It has come as a great surprise to residents of the North Finchley N12 area to discover that Barnet council is going to implement an emergency experimental parking scheme in this area, starting from 9th September 2018

Under this scheme residential parking will be subject to restrictions from 9:00 to 21:30 every day of the week - and, yes, this does mean Sundays as well.

These are possibly the among the most punishing restrictions anywhere in the UK.

This will obviously affect every property and will give big problems to a huge number of residents.

This emergency measure is apparently due to the sudden and surprise opening of a religious centre on the High Road. It appears that someone, somewhere, has made a big mistake.

Until now I was unaware that the conversion of the Solar House building has resulted in the construction of a 500 seat auditorium which can be in use at any time and on any day.

It is surprising that planning permission for the conversion did not require the provision of parking sufficient for a very large number of people.

AS this now seems to be a fait accompli, it is up to Barnet Council to put in place arrangements that will mitigate the problems that this situation has caused.

There are two steps that Barnet Council will now have to implement.

First, the council must provide free annual parking tickets valid on Sundays only to each property in the affected area which can be given temporarily to family members, friends, and visitors.

In addition, the council will have to implement small Controlled Parking Zones where parking permission is only available to residents of that smaller area.

This will have borough-wide ramifications.

THe parking situation is one of the main problems which many residents already face on a daily basis.

To have this extra problem inflicted on the residents seems almost vindictive.

I ask Barnet Council to set up a public meeting in a suitable venue so that residents can comment on this change and discuss it with Council representatives. This meeting has to be publicised by a distribution of flyers to each affected property so that nobody is unaware that it is taking place.