TfL Comments on CPZ permit caps to Croydon Draft Local Plan
Request ID: FOI-1170-2324 Date published: 08 August 2023
You asked
TfL's comments/recommendations to Croydon Draft Local Plan included the following:
Letter Ref CYDN/22/4 dated 17th February 2022 (Appendix A page 16)
'Additionally, we suggest the Council adopt an approach taken which seeks to limit the number of permits issued in a given CPZ by setting an initial cap on the number of permits available in each CPZ and then progressively lowering the cap each year. New applicants to the CPZ should join a waitlist once the cap is reached, thereby reducing the number of cars in a CPZ through a process of attrition and natural turnover in residents.'
Link: https://insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FINAL-Mayor-of-London-Response-LB-Croydon-Local-Plan-Reg-194283.pdf
Please could you advise:
a) Has TfL considered and/or is TfL aware of the legal basis of this advice? If so what powers do TfL deem permit this? (i.e. under what Act(s) and Sections(s) may Boroughs operate caps and waitlists to a CPZ for the intended purpose of reducing local car ownership/public storage?)
b)If you hold any such legal opinion/discussion on this possibility (whether from internal staff/communications or external Counsel) please provide a copy.
c) Is advice to Local Authorities to cap/waitlist CPZ permits a general TfL policy position? Has this (or similar) advice been given to any other Local Authorities? Is it published in any TfL documents or strategies? If so please provide copies or links.
d) Is TfL aware of any London Council/CPZ that utilises this suggestion? Is TfL aware of any location where this has been trialled? If so please provide details and results.
Thanks for your help.
We answered
TfL Ref: 1170-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 13 July 2023 asking for information about TfL and Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), as referenced in the Croydon Draft Local Plan.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked about the following:
TfL's comments/recommendations to Croydon Draft Local Plan included the following:
Letter Ref CYDN/22/4 dated 17th February 2022 (Appendix A page 16) 'Additionally, we suggest the Council adopt an approach taken which seeks to limit the number of permits issued in a given CPZ by setting an initial cap on the number of permits available in each CPZ and then progressively lowering the cap each year. New applicants to the CPZ should join a waitlist once the cap is reached, thereby reducing the number of cars in a CPZ through a process of attrition and natural turnover in residents.'
a)Has TfL considered and/or is TfL aware of the legal basis of this advice? If so what powers do TfL deem permit this? (i.e. under what Act(s) and Sections(s) may Boroughs operate caps and waitlists to a CPZ for the intended purpose of reducing local car ownership/public storage?)
No.
b)If you hold any such legal opinion/discussion on this possibility (whether from internal staff/communications or external Counsel) please provide a copy.
Not applicable.
c) Is advice to Local Authorities to cap/waitlist CPZ permits a general TfL policy position? Has this (or similar) advice been given to any other Local Authorities? Is it published in any TfL documents or strategies? If so please provide copies or links.
TfL has routinely reminded councils that they have tools to improve parking controls where problems exist, and as stated in the London Plan at: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/planning/london-plan, a lack of parking controls is not an adequate reason to resist growth/development in London. Transport for London’s parking policies are clearly set out in the Mayor's Transport Strategy (MTS) here:https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/the-mayors-transport-strategy and the aforementioned London Plan, and we always seek to innovate and evolve policies to be more effective and up to date. Amendments to parking policies will be part of the next London Plan and MTS, however, this will be after the Mayoral election in 2024 and dependent on the priorities and strategies of the next administration.
d) Is TfL aware of any London Council/CPZ that utilises this suggestion? Is TfL aware of any location where this has been trialled? If so please provide details and results.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for Londo
