By News Reporters

Map showing controlled parking zone F3 in Fitzrovia.
Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) F3 will have double yellow lines painted on the corners of all streets.

Tomorrow (Monday 9 January 2012) new parking restrictions will come into force in the southern part of Fitzrovia under the control of Westminster City Council (WCC). Double yellow lines will replace singles on street corners in the controlled parking zone F3.

All streets in Fitzrovia south of New Cavendish Street will have double yellow lines on all corners to keep the drop kerbs clear and to aid visibility of traffic at junctions. This will reinforce the Highway Code rule 243 about not parking within 10 metres of a junction.

This will be the only change coming into effect from Monday. WCC say they will allow a period of two weeks before they will start to strictly enforce the no parking or waiting at any time.

View of narrow street with single yellow lines.
Little Titchfield Street at junction with Great Titchfield Street. Double yellow lines will now be painted on the street corners to prevent motorists blocking the road and pavement. Some business disagree with the plans and want drivers to be able to park on corners.

Plans to bring in further parking controls have been put on hold until after the Olympics due to a High Court action being brought by a group of businesses.

Residents, however, have asked for more controls to be brought in. Most residents in Fitzrovia do not own a car. But both car owners and non-car owners want to see stricter enforcement of parking and protection of residents parking bays.

Residents living north of New Cavendish Street are now concerned about drivers circulating the streets looking to park in the northern part of the neighbourhood. The Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association (FNA), which runs an older people’s project in the northern part of Fitzrovia under the control of WCC, is very concerned that more motorists will be driving around looking for parking places and blocking street corners.

A spokesperson for the FNA said: “This will be very bad news for the many elderly people who live here who find it difficult to cross the road. There is a need to deploy double yellow lines in this area, too, to ensure public safety and to cut congestion. In the meantime police should enforce safety on street corners around the Carburton Street and Great Titchfield Street junction.”

Map of controlled parking zones in Fitzrovia controlled by Camden Council.
Controlled parking zones in Fitzrovia controlled by Camden Council. Residents bays in Zone CA-C in the south are controlled 24-hours-a-day, everyday.

Residents who do have cars want extended controlled parking hours to safeguard residents parking bays. Parking control should be 24-hours-a-day not just from 8.30am to 8.30pm, they say. Residents pay for their parking permits and do not think others should park for free. Residents would also like be able to purchase visitors parking tickets to use in residents’ bays as their counterparts in Camden can do.

On the Camden side of Fitzrovia there is concern about an increase in motor traffic and drivers looking to park as a result of Westminster’s restrictions.

Parking on the Camden side is only controlled from 8.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday (CPZ CA-E and CA-C). In the south of the area (CPZ CA-C) residents bays are protected 24 hours a day and every day.

Residents want Camden Council to take immediate action to stop the nuisance of motorists circulating looking to park, and want residents’ parking bays to be enforced 24-hours-a-day and seven days a week throughout Fitzrovia, and double yellow lines painted on street corners.

More information on parking. Parking in Westminster; Parking in Camden. There are also car clubs available in Westminster and Camden within Fitzrovia.