The Executive Decision meeting of Waltham Forest Council included a discussion on proposed amendments to the borough's Pay to Park scheme. A report was prepared for Councillor Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader (Climate and Air Quality), regarding making permanent an Experimental Traffic Management Order (ETMO) relating to the scheme. The report included summaries of consultation responses and an Equality Impact Assessment.

Pay to Park Amendments

The main item for discussion was a proposal to make permanent changes to the borough's Pay to Park (P2P) scheme, which had been trialled via an ETMO since 1 April 2025. The proposed changes included:

• Extending P2P hours to 8am - 6:30pm, Monday to Saturday across the borough.
• Removing the 15-minute free parking period.
• Removing the 1-hour free parking period between 1pm and 2pm.

According to the report pack, a public consultation on the changes ran from 7 October to 28 October 2024, and over 5,000 responses were received.

The report stated that surveys conducted before and during the ETMO trial period indicated that the changes had increased turnover of vehicles in P2P bays and reduced the number of vehicles parked for extended periods. For example, surveys in December 2024 showed that approximately 39% of vehicles parked for the entire one-hour free period, whereas recent surveys showed this figure as approximately 6%.

The report also noted a decrease in the number of vehicles paying to park per hour since the implementation of the ETMO, from 187 to 148 on average across the borough.

The report considered objections received during the six-month statutory consultation period for the ETMO. Key concerns raised included the impact on businesses, particularly in the Chingford and Station Road areas, and the additional costs for those making short stops.

In response to concerns about the impact on businesses, the report stated that:

Business trade is generated from people using a variety of travel options including, walking, cycling and public transport, and not just by car.

The report cited research suggesting that shoppers arriving by foot, bike, or public transport tend to spend more than those arriving by car.

The report also addressed concerns about additional costs, stating that the aim was to encourage drivers to use alternative or sustainable travel means where possible.

Equality Impact Assessment

An Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) was conducted to assess the potential impact of the proposed changes on groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010¹. The EqIA considered the potential impacts on age, sex, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, and marriage and civil partnership.

The EqIA concluded that while the changes may have an impact on some residents and visitors, particularly those with limited financial means, the scheme included several mitigations to minimise adverse effects. For example, Blue Badge holders would continue to be able to park for free, and households within a Controlled Parking Zone² (CPZ) where one or more residents are aged 60 and over would continue to be entitled to 90 hours of visitor permits for free.

The EqIA also highlighted potential positive benefits, such as improved parking availability, reduced congestion, and environmental benefits.

Recommendation

The Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Environment, in consultation with Councillor Clyde Loakes, was recommended to consider the objections received and the impact of the ETMO, and to make the changes permanent through a Permanent Traffic Management Order.