Anthony Lorenz is not only principal of The Lorenz Consultancy, but also the Chairman of the Mayfair and St James's Residents Society.
Westminster were trying to bring in a plan to extend meter parking from 6.30pm until midnight Monday to Saturday and 1pm to 6pm on Sundays.
The Resident's Society and business's, many of whom are also members were up in arms.
In December the fight was won to force Westminster to go to a judicial review. Their justification for bringing in the plan overlooked the fact that they would make an extra £7.2 million a year, saying that it would reduce congestion.
Lorenz says there is no congestion in Mayfair and St James's and that Westminster will cause congestion whereby residents visitors, whether they be children visiting parents or churchgoers or persons visiting restaurants, clubs and bars will be driving round in circles looking for a meter.
Just before Christmas, Westminster announced to plan to make 5 miles of single yellow lines into double yellow lines, arguing that 92% of the conversions were already illegal under the highway code - you are not allowed to park within 10 meters of a corner or at a drop curve, it being dangerous.
One question is why Westminster have not dealt with these 92% issues over the last 5 years? However, they went ahead and did that or at least are doing it. Suddenly an absolute bombshell.
Martin Low of Westminster City Council admits that the lost car parking spaces were assessed by Westminster prior to them embarking on their attempts to charge for car parking, were stated as representing only 1,700 spaces.
He now admits in the Evening Standard that somehow Westminster got this wrong and that there were 5 times the amount of spaces being lost, namely 8,400 spaces. So the whole plan with Westminster was promoted on this misconception and all the recipients of their proposals, the due diligence which they say was part of their process, namely assessing how many people objected, was founded on horrendously wrong information.
Surely Westminster should admit they have done wrong and scrap the plans.
Professional | Anthony Lorenz
