Waltham Forest Council is facing concerns from businesses in Chingford over proposed changes to the borough's Pay to Park (P2P) scheme.
The changes, which include extending P2P hours to 8am - 6:30pm, Monday to Saturday across the borough, removing the 15-minute free parking period, and removing the 1-hour free parking period between 1pm and 2pm, were discussed at an Executive Decision meeting on Monday, 1 December 2025.
The proposals, which have been trialled via an Experimental Traffic Management Order (ETMO) since 1 April 2025, aim to encourage more active and sustainable travel, reducing congestion and harmful emissions. A public consultation on the changes ran from 7 October to 28 October 2024, receiving over 5,000 responses.
While the report doesn't provide a precise definition of 'extended periods' of parking, the goal is to reduce congestion by discouraging vehicles staying in bays for long durations, utilising entire free periods, and returning multiple times per day to take advantage of the free periods and shorter restriction times.
According to a report prepared for Councillor Clyde Loakes, Deputy Leader (Climate and Air Quality), surveys conducted before and during the ETMO trial period indicated that the changes had increased turnover of vehicles in P2P bays and reduced the number of vehicles parked for extended periods. For example, surveys in December 2024 showed that approximately 39% of vehicles parked for the entire one-hour free period, whereas recent surveys showed this figure as approximately 6%.
The report also noted a decrease in the number of vehicles paying to park per hour since the implementation of the ETMO, from 187 to 148 on average across the borough.
However, the report also considered objections received during the six-month statutory consultation period for the ETMO. Key concerns raised included the impact on businesses, particularly in the Chingford and Station Road areas, and the additional costs for those making short stops. According to the Objection Report, 39 responses specifically mentioned the Chingford and Station Road areas, with concerns raised about the ability to briefly stop and utilise shops such as cafes, dry cleaners, or pharmacies.
In response to concerns about the impact on businesses, the report stated that:
Business trade is generated from people using a variety of travel options including, walking, cycling and public transport, and not just by car.
The report cited research, including TfL research titled Walking and cycling: the economic benefits
(https://content.tfl.gov.uk/walking-cycling-economic-benefits-summary-pack.pdf) and a Living Streets 'Pedestrian Pound Report' (https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/policy-reports-and-research/pedestrian-pound/), to support the claim that shoppers arriving by foot, bike, public transport, or other active and sustainable transport modes spend more than those arriving by car. The report also addressed concerns about additional costs, stating that the aim was to encourage drivers to use alternative or sustainable travel means where possible.
An Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) was conducted to assess the potential impact of the proposed changes on groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. The EqIA concluded that while the changes may have an impact on some residents and visitors, particularly those with limited financial means, the scheme included several mitigations to minimise adverse effects. For example, Blue Badge holders would continue to be able to park for free, and households within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) where one or more residents are aged 60 and over would continue to be entitled to 90 hours of visitor permits for free.
The Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Environment, in consultation with Councillor Clyde Loakes, was recommended to consider the objections received and the impact of the ETMO, and to make the changes permanent through a Permanent Traffic Management Order.
