Parking saga drags on

After years of waiting, many local residents are angry at how long the Conservative controlled county council is taking to sort out Epping's parking problems.

It is now years since the parking review was first announced. There have been many delays. An investigation by district councillor Janet Whitehouse has revealed that the information required to implement the parking review was transferred to the county council on 11 August 2005.

"Seven months later we are still waiting for the county council to publish the legal notices that will trigger the final consultation process. This is a shocking delay," Janet Whitehouse said. The county council currently estimates that the notice will be published on Thursday 27 April. If no objections are received the new parking regulations will come into force. If any residents do object, the county council must decide whether or not to amend the scheme.

"Look out for the notices on lamp-posts and in the local press," said Janet Whitehouse. "It is vital that residents don't miss this chance to have their say."

"I am concerned that the whole process has taken so long that circumstances in some roads have changed since the review was started," Janet added.

She is pressing the county council to put in place a procedure for sorting out any problems caused by the new restrictions when they come into force.