Let’s Make West Hampstead a Better Place!
SAVE SCRATCHCARDS FOR VISITOR PARKING IN CAMDEN!
5 February 2024
WHAT has joined with other local organisations in Camden that share our demand to retain scratch card vouchers for visitor parking.
Camden-based community groups are very welcome to join us. If your organisation would like to give your support to our statement and campaign please contact Sue Richards (sue.oller68@gmail.com) or Pauline Swindells (paulineswindells27@gmail.com) to confirm this or ask for more details.
We have issued the following statement today:
Joint Statement by WHAT and Local Groups in Camden
1. We are a group of Camden based associations representing many residents. We strongly urge Camden Council to retain scratch card vouchers for visitor parking across the borough – alongside the digital permit system. We believe this is essential if Camden’s policies are to support all sections of its community.
2. The removal of scratch cards would have an adverse, discriminatory impact on older, vulnerable and less affluent residents, resulting in increased levels of loneliness, anxiety and stress – to the considerable detriment of well-being and independence.
3. As widely documented, reliance on electronic media is a major cause of digital exclusion due to its unequal impact. Feedback from countless members without access to or ability to use digital devices or negotiate complex phone parking options on the spot confirms how strongly this impact and resulting anxiety would be felt if scratch cards were removed.
For example, here is some feedback from residents:
‘I cannot emphasise too much how this proposal would impact our life – it is nothing more than discrimination against the older generation and against our human rights’.
‘I am now over 80 and would not be prepared to use a much more complicated method which involves a telephone call and needless anxiety on my part’.
‘Everything seems to be done on-line these days and I cannot cope with it. At times over the last year my mobility has been impaired and I have had to rely heavily on a couple of relatives who live where buses are very infrequent so need to drive here to help me out. If it hadn’t been for a few scratch cards left I don’t know what we would have done’.
4. Scratch cards for visitor parking should be retained alongside the digital system. This need is recognised by many other London councils which retain the dual system. The vast majority of Camden residents will always need visitor parking permits – even for half hour visits. Paper based systems are best placed to deal with the many challenging situations of urban life that demand practical and flexible approaches.
Background
The Council is planning changes to the parking permit system, which includes higher charges for more-polluting vehicles. WHAT does not object to these in principle, but one part of the scheme is the scrapping of paper visitor permits. These are permits allow visitors to park their car or van near the homes of residents valid for an hour or two or for a day.
WHAT has campaigned for to save scratchcards for visitor parking. The council wants all residents to login to the council’s website and apply for a permit online, using the vehicle registration number of the visiting person or company.
WHAT says that the removal of scratchcards would have an adverse, discriminatory impact on older, vulnerable and less affluent residents, resulting in increased levels of loneliness, anxiety and stress – to the considerable detriment of well-being.
The sole use of electronic media has an unequal impact and is an example of digital exclusion. Feedback from WHAT members confirms how strongly this impact and resulting anxiety would be felt if scratchcards are removed.
We believe that the paper based (scratchcard) system is best placed to deal with the many challenging situations of urban life that demand practical and flexible approaches. This need is recognised by many other London councils such as Hackney, Wandsworth, Islington, Southwark, Redbridge, Waltham Forest.
Parking restrictions vary considerably in length across Camden with many areas restricted for 10 hours every weekday – or more. This means that in varying degree most residents will always need visitor parking permits – even for a brief half hour visit. The provision of paper permits is an essential and practical way of satisfying this demand.
We are also concerned that the threshold above which discretionary rates for visitor vouchers apply will remain at 75+ – higher than that applied by other London Councils.
The two tier charging system for visitor permits – penalising more polluting vehicles – serves no practical purpose since residents will generally have no control over what type of car of van is used by their visitors. High-polluting vehicles are already penalised by the Low Emission Zone charge of £12.50, which represents a very strong incentive for all drivers.
Our firm conclusion is that scratch cards for visitor parking should be retained alongside the digital system for arranging visitor parking sessions. You can find our detailed response to the Council’s consultation here.
WORLD CAR FREE DAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2023
WEST END LANE CLOSED TO CELEBRATE WHAT‘S 50TH ANNIVERSARY!
West Hampstead Amenity & Transport (WHAT) is West Hampstead’s oldest amenity group, and celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2023. WHAT started in 1973 as a protest against traffic schemes that would have turned some of our local streets into major through roads. Since then, we’ve campaigned on dozens of different issues. We’ve tried to reduce the use of disposable coffee cups locally. We work with other local groups on development issues like the O2. Our big current fight is for a lift at West Hampstead tube station.
To celebrate, we were granted a closure of part of West End Lane on Sunday 24th September 2023. It was a runaway success and we hope to do it again in 2024. The normally very busy West End Lane was closed to all traffic except buses (and emergency vehicles) from 7am to 6pm.
West Hampstead residents and visitors enjoyed a stroll up their favourite street in peace. The response from the public was overwhelmingly positive. Many commented on the wonderful atmosphere and feeling of the place – how the air smelt cleaner. Cyclists old and young rode up in safety It really felt like the community coming together. Some comments from the public:
‘Amazing can feel the atmosphere’
‘This really is fantastic’
‘Do it every week’
‘It was such a joy to be able to sit outside and eat, and such a lovely atmosphere.
Take a look at our video
Music by Alan Johnson and friends. Guided walks led by Mary Tucker of walks.com
A big thank you to our sponsors of Car Free Day
– Dutch & Dutch Estate Agents – principal sponsors https://www.dutchanddutch.com/
– Tannin and Oak wine shop and bar on West End Lane http://www.tanninandoak.com/
– Hunters Estate Agents https://www.hunters.com/about-us/offices/west-hampstead
Thanks are also due to London Borough of Camden, which put the road closure in place and which has enthusiastically supported our event.
