Cllr Ohid Ahmed calls on Biggs for clarity on parking

AS HIS PETITION on parking breaks through the 5,000 signature mark, Cllr Ohid Ahmed is calling on John Biggs to provide some clarity on the consultation currently underway.

The Council has begun a consultation with residents and businesses in controlled parking areas B1, B2 and B4 (Bow and Mile End) on whether the controlled hours should be extended later into the evening and over the weekend. This would have the knock on effect of increasing its income, because those coming to visit friends and family in Tower Hamlets (or enjoy leisure facilities or use the shops) during these hours would have to pay for parking in the future.

John Biggs – who was elected mayor with a majority of just 6,370 – has not responded to the fact that 5,066 people have signed the petition so far. Other councillors have issued statements and provided information briefings hinting that the consultation is all a big mistake – but the man with whom the buck stops is still considering his response.

Independent Councillor Ohid Ahmed is the Shadow Cabinet Lead for Community Safety and is also a former Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets Council. “Despite more than 5,000 residents signing my petition about the parking consultation by the Tower Hamlets Council, the Mayor has yet to issue a direct formal statement to clarify his position,” said Cllr Ahmed.

He continued, “All we have heard so far is some of his Group of Councillors, claiming to be speaking on his behalf, further confusing people by calling the document an informal survey – whereas the Council website clearly states it as a formal consultation. It is about time that the Mayor came clean and has the courtesy of issuing a direct official statement to reassure our residents that he will not change parking restrictions and rectify the flaws in the current consultation document, providing a clear option to keep the parking restriction as they are at present.”

•To view the Council’s announcement of the parking consultation, go to:
Parking Consultation

•To read and/or sign Cllr Ahmed’s petition, go to:
Parking Petition

•Read more about it:
Cllr Ohid Ahmed calls on Biggs to “come clean” on parking
Cllr Khales Uddin Ahmed to the rescue?

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