Newham Council has launched a comprehensive review of its parking and kerbside space, aiming to reshape the borough's streets over the next twelve months. The review, approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday 21 July 2026, will assess current parking policies and operational practices to ensure they are fit for purpose, fair, and responsive to the evolving needs of Newham.

The council is addressing 'evolving needs' driven by significant changes including ongoing housing growth, major regeneration programmes, increasing pressure on kerbside space, evolving travel patterns, the transition to electric vehicles, and changing expectations from residents and businesses. These factors are placing new demands on how the borough's streets are managed.

A street scene with shops, traffic signs, and pedestrians, likely representing the area subject to a parking and kerbside space review.
A street scene with shops, traffic signs, and pedestrians, likely representing the area subject to a parking and kerbside space review.

The scope of the review is extensive, covering parking supply and demand, permit parking zones, charging structures, town centres, enforcement operations, digital services, car-free developments, and future growth. It will also incorporate feedback from residents, businesses, and stakeholders.

Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Environment, Councillor Susan Masters, stated that the review represents an opportunity to ensure that parking in Newham remains fit for purpose, supports wider Council priorities and responds effectively to changing needs across the borough. She added that parking operations are primarily for road safety, access, and road network efficiency.

The review must align with several statutory requirements, including the Traffic Management Act 2004, which mandates the council's duty as a local traffic authority to secure the expeditious movement of traffic and manage the road network effectively. The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 provides powers to regulate traffic, including making Traffic Regulation Orders, while the Highways Act 1980 is relevant for footway crossing reviews. Other regulations include the Removal and Disposal of Vehicle Regulations 1986 and Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) Representations and Appeals Regulations 2022. Crucially, Section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 imposes a general duty on local authorities to secure the expeditious, convenient, and safe movement of traffic (including pedestrians) and the provision of suitable and adequate parking facilities. Furthermore, the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010 requires the review to consider the impact of its decisions on promoting equality across various strands such as age, sex, ethnicity, and disability. These requirements influence proposed changes by ensuring parking operations primarily focus on road safety, access, and road network efficiency, with recommendations assessed transparently for potential advantages, disadvantages, and unintended consequences for different groups.

Beyond road safety, access, and network efficiency, the parking review aims to support wider Council priorities such as the vitality of Newham's high streets and local economy, future-proofing parking arrangements for new developments and population growth, and the transition to electric vehicles. It also seeks to improve clarity and legibility of parking zones, hours, signage, and communications, fostering resident and business confidence and trust in the Council's parking systems. Affordability and accessibility for residents and businesses are also key considerations, as is supporting climate and sustainability goals by exploring demand management and balancing the needs of drivers with those transitioning to cleaner vehicles or sustainable travel modes, including analysing demand for EV charging and secure cycle storage.

An electric vehicle charging station is shown on a residential street, relevant to discussions on parking and kerbside space.
An electric vehicle charging station is shown on a residential street, relevant to discussions on parking and kerbside space.

The review will examine 'Digital services and customer experience' in parking, specifically looking at the usability, accessibility, and inclusivity of current systems, requirements for alternative access channels to pay for parking, and reviewing end-to-end customer journeys and communications.

The parking review will also include 'Car-free developments' within its scope, undertaking a system review to assess the effectiveness of processes for maintaining compliance and reviewing best practice across London and other urban areas to determine methods to ensure developments remain car-free and do not contribute to parking pressures in surrounding areas.

A street scene showing new cycling infrastructure, parking signs, and residential buildings, relevant to a discussion on parking and kerbside space review.
A street scene showing new cycling infrastructure, parking signs, and residential buildings, relevant to a discussion on parking and kerbside space review.

The council will ensure that feedback from residents, businesses, and stakeholders is genuinely incorporated through a structured process of consultation and engagement. This will include providing a dedicated platform for feedback, undertaking targeted engagement with specific groups, consulting with resident forums, community organisations, Ward Councillors, local businesses, and external stakeholders. A summary of all consultation and engagement will be included in the final report, detailing how input has been considered. Where proposals require statutory consultations, these will be conducted in accordance with relevant legal requirements.

Key decisions made by the Cabinet include the approval of the Terms of Reference and Scope for the review, along with the out-of-scope items to be addressed through separate reviews. These out-of-scope items include footway crossing reviews (due to their specific legal framework under the Highways Act 1980), Healthy School Streets, new LTN consultation methods, the blue badge process and disabled bays, housing estate parking, funeral parking, and events parking. These were excluded because they either have their own specific legal frameworks, require more intricate considerations, or would extend the time of the review considerably.

A person driving a car, symbolizing the review of parking and kerbside space.
A person driving a car, symbolizing the review of parking and kerbside space.

Interim reports will be presented to the Cabinet throughout the review process. The review is expected to provide a strategic framework for parking in Newham, ensuring alignment with statutory requirements and wider Council priorities, and delivering a fair and effective service for all users. The findings and recommendations will be supported by financial, operational, and equalities considerations. The anticipated financial implications of proposed changes will be reviewed as part of the final report and subject to council governance. The review itself is expected to use existing budgeted resources of approximately £0.175m, with no requests for additional funding anticipated for the delivery of recommendations.

A group of adults and children, many wearing high-visibility vests, are gathered outdoors, seemingly engaged in a discussion or presentation.
A group of adults and children, many wearing high-visibility vests, are gathered outdoors, seemingly engaged in a discussion or presentation.

Further details on the review can be found in the Public reports pack here and the Decisions document here.