Wimbledon Stadium CPZ review

In anticipation of the impact this development could have on parking and traffic in the surrounding area, we are introducing new parking and traffic restrictions in the roads close to the stadium and asking residents and businesses in nearby CPZs whether they would wish to see the operational hours/days of the CPZ increased.  

Background

As you are probably aware, a new 9,300 capacity football stadium for AFC Wimbledon together with some 633 new residential dwellings and commercial space is under construction at Plough Lane, in Merton. The new stadium development is nearing completion and whilst matches are currently being played 'behind closed doors' due to the COVID-19 situation, some limited attendances are to be permitted in the future. 

Whilst most football matches will be played on Saturdays or weekday evenings, some could be on Sundays or bank/public holidays. There is also the likelihood that the stadium which includes conference and banqueting facilities, will be used for other sporting events which could require similar traffic management arrangements. Additionally, there is the potential parking generated by the large number of residential units, all of which could impact on parking availability outside the existing operational hours/days within the above sub-zones.

New waiting restrictions and traffic management measures

Our response to the increased parking and traffic pressures that are expected both during and outside match days are summarised below.

Waiting restrictions

Upgrading of single to double yellow lines are to be implemented in Maskell Road, St Martin’s Way, Riverside Road and Summerstown, including at junctions and certain vehicular entrances.

View the proposed waiting restrictions for this area.

These changes are aimed at improving road safety conditions in the area at all times taking into account any increased traffic volumes during match days at the stadium. The changes will prevent obstructive parking occurring at these locations ensuring sufficient width for all vehicles, including emergency service vehicles.

Expected implementation: January 2021 via an Experimental Traffic Order and will be monitored over the first six months of operation.  Implementing the changes in this way will provide a period of operational experience and allows for representations to be made during the first six months of operation.

Match day traffic management measures

Summary of the traffic management arrangements to be operated on match-days, which we have developed with AFC Wimbledon, the Metropolitan Police and other Emergency Services:

  • Summerstown will be one-way in from Plough Lane/No Entry into Summerstown from Garratt Lane
  • Short term closure of Riverside Road to vehicular traffic
  • Parking suspensions on the south side of Maskell Road to accommodate coach parking by away fans. CPZ parking to be retained for use on the opposite side
  • Away fan coaches to enter the area via St Martins Way and exit via Maskell Road/Garratt Lane road barrier under marshal supervision

These temporary arrangements are likely to operate typically up to 1 to 2 hours before and after match times to provide safe access and egress and, as necessary, in response to any incidents on match days. Other temporary traffic management measures may be introduced on certain matches where it is considered necessary. However, every effort will be made to ensure that disruption in the area is kept to a minimum.

The arrangements will be monitored over the coming months as the stadium settles into normal operation following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consultation

We are undertaking a review of the future impact of the stadium development on parking conditions in Earlsfield (L2), Garratt Green (G1) and Tooting Broadway (E1) (part) sub-zones.

View map of the consultation boundary

Parking proposals

Given the possible reduction in parking space due to visitors to the stadium along with the occupiers of the new residential and commercial properties and the existing difficulties particularly in those sub-zones that only operate Monday to Friday, we would like your views on the following options.

Extending the CPZ hours/days of operation:

  • To tackle parking problems occurring on a regular (daily/weekly) basis when the CPZ operates
  • This could include a match or major event at the stadium, if it takes place during the CPZ operational hours/days (for example, on a Saturday afternoon when most matches take place)
  • The longer the CPZ operates, the more protection it will provide. So a CPZ operating 9.30am to 9.30pm, Monday to Sunday, including bank holidays, is aimed at restricting parking by non-residents throughout the week, to include all matches and major events at the stadium and potential parking associated with the residential development
  • However, restrictions should only apply for as long as they are needed so you may feel that the existing hours/days are adequate or prefer a moderate increase to 9.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday
  • Options include retaining the present operational hours/days or extending them to 6/7 days a week and from 9.30am to 6.30pm or 9.30pm, including/excluding bank holidays

An event day zone:

  • An event day zone could also be considered. This would extend the operational hours of the CPZ but only on days when matches or major events take place at the stadium
  • For example, extending the CPZ operational hours/days to 9.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday and applying an event day zone would seek to address parking demand all year round and cover the 3pm Saturday kick offs. The event day zone would come into operation 9.30am to 9.30pm to cover any events occurring outside of the usual CPZ hours/days, such as a match on a Sunday afternoon or a weekday evening
  • Applying only an event day zone would not address regular parking demand associated with evening/weekend parking from the residential development or the parking difficulties already being experienced during evenings and weekends in many streets. If you experience these problems, you should consider extending the CPZs operational hours/days.

