Reprieve for Mays Lane traders as Barnet Council lifts all day parking charges outside their parade of shops
Retailers in Mays Lane have welcomed Barnet Council’s decision to remove all but one of the parking charges which were introduced at the end of last year outside their parade of shops.
Charges now apply for only one hour between 2pm and 3pm which aligns with the restrictions and charges which operate in the rest of the Chipping Barnet (D) controlled parking zone.
Imposing a parking charge between 2pm and 3pm is aimed at deterring all-day parking and the Mays Lane traders accept that this is a possible compromise.
When the council imposed six-day-a-week pay-by-phone parking charges on the Mays Lane parade from 8am to 6.30pm the shopkeepers said it would kill off their passing trade and threaten the viability of their businesses.
Local residents rallied to their support organising a petition which attracted over 1,300 signatures.
A case for lifting the restriction was presented to Barnet Council by Gina Theodorou, chair of the Quinta Village Green Residents Association and Jon Wolfson, lead organiser of the Underhill Residents Group.
Mays Pets shop assistant Sarah Burley – who helped to collect signatures for the petition – said the traders were pleased the council had seen sense and recognised the dramatic impact which all-day parking charges were having on their passing trade.
She thought imposing charges for only an hour each afternoon was a step in the right of direction, but the shopkeepers still had concerns because the changes only lasted for a trial period.
They apply for an 18-month experimental period with a six-month consultation period from 3 August 2026 to 3 February 2027.
A notice says this period will give the council time to consider any comments received and to assess the effectiveness of the amended controls.
Nonetheless the traders still have worries about the restrictions as they know shoppers can be easily put off by any risk of incurring a penalty notice.
Mohinder Dhingra, proprietor of Coopers of Barnet, who was distraught at the loss of trade when the charges were introduced, said he was “very pleased” the council had changed its mind.
“We can see how applying a parking charge between 2pm and 3pm does fit in with the CPZ for the surrounding area.
“Getting the council to back down is all due to the work of Gina and Jon who we cannot thank enough.”
Barnet Council is still considering protests about the imposition of a new Underhill South CPZ.
After a receiving a deputation to the council, the cabinet member responsible for parking, Councillor Alan Schneiderman said staff were analysing data received during a consultation period and the council hoped to make a decision by the end of December.
To comment by 3 January 2027 on changes to the Mays Lane restrictions see:
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