Dear LPG

I recently found a website called Next Door that puts local people in touch with each other and allows people to share local information.  As you can imagine there are many messages posted, in fact I have seen it mentioned in LPG’s pages before.

I don’t always take note of the messages from their pages, but this one did interest me and, because I was unaware of the information, I wonder if there are others who do not know.  The message informed that   'London Borough of Lewisham provides a free book of 10 one-hour visitor parking permits to all households that have at least one paid-for Annual Resident Permit’, which is something I did not know.  You need to email [email protected] to claim yours if you are entitled. 

I have asked quite a few of my eligible friends and none of them knew of this which provoked me to start asking the question, ‘Why do so few of us know about this?’ I telephoned NSL about renewing my Mums parking permit this week and, while on the phone, I challenged them as to why this information is hidden in the nether regions of their website? I have to say that it is not exactly something that stands out. It is as if they are giving us one of the rare offerings that don’t come at a cost (apart from the £120.00 many have to pay for the privilege of keeping the right to be able to park legally outside our own homes) but hiding the fact that we are entitled to it and it is interesting that we have to waste their time and ours applying for them if we qualify.  Why are they not sent out automatically?

I challenged them about the fact that there are many older drivers that know exactly what they are doing behind the steering wheel while having no idea when it comes to a smart phone, and I know that there is a choice in most places where you can pay to park by phone at the moment but how long will it be before they start to make that compulsory?

They did send me the URL where this information is to be found on their web site and it is right at the bottom of the page.

Someone I met while talking about this also brought up the fact that they are not even allowing us sufficient parking permits for a visitor to park once per month; all questions that I feel we should be challenging the council about…

If anyone agrees that it would be a good idea to put these points to the council, I would ask them to ask the same questions.  Perhaps then the council will offer their free gift more freely,

MB, Lewisham

MB asks that LPG gives those who can, the opportunity to read the web page where the parking gift is to be found on the Lewisham Council website and draw your own conclusions…

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