Changes to yellow lines and permit costs

Any extension to the days and hours of operation would also apply to yellow line waiting restrictions, helping to ensure that parking does not occur where it would be unsafe or obstructs vehicular traffic and other users of the highway, such as cyclists and pedestrians. We will also be considering other minor changes to the CPZs such as:

  • Increasing the days/hours of the CPZ will not affect the cost of, or require you to obtain a new, resident (or business) parking permit
  • Your visitors would be required to display a resident visitor permit or pay and display ticket (or virtual - pay by phone) when parking during any extended CPZ operational days/hours and if an event day zone were to be introduced

Your views

The consultation opened on Wednesday 6 January and closed on Sunday 7 February 2021.

Results and decision

Overview of the consultation:

  • Across all areas, a total of 5579 consultation documents were delivered. 706 surveys/questionnaires were completed, giving an overall response rate of 13%
  • A majority of respondents in 3 out of 4 the areas (G1, L2 all-day and L2 one-hour) supported the extension of CPZ controls to 9.30am-9.30pm & Monday to Sunday
  • A majority of respondents in 2 out of 4 areas supported the inclusion of bank holidays
  • A majority of respondents in 4 out of 4 areas supported an event day zone

The results were reported to the Strategic Planning and Transportation Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 16 June 2021 taking into account all relevant highway factors. The recommendations were supported by the committee and subsequently approved by the Executive on 28 June. View item 3 for further details. 

We approved the extension of the operational hours/days to 9.30am to 9.30pm, Monday to Sunday, excluding bank holidays in all the CPZs consulted. Given the support for these extended hours/days, a separate event day zone was not necessary.

View the letters delivered to all properties in the area:

Introduction of match and event day zone restrictions - Update 6 August 2021

Extending the operational hours/days was recommended for several reasons which included the support shown during the consultation, the existing parking problems in many roads, and not least, since it was considered the most effective way of protecting the community not only during football matches and events but also on other days from any potential parking and traffic issues associated with the occupants of the new dwellings contained within the stadium development. Although support was also shown for a separate event and match day zone, this was not considered necessary as the extended hours/days would operate on event/match days. 

Since sending the results and decision letter to residents and businesses in the consultation area on 21 July 2021, a number of emails and petitions have been received from the community expressing dissatisfaction with this decision on a number of grounds but mainly due to the increased costs which residents' visitors would have to pay for visitor parking. Most have called for the operational hours/days to remain as they are now and for an event and match day zone to be applied only on the days when a football match or event takes place at AFC Wimbledon Stadium and for the maximum stay for pay and display, and pay by phone to be reduced to one hour to deter football fans from parking and attending a match. 

Some emails were received supporting the extension of the operational hours/days. Though these were comparatively low in number, it is important to note that parking problems exist in some roads and there is some demand to extend the operational hours/days. This is particularly acute in the L2 One-Hour roads where parking problems are regularly reported when the one-hour control does not apply.  

We have listened to these concerns and appreciate that for many this decision was too restrictive and costly and went further than was necessary. Approval has now been obtained for the following course of action: 

To introduce event and match day zone restrictions in CPZs G1, L2 and E1 (part). These will effectively extend the CPZ controls from 9.30am to 9.30pm, Monday to Sunday (now including Bank Holidays) within the original proposed area, but will operate on event days only:

  • Within the CPZs that operate all-day - G1, L2 All-day and E1 (part) the bays will continue to be designated ’shared use’ on event days which will allow both permit holders and short-stay visitors to park
  • In the above All-Day CPZs, the maximum stay for visitors using the pay and display, and pay by phone facilities will be reduced to one-hour to prevent football fans from parking and attending a match
  • In the L2 One-hour sub-zone the bays will remain designated as ‘Permit holders only’, but operate 9.30am to 9.30pm on event days, and will allow only L2 resident/business or resident visitor permit holders to park as there are no facilities in One-hour Zone roads to allow visitors to pay at a machine or by phone
  • Therefore, residents within the L2 One-hour sub-zone will be able to purchase All-Day Zone visitor permits for use by their visitors on event days
  • Though some new signs will be required, temporary signs are to be used to identify the event day restrictions
  • The large Zone Entry signs and our website are to carry the dates when the Event/Match day restriction is to apply (i.e. mainly football match fixtures)
  • To allow time to make the necessary preparations, the new restrictions will now come into force from 1 October 2021 and therefore the first day the restrictions will apply will be on 2 October 2021
  • The new restrictions to be implemented using an Experimental TMO. The consultation will run for the first six months of its operation. We will monitor the scheme to see that is being effective and meeting its objectives and then decide whether the scheme should be made permanent, or amended
  • To check whether the Event-Day controls are effective and meeting the needs/requirements of local residents/businesses, and to ensure that we continue to listen to local people/those most affected by the new stadium development, an informal review is provisionally scheduled for January 2022
  • To address existing and worsening parking difficulties other than on event days, it is anticipated that there may be a further consultation exercise. The precise timing and format of any future consultation on CPZ operational hours/days will consider the operational experience gained and community feedback
  • Officers will review the effectiveness of these new restrictions together with parking surveys and transaction data

