Westfield parking changes
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
18/11/2008
Urgent action to minimise parking congestion in Shepherds Bush is being fast-tracked by the council.
Following residents’ calls for tougher parking restrictions around Westfield, Hammersmith & Fulham Council has written to people in the worst affected streets - known as zone G and zone CC - to inform them that the council is using emergency powers to protect bays for residents and business permit holders.
The changes will see the current Saturday controls brought in on Sundays and bank holidays, except Christmas Day and Easter Monday, in the two zones. Historically, there have been no parking controls on a Sunday in either zone and by bringing in restrictions spaces will be better protected between 9:00am-8:00pm.
In Zone G changes were brought in on Sunday 30 November which mean that between 2:00-4:00pm and 6:30-8:00pm only business and resident permit holders and residents' visitors are able to park. During these hours, visitors to local homes must now buy a pay & display ticket and display a residents’ visitors permit, as they have historically done on a Saturday. From Sunday 7 December controls will be in place in Zone CC from 9:00am-8:00pm with a two hour maximum stay for visitors using pay and display facilities.
Councillor Nicholas Botterill, H&F Council Deputy Leader, said: "We have made the decision to fast track these simple changes in the worst affected streets so they are not clogged up with Westfield's shoppers and staff on Sundays.”
In another move that should help reduce congestion in Shepherds Bush the council has persuaded Southern trains to make more stops at the new Shepherds Bush Overgound station. There will now be nine more southbound trains and two more northbound trains stopping at the station on weekdays. At the weekend every southbound train will stop at the station as will one northbound train.
The council is also liaising with TfL's traffic control unit and Westfield, particularly at weekends, to monitor traffic in the area.
As congestion builds TfL use their variable message signs on the A40 to advise drivers to avoid the area when Westfield’s car park is getting full or slip road queues are getting too long.
The council has also banned non-emergency road works in virtually the whole of the north of the borough until February.
Cllr Botterill added: “It is still early days for Westfield and it is too early to predict whether the traffic congestion in the first few weekends will become a regular trend. Traffic congestion tends to find its own level and if shoppers get too frustrated with the time they are spending in traffic we hope they will use one of the three train stations - including two new ones - that serve the shopping centre.
“In the meantime, we will continue to work hard and lobby TfL for the most appropriate solutions.”