Read WHAT’s Anniversary Newsletter
Read about how WHAT started in 1973 and about our campaigns past and present. Open or download the Newsletter here (39Mbytes)
CAMPAIGN FOR STEP FREE ACCESS AT WEST HAMPSTEAD TUBE STATION
WHAT has been campaigning for years for a lift or step free access to our tube. It’s needed not just for people wioth disabilities or who have difficulty with steps, but for people with buggies or heavy luggage. The new Thameslink and Overground stations have lifts – so why not the Tube station? After all, thousands of people change trains between stations every day, and the tube is the busiest.
Other local groups such as the West Hampstead Neighbourhood Development Forum (NDF), joined the campaign. In 2019, we persuaded Transport for London (TfL) to do an outline feasibility study for step free access, which recommended a rebuild of the station. We met TfL’s engineers to discuss the ideas – but no money was forthcoming. Other stations were strangely higher in the pecking order and TfL said we had enough lifts already at the other two stations!
However, in 2023, we have had better news from TfL – we are now on a shortlist of stations for step free access. And the Landsec O2 development project promised funding – but without giving a date. So nothing is certain yet. Even if the final go-ahead is given, we are still 3-4 years away from completion, so we must keep campaigning
WHAT HAS WHAT DONE IN 2022 AND 2023?
Raising Issues about West Hampstead’s environment
- We’ve done a lot of work with Camden’s local ‘enforcement officer’ for West Hampstead to improve rubbish and recycling practice, including:
- Helping to identify fly tips, rubbish ‘hotspots’ and other issues raised by our members
- Advising on measures to deal with bins left on pavements
- Advice on recycling.
WHAT’s leaflet giving advice on recycling and rubbish – designed for landlords to use with tenants – has prompted a major initiative (led by the enforcement officer) with local HMOs, otherwise known as houses in multiple occupation
Special bins will soon be introduced for flats above shops in West End Lane – with Mill Lane to follow. These will be located at agreed spots along the two main roads
West Hampstead ward was the most enforced of Camden’s wards in 2022 for various environmental offences including business waste compliance and fly tips.
- One of our major campaigns has been for substantial reductions in single use plastics – for example with our Coffee Cup Challenge which promoted the uptake of re-usable coffee cups across West Hampstead’s coffee shops.
- WHAT’s AGM in March was followed by a public meeting – WHAT about Water? – with speakers from Thames Water and the South Hampstead Flood Action Group.
Raising Issues about local developments, transport and traffic
Recent WHAT activities include:
- Collaboration with a confederation of local groups affected by the 02 development plans – see over page
- Maintaining pressure for a lift at West Hampstead Underground station – particularly relevant given our location as a major transport interchange hub – with lifts already in place at Thameslink and Overground stations.
- Working with Camden to alter the lights and pedestrian crossings at the interchange by the stations.
- Raising a variety of local transport and traffic issues – for example with:
- Thameslink re clarity of overhead train times monitor at the Black Path entrance
- Transport for London – re changes to bus routes – both temporary and permanent
- Putting pressure on TFL and Camden to try and move the airport coach stop on Finchley Road to in front of Waitrose, or up by the O2 Centre.
WHAT’s Position on the O2 Development Scheme
- WHAT spoke against Landsec’s application for the O2 Masterplan scheme at Camden’s Planning Committee meeting on 30th March 2023. The meeting approved the scheme, which is awaiting approval by the Greater London Authority.
- Our position is very similar to that of the West Hampstead Neighbourhood Forum (NDF). We agree that the site should be used for housing and that there is a desperate need for affordable housing. We agree that car parking is a poor use for a large part of the site.
- We opposed the scheme because it is too high and too dense. The proposed 14-15 storey development of tightly packed tower blocks is alien to the surrounding area will ‘stick out like a sore thumb’ when viewed from any angle.
- There is not a enough social and affordable housing in the scheme and we think that the developer can afford to provide more. Much of it is back-loaded in the last phase of the project in 10-15 years’ time.
- The lengthy phasing of the scheme means that key community benefits are deferred until later phases. Phase 2 is to be built on the site of the VW/Audi garages and not owned by the applicant – and yet it is here that the medical facility and a larger garden area is to be provided.
- The developer’s ‘planning obligations’ provide for £10m towards step free access at West Hampstead tube station – but with no commitment to a date for the payment. We feel that a separate proposal from Builder Depot to develop their side may allow the tube station to be upgraded sooner. We will continue to campaign vigorously for a lift.
WHAT’s first in-person meeting in over two years was on Wednesday 16th February 2022 at 7.30pm. It was our Annual General Meeting, and was followed by a public meeting at 8pm on the Landsec O2 redevelopment scheme.
Landsec plc, the owner of the O2 car park and O2 Centre, wishes to redevelop the site to provide as many as 1,800 new flats. Many of you will have already attended meetings and webinars at which Landsec has explained its scheme, and its planning application has been submitted to Camden Council. The aim of this meeting was to gain an understanding of the scheme from Camden’s point of view, and of the constraints to which the Council will be subject in its decision making. We wanted to understand the impact of the O2 development on West Hampstead and on the West Hampstead community, and what is being done and/or should be done to mitigate this impact.
Daniel Pope’s presentation is here
Our meeting took place on the very day that Landsec’s planning application for the O2 Development was published on Camden’s website. The very lengthy planning documents can be found here, along with comments from members of the public. The documents are numerous and large (in terms both of number of pages and download size in megabytes) You’ll do best to first download and store them on your computer and then open them from the computer, as there is a lot of reading to do. All planning applications are like this!
The most relevant documents are: Planning Statement; Design and Access Statement (DAS) Parts 1 and 2; Transport Assessment; Design Codes; Affordable Housing Statement.
West Hampstead Amenity & Transport - WHAT 