Letters were delivered to all properties in the week commencing 16 August 2021 notifying residents of this change, and providing more details about how you may be affected (permits etc).

See letters:

View more information on AFC Wimbledon stadium event day restrictions. 

Review

Since October 2021, the event/match day restrictions have operated from 9.30am to 9.30pm whenever an event has taken place, including bank holidays. The maximum stay for non-resident visitors has been limited to one hour. The restrictions were subject to an Experimental Traffic Management Order, which means that residents and business were able to provide comments or objections during the first six months of operation.

We are now reviewing the event day restrictions to ensure that they are effective and meeting the needs of local people. As part of the review process, we would like to hear your views. We have also received feedback from some residents who feel that additional parking controls are necessary on other days, for example later into the evening and at weekends. We are therefore asking for your views about possible changes to the operational days and hours within your zone when there are no matches or events taking place.

Consultation

The consultation opened on Monday 14 March and closed on Sunday 10 April 2022. The survey is now closed.

View a copy of the letter, which was hand delivered to all addresses within the consultation area between Friday 11 March and Sunday 13 March 2022, and a copy of the questionnaire:

Results and decision

Across all areas, a total of 5579 consultation documents were delivered. 736 surveys/questionnaires were completed, giving an overall response rate of 13%.  

Event zone restrictions

A majority of respondents (73%) indicated that the event zone restrictions should be retained, with 48% indicating a preference for the event zone controls to be limited to event/match times, for example, starting one or two hours prior to the match kick-off or event start time and then ending one or two hours after the event has finished.

Existing CPZ restrictions

In response to Question 7 (What days do you think the CPZ should operate?):

  • In Earlsfield L2 (All-Day) (88%) and L2 1-Hour (83%) and in Garratt Green (G1) (84%) a majority of respondents supported retaining the existing Monday to Friday controls.
  • In the part of the E1 sub-zone consulted, which currently operates Monday to Saturday, 50% of respondents support Monday to Friday.

 In response to Question 8 (What hours do you think the CPZ should operate?)

  • The most popular response was to retain the existing operational hours in all four areas.

The outcome was reported to the Transport Committee on 3 November and the Executive on 21 November 2022. View Transport Committee documentation - see item 10. 

We agreed to:

  • The continued operation of the event zone restrictions from 9.30am to 9.30pm on match/event days
  • The retention of the maximum permitted stay of 1 hour for those using the pay and display/pay by mobile phone facilities on match/event days
  • That no changes are made to the existing operational hours/days of the daytime zones E1, G1 and L2
  • That officers should investigate options to reduce the event zone restrictions on match/event days in future

See a copy of the results notification letter delivered to residents and businesses dated 30 November 2022. 

Decision to reduce event zone operational hours for the 2023/24 football season

A further report on options to reduce the hours of the event zone was considered by the Finance Committee on 1 March 2023. The report which was approved by the Council’s Executive on 7 March recommended that from the start of the 2023/24 football season (expected to be in July/August 2023), the event zone restrictions operating on event and match days be reduced so that they operate from 1pm to 8.30pm.

View the Finance Committee documentation – see Item 3.

See a copy of the Event Zone notification letter delivered to residents and businesses dated 30 March 2023.

Event zone restrictions from August 2023

From the start of the 2023/24 football season in August 2023, the event zone restrictions will operate from 1pm to 8.30pm on all dates, including Sundays and bank holidays when AFC Wimbledon's first team have a home match.

View more information on AFC Wimbledon stadium event day restrictions.

Up to Current parking consultations

Updated: 25/08/2023