Monitoring the Roamer

Published: 25 March, 2011

• NOW that the Residents’ Roamer has come into force, it has become clear that this is a parking policy that cannot fail. Residents may be expecting Islington Council to monitor its impact on traffic levels over the coming months. Indeed, Councillor Paul Smith, executive member for the environment, confirmed this would be the case in a recent press release: “We will, of course, monitor the scheme and make sure it works well.”

However, it has now become clear, after discussions with officers, that the council has no resources available to do anything of the sort. It will thus prove impossible for residents to weigh up the pros and cons of the scheme in any meaningful way.

Thus to the council’s failure to observe its own sustainable transport policies, the failure to engage in a fair consultation and the failure to acknowledge that the majority of responses it did receive were opposed to the scheme, we can now add the failure to ensure that the Roamer does not adversely affect people’s lives. 

Is this the new way of doing politics?

NICK JACK
Axminster Road, N7