Mandela Way parking and loading arrangements to be reviewed

A thread on the SE1 forum in early December revealed several instances of motorists who had received fines when they stopped in Mandela Way on a Saturday morning to collect a parcel from the Southwark Delivery Office which covers all addresses in SE1 and SE16.

Southwark Council leader Peter John promised to look into the matter and to ask the parking enforcement service not to target visitors to the Royal Mail depot.

"After posting last time I took steps to ensure that the mobile parking camera was not deployed in this area of Mandela Way – and I understand that this happened," wrote Cllr John on 16 December.

"I have also asked for a longer term solution to be looked at – the sort of parking bays that people have been discussing on this thread."

"Until that longer term change to the parking is introduced I can only urge everyone to use Willow Walk to park when collecting parcels. There is a path through to the sorting office."

Several people who received parking fines also contacted Simon Hughes MP who last week wrote to Southwark Council urging them to review the arrangements.

"It seems completely illogical to me that people are not allowed legally to park outside the Royal Mail sorting office even for short periods of time," said Simon Hughes.

"All year round, but especially at Christmas, the reason many people visit the sorting office is to collect post which is important to them or parcels which may be too heavy or too large to easily carry home on foot or on public transport.

"I have therefore called on the council to change the parking restrictions outside them sorting office on Mandela Way so that people can park their cars for up to half an hour, allowing enough time to collect their post.

"Even if short-term parking is only available in three or four spaces, this would help local residents collect their post and parcels without risking parking fines or having to walk longer distances back to buses or their cars."