Whitton High Street Parking Tickets
In October we revealed how Whitton High Street had become one of the most dangerous roads in Richmond (read article here). Less than ideal given its high footfall and the high number of vulnerable people who use the High Street.
Increasingly residents have used our socials to highlight various parking offences regularly committed on the High Street. Councils across London identify the link between parking regulations and enforcement, and improved road safety and reduced congestion.
Number of parking tickets issued on Whitton High Street fell in 2024
In 2024 Richmond Council issued 244 Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) on Whitton High Street, an average of 4.4 tickets a week, compared to 374 PCNs issued in 2023 at 7.2 PCNs a week. This is more than the preceding three years and corresponds with the Liberal Democrat administration’s increase in the number of parking enforcement officers deployed across the borough in recent years.
| Year | Total tickets issued |
| 2020 | 90 |
| 2021 | 99 |
| 2022 | 135 |
| 2023 | 374 |
| 2024 | 244 |
Parking in Disabled Bays
Blue badges are given to people with a proven disability or health condition. There are just four disabled parking bays on the High Street, which are designed to provide parking close to shops and services for those that need them most. In 2024 just 13 tickets were issued for the offence of ‘Parked in a permit space or zone without displaying a valid physical permit where required.’
Not only do people with a disability have to contend with a low number of parking places and a lack of enforcement, but blue badges are also subject to theft and subsequent fraudulent use. In 2023 in London 6,415 blue badge thefts were reported.
| Year | Total tickets issued |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 32 |
| 2024 | 13 |
Parking in Loading Bays
The most common type of offence enforced by the council is ‘parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading.’ This prevents businesses from receiving deliveries and often results in lorry drivers stopping in the carriageway, which causes congestion and delays to buses and other journeys.
It’s understood that any type of vehicle can use a loading bay on the High Street, but there must be evidence of loading and unloading taking place. For example, TFL states that “goods, due to their weight or bulk, require the use of a vehicle to transport them.” A coffee from Costa, a bag of shopping from Lidl or a sandwich from Greggs would not meet this criteria.
| Year | Total tickets issued |
| 2020 | 41 |
| 2021 | 32 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2023 | 229 |
| 2024 | 153 |
Incorrect Class of vehicle
The offence of parking in a place not designated for that class of vehicle (electric vehicle bays) is a new offence. Whitton High Street has two bays for electric cycles and scooters in order to reduce the number of bikes parked on pavements. Parking vehicles in these bays is not allowed and In 2024 44 tickets were issued, down from 46 in 2023.
| Year | Total tickets issued |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 46 |
| 2024 | 44 |
A council official stated that a reason for the low number of PCNs issued is because parking on the High Street is free of charge and ward councillors do not want parking charges to be introduced. They also recommended phoning the Richmond Parking Enforcement Team to report illegal parking on 020 8744 0462 who will attend as quickly as possible.
Richmond Council owns a publicly accessible car park behind Lidl. It is free for the first 30 minutes for users of the Richmond Card and 95p for one hour’s parking.
Compared to the 33 other London Boroughs, Richmond issued 81,916 higher level PCNs in 2023-24, placing it 18 out of 33 boroughs. The highest was Westminster with 314,557 and the lowest was Sutton with 33,168.
| Number of PCNs issued in 2024 | Offense |
| 11 | Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours |
| 5 | Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours (temporary traffic order) |
| 2 | Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit where required (dedicated disabled bay) |
| 44 | Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle (electric vehicles bay) |
| 1 | Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle (goods vehicle loading bays) |
| 1 | Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space |
| 153 | Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading |
| 11 | Parked for longer than permitted |
| 2 | Parked for longer than permitted (free parking bay) |
| 13 | Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner |
| 1 | Parked with one or more wheels on or over a footpath or any part of a road other than a carriageway (all wheels on footway) |
| 244 |
Maria Deady
Why are electric nine allowed to travel on the pavement. They travel really fast and could easily knock a young child or vulnerable person off their feet.
I was on the high street on Tuesday one past me and parked outside Sainsbury’s. I went after him and explained that the pavement was for people. He told me to —- off.
There should be fines issued for electric scooters and electric bikes using the pavement.
Sue de Boeck
I find that last example interesting. That is with one or more wheels on a footpath. Just take a stroll around Whitton’s streets and see how many people park their cars “in their driveway” or so they claim, but a large section of the vehicle protrudes onto the footpath, restricting room for pedestrians and especially wheelchairs and pushchairs. Will the council enforce any penalty on these people?
And while I’m having a grumble, since when were electric scooters and bikes both electric and not, allowed to mow down pedestrians, ride across pedestrian crossings and treat the pavements all over as a dumping ground for uber bikes? Just saying