Letter: Newham's paperless kerb-side parking

Will new permits help pollution?

A Burgess Road resident, East Ham, wrote to the mayor of Newham:

The idea of paperless curb-side parking at first sounded great until the added surprise of a substantial annual fee to use this new system.

But strangely, it is absolutely free of charge if you park off-road on a front garden, or in a lock-up. Then your engine fumes are sweepingly welcomed.

That’s not fair. Suppose all of the cars in Newham were off-road. What would you scheme instead?

The new system invites the idea that many cars will vanish and better air quality will result. I know full well that won’t happen because the majority of residents needs their cars and will be obliged to pay so the council can accrue a big cash injection.

The air quality will hardly change because emissions are brought in daily by thousands of drivers living north, south, east and west of the borough. They may arrive having business in the borough or just passing through.

Perhaps one day a before and after report will be published, showing what the council actually did with the money to reduce this pollution.

Don’t forget, we are surrounded by other boroughs and we all share conjoined atmospheres.
The added complication is that everyone must be computer savvy and be familiar with loading of documents.

Deadlines for renewal may be missed causing worry, frustration and debt. Just you try phoning the council for help now computers have taken over to a degree.

• What to you think? Let us know: newsdesk@newhamrecorder.co.uk