Another Wednesday Water Column

Last week we called in Thames Water and their contractors (along with the Council's own parking team) to City Hall for a summit to discuss the recent problems in Maida Vale.

We outlined in the strongest terms that the current situation in Maida Vale was unacceptable and that immediate attention was needed. In particular:

• that the recent works in Maida Vale have unnecessarily inconvenienced residents to a significant - and unacceptable - degree
• that the patience and flexibility of local residents have been exhausted by continuing incompetence and ineffective communications
• that we found the attitude towards ignoring parking suspensions and not finishing works on time utterly incredible
• that Thames had to get its act together before it moved onto other roads in the ward

We spent almost two hours going through the problems - mostly on a specific, case-by-case basis - regarding Thames's work and the parking suspensions which have accompanied them. After the meeting, we supplied Thames with a 2,500 word dossier detailing all of the instances which we (or local residents) have identified in recent weeks where problems have occurred. These include:

• the continuous extension of parking suspension (Essendine Road)
• contractors returning to roads which they have previously completed (Morshead Road/Essendine Road/Elgin Mews South)
• contractors ignoring the conditions of parking suspensions (Lanark Road, Randolph Avenue)
• works not displaying a parking suspension (or where the parking suspension notice was obscured by Thames works) (Randolph Avenue, Shirland Road, Grantully Road)
• general overruning of works in Maida Vale (all roads Thames have been on so far)
• the unacceptable state of works on pavements (Grantully Road, Randolph Avenue, Morshead Road)
• weekend working and the approach to residents parking on suspended roads at weekends (Grantully Road)
• inadequate communications to residents (every road Thames have been on so far)
• taking up more road space than appears to be necessary (Lanark Road, Morshead Road)

We have provided Thames with a list of over a dozen actions which they (or Westminster’s Parking team) have agreed to look at. We’ll let you know the results of those as they come through.

Thanks to all residents who provided their comments before the meeting, and which were passed on to Thames.

Alastair, Jan and Lee