Visit to the area by Ealing Council brings developments

After we reported that local businesses were suffering because of Council parking enforcement and minicabs parked in stop-and-shop bays, matters have progressed on the Churchfield Bay-watch.

Councillors and officers from Ealing Council have visited the area, unsavoury activities amongst Acton's Parking Enforcement Officers have been witnessed and another meeting announced to discuss the situation.

The meeting is to be held next Tuesday February 3rd at 6.30pm at Acton Town Hall at which businesses and residents will be able to make their views known.

At the Acton Central Ward meeting last week there was much discussion about the matter, with a number of retailers exchanging frank views about the pros and cons of the existing parking situation.

This week, local councillors Vlod Barchuk, Seema Kumar and officers from Ealing Council have been looking into the situation.

Local retailers demonstrated the problems with parking and discussions took place as to how things could be improved.

A trusted source told us that a number of Parking wardens were actually seen in the minicab office having snacks, drinking tea and relaxing.

Factors which could improve matters for shoppers included making the stop-and-shop bays 30 or 45 minutes only instead of 1 hour and improving the signage on the loading bay, where many people have received parking tickets.

In a further development, Sonny Masson, who owns and runs Paint said he thought the Ealing Council CCTV Enforcement vehicle might have parked on Churchfield Road for the last time.

He told us: "On one day this week that van was parked so badly - it was taking up two spaces and preventing shoppers from using the stop-and-shop bays.

"I went outside to talk to the driver and to try to get him to at least move into one bay to improve things. He refused to speak to me.

"I became so frustrated that I banged on the side of his van. He then said he was going to call the Police. I said that he was more than welcome to do that.

"Five minutes later he drove off and I'm pleased to say I haven't seen him since."

Sonny was anxious to emphasize that Cllr Seema Kumar is the one who should take credit for getting rid of the space-hogging van: "I may have got the van to drive off that one time, but Cllr Kumar has been fantastic and I know that the fact the van has been staying away is entirely down to her and nothing to do with my one encounter with the van driver."

We will be bay-watching with interest to see what happens next.

January 30, 2009