Acton Residents Want Their K and Park It

Cllr Vlod Barczuk sets the record straight

Residents noticed a mysterious change to their controlled parking zone signs in Acton Central this week. Resident Sara Nathan was first to question the change on a Forum thread: "I can see the chaps now, up their pole replacing the signs that said "Zone K Mon - Fri 0900 - 1700" to ones that say "Zone K1 0900 - 1000am, 3 - 4pm Mon - Fri". I was about to cheer but...... what is K1 and how does it differ from K and is there a K2 and can I park in it?

No one had received any notification from Ealing Council and phone calls to the Council Highways Department and Parking Office were fruitless.

Cllr Vlod Barczuk, however, was quick to solve this mystery. He told us: "All streets in Zone K are as before, except Cumberland Rd, Maldon Rd, Cumberland Park and Goldsmith Avenue which will now operate control hours of 9-10am and 3-4pm only (this will also apply to the Tiltwood, Crane Avenue, Baldwyn Gardens and the northern end of Goldsmith Avenue which were previously not in the CPZ). K and K1 permits will be valid in both zones, so it will be like having one zone with two different types of control hours.

We asked him why the different hours for Zone K and Zone K1. He said: "Residents in the north of the CPZ were divided about hours of control (between the existing and shorter ones), so the shorter ones were introduced. They'll be long enough to stop all day commuters and people parking cars for days/weeks on end."

Cllr Barczuk continued: No one with an existing CPZ K permit will have to apply for a new one as theirs will still be valid in those streets that are now in K1. Of course K1 permit holders will only have to pay £25 a year for their permits as the CPZ operates less than 3 hours a day.

So it looks as though residents have no need to worry - unless they try to park on or anywhere near K2 (not recommended without at least 6 sherpahs).

April 14, 2008