Please allow the People Parking Bay in Hackney to remain for at least the summer in order to gauge public support for a 'parklet' programme in Hackney.
Why is this important?
We would like to see a people parking bay or parklet in every street in Hackney.
The provision of official parklets by Hackney Council in three locations in Hackney in three years is welcome and we recognise Hackney is ahead of the curve in London. However, it will take a millennium to have a significant impact on the parking environment in Hackney.
Therefore, we would like to work with the Council to develop a community and business led 'parklet' programme that will allow people and businesses to invest in the public realm. This experimental community parklet allows the gauging of public support for such an idea. Please do let the experiment run its course.
The bay is very popular with residents and passers by. The visitor book has hundreds of positive comments: https://goo.gl/photos/gUA8bbtaMamuCcUC8
Walking is the most common way for people to get around in Hackney but while car parking dominates kerbside space there is little provision for pedestrians to rest. Many people, including older and disabled people, and people with kids need regular rest stops while walking, and pavements are too narrow for walking let alone placing benches on them.
The popularity of this people parking bay is demonstrating that resting spots for pedestrians are likely to very popular.
The people parking bay was a lead article in Local Transport Today. https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/parking-review/news/53699/hackney-resident-wants-to-convert-parking-bays-into-people-places
www.peopleparkingbay.com
