Revealed: Freedom of Information shows no big increase in Greenwich traffic wardens anytime soon
In recent weeks parking problems across Greenwich borough have come to a head with over 130 bus drivers signing a petition and threatening to cease stopping at certain bus stops.
A new Freedom of Information request sent to me by a reader shows just how few staff Greenwich Council currently have, how numbers have not improved at all over the past year and even if/when they hire more the issue is unlikely to go away.
Firstly, Greenwich Council currently have 17.5 full time staff (click to enlarge)
This is unchanged on one year ago despite a number of new Controlled Parking Zones being introduced. Here’s how that compares to figures from 2010, showing Greenwich now have less now than they did then – and for some years since:
Since 2010 there’s been a vast increase in new housing developments, schools, shops, controlled parking zones and people in the borough. Greenwich has been in the top five authorities in the UK for new homes out of 350. In recent weeks two new schools alone opened.
The Department is also dealing with a £10 million hole in its budget as income has fallen below expectations every year since at least 2012.
Greenwich recently boasted of car free areas around schools. A good scheme, but in Abbey Wood drivers simply parked on paving and grass instead beyond the boundary. No enforcement occurred.
Council meeting
At the last full council meetings the parking issue was brought up by residents.
Cllr Jackie Smith (at around 26:50 on this video) claimed there were two rounds of recruitment where the authority could not find anybody to recruit. The Freedom of Information request contradicts that, stating four staff have been hired yet they will result in no net increase:
It’s now believed four additional short term staff are being hired, though this is only bringing numbers to 21 if it happens – and they are temporary.
Given how long they have taken to train staff previously (the last ones hired in April are still not qualified) there is little chance of imminent change particularly if others retire or leave in coming months.
If we assume all four new staff are trained quickly and no one leaves, 21 staff will be employed though that is still running fast to stand still, and the threat of bus drivers taking action will remain.
And in the meantime (and almost certainly after) the most vulnerable – the disabled, elderly and children – will still be at risk of pavement and antisocial parking.
Another issue that arose from this Freedom of Information request is that Greenwich Council have just renewed a deal with a private parking agency named Wing Security at Housing Department managed land. Greenwich Council receive no income from this deal. Wing keep it all. Baffling at a time of cuts.
A four year contract was signed in 2014. Greenwich Council then choose to extend it in June 2018 until 14/06/2022. This is despite minimal to non-existent parking enforcement at almost every Greenwich borough housing estate.
Abbey Wood is a prime example. Every time I’m there I see over a dozen cars parked on pavements and greenery (and that’s covering barely a tenth of the estate). Its constant, has been for many years and little ever changes. It’s dire for vulnerable pedestrians.
And despite what was stated to me on Twitter this week by Greenwich’s Deputy Leader, enforcement is not happening on streets where pavement parking is specifically banned according to Greenwich Council themselves. Here’s one example of letters they’ve sent to residents (others sent on other streets) yet enforcement is almost non-existent.
To show how behind the times Greenwich Council are, they mention council tenancy agreements. Yet most people in Abbey Wood estate are now private renters or homeowners. It’s odd why the Housing Department even still manage the roads in the area – particularity when outsourcing enforcement to private companies with such poor contracts.
Given income from fines is ringfenced to transport and public real, they’ve thrown away much potential income to improve estates, streets and public spaces.
Thanks to readers who send me information. If anyone else has any, send it over at fromthemurkydepths@gmail.com
Hahahahaha! What a bloody joke! We as resident taxpayers (vs. Commercial Ratepayers) have watched, like sheep, as our taxes have risen, and our services chopped! How can those in charge vote to do either of these, with a clear conscience, knowing millions of pounds in fines go unrealised because of their refusal to hire Traffic Wardens!
It’s SHOCKING and IMMORAL!
I don’t get it. How much would a warden cost per hour? £12? £15 per hour? If they write one single ticket in that hour for £60, surely that covers the headcount plus other admin costs, with the extra funds available to spend on transport/road improvements?
Greenwich parking is a joke on the flowers estate lollypop men are regularly recieving abuse from motorists collecting children from Alex Mc Leod school and Abbey Wood nursery and residents day after day are blocked in trying to get out to go to work and the safety of the elderly the disabled and our children are at risk because the council have no valid enforcement .The solution is to create a proper enforcement unit in house that through fines will pay for itself
Civil enforcement does not mean all or any are working on parking control.
I have been complaining to Greenwich Council for 14 years now. Cars parked on the pavement and wheelybins block the pavement completely in Congleton Grove SE18 7HL. I just get excuses nothing has been done to resolve the issue in 14 years, I have contacted Matthew Pennycook, numerous councillors and nothing. If you are a wheelchair user or a mother with a pushchair you have to walk in the road . It is all wrong
Erebus drive is the same people parking on double yellow lines parking across garages and nothing gets done
Even near the council HQ this goes on. Parking all over bus lane and pavements near Spray Street.
When will Greenwich council wake from its torpor? Is there a way of getting the council censored in Parliament because I think it might be the only way put a rocket up its backside.