EastendHomes "rules".
• the only vehicles which can be parked in "residents permit holder only" parking bays are ones which (1) belong to residents and (2) have a residents' parking permit or (3) are using a scratchcard of the type made available only to residents (ie for works organised by residents). 
• Non-residents without a residents' scratchcard and commercial vehicles cannot use residents parking bays.

There was no evidence this morning that

• this parking bay has been suspended (ALWAYS very clearly marked by Highways - there was no notice under the permit sign and no visible evidence on the pavement that the parking bay was suspended between fixed points).
• The Dumper Truck (Vehicle Registration No EU56 GUJ) had a parking permit.

We're going to

• send a link to this blog post to Tower Hamlets Parking Services. 
• have a word with Highways.