Steve's Blog

Camden Council: Parking

Well I can honestly say I disklike Camden Council, they are unhelpful to the extreme.

Up until recently I had a job which came with a company car, I had a resident's parking permit. That was OK, my employer just provider a letter with a copy of the V5 (UK car registration document) that said I was the driver, and all was well. When my employment terminated, I gave back the car. I still have a valid permit, but no car.

Fortunately my sister (who is "burdened" with 8 month old twins, so doesn't get out much) leant me her car. All well and good. She even wrote a letter saying I had permanent use of it, and gave me a copy of the V5. Included in the letter was a statement saying my father is disabled and I'd be driving him around (he is genuinely registered as disabled).

I then went to the local Camden offices and presented the paperwork, hoping they'd transfer the permit to my sister's car, even just for a few weeks while I go for job interviews, and occasionally drive my father around.

Of course no such luck, they point blank refused. They will only issue permits for registered owners, hire cars and company cars (and of course all the other permits like businesses getting multiple permits etc). They wont issue permits for friends' or relatives' cars, that's the policy.

I wasn't amused, and complained to my ward councillor (who I must say was extremely helpful). Haven't heard a response yet, though I doubt they'll have much better luck unfortunately, especially since the councillors are having an ongoing battle with Camden about accountability of the Parking Solutions bit (i.e. there isn't any).