As part of Romford Conservatives' Revive Romford campaign, local candidate David Taylor has been looking at how parking impacts congestion.
On 15th November, David Taylor wrote to the operators of Romford's Brewery Shopping Centre. David raised issues around the entrance to the parking, which local residents had linked to increasing congestion around Romford's ring road.
David Said, "Each weekend our roads are clogged and roundabouts blocked, by shoppers descending on The Brewery. The idling engines pollute our air and the emergency services have to battle through.
Why? Because everyone queues for the Surface Level parking. 600 spaces free and the queue is for the 7.
I'll be writing to management at The Brewery, Romford and asking if they can help marshall this traffic. Priority must be given, for surface level, to the disabled, elderly and parents with kids.
As we approach Christmas, this will only get worse."
Savills, the centre's operator, have since replied and implemented temporary new measures in partnership with Havering Council.
A Parking Attendant will be employed, they will encourage people to use the upstairs parking
Temporary signage will be erected on the highway
Green travel will be encouraged through socials
The cheaper, multi-storey, parking will be promoted
There are some other commitments, to look at how the entrance can be improved.
"These are temporary, Christmas season, measures. But I'm pleased to see them and hopefully they make a difference and encourage a change in behaviour. David said.
I took this action as traffic, caused by people queuing for the surface level parking when the upstairs was empty, was blocking the roundabout and spilling around the ringroad. This creates issues for busses and emergency vehicles and the idling engines pollute our air."
Havering's Air Matters!
