Residents will be exempt from West Hill ward traffic restrictions

Residents living in this part of the borough, along with others like teachers at local schools and those working at businesses in the immediate area, can now apply for an exemption to the restrictions which prohibit vehicles turning left from Wimbledon Parkside into Withycombe Road and Inner Park Road during the early morning rush hour.

The scheme, which has been in place since March 2019, has led to a drastic reduction in commuter traffic accessing residential areas in West Hill ward – which includes four primary schools, one secondary and three special needs schools. Traffic levels have fallen by as much as 40 per cent as a result of the initiative, which was strongly backed by local residents in public consultations prior to their implementation.

(Click on image to see larger map)

Now in a bid to make the scheme more friendly and convenient for local residents, businesses and people with genuine reasons to access this area, a series of exemptions will now apply – a change backed by more than 90 per cent of those who took part in the recent public consultation.

Using the technological advances offered by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, people can now qualify for exemptions from the scheme. These include:

• Local residents living within West Hill ward.
• School teachers employed by schools in the ward.
• Children with special needs attending school in the ward.
• Staff for rateable businesses within the ward.

Residents living in the West Hill ward who currently have a Q1, Q2, S1 and S4 zone parking permit or a housing estate parking permit within West Hill ward do not need to apply. Their vehicle registrations will be directly added to the database list of exemptions. Not all streets within the S1 zone are within West Hill ward - and vehicles registered at these addresses are not eligible for an exemption

Letters outlining the changes and detailing how to apply for an exemption will be delivered next week to all West Hill ward residents and eligible businesses.

The exemptions will not apply to visitors, traders, delivery vehicles or parents dropping their children off at school.

The council’s transport spokesman Cllr John Locker (pictured right) said: “This scheme has delivered really positive results for local people and ensured their streets are cleaner quieter and safer than before these changes were introduced.

“But we believe it can be improved further and having carried out further public consultation, we are making it simpler and easier for those who live or work in the neighbourhood to access these streets in the morning rush hour.

“Residents living in West Hill ward who already have a parking permit will now be automatically added to the database of exempt vehicles so they don’t need to do anything.

“And I would advise others entitled to an exemption to make sure they register their vehicles on the council’s website as soon as they can so that we can ensure they are not penalised for accessing these roads.

“I’m very pleased that with the support and consent of local people, we have devised a sensible and refined scheme that helps our residents and local businesses but will still prove effective at diverting commuter traffic away from the area.”

The measures prohibit non-exempt drivers from turning left into Withycombe Road and the northern stretch of Inner Park Road between 7am and 10am on weekdays. A similar left turn ban operates between 7am and 9am on the southern arm of Inner Park Road. Vehicles that ignore these restrictions and are not exempt will be subject to a penalty charge notice