Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ealing Conservatives have petitioned the council over its controversial Stop and Shop parking scheme, citing local opposition and urging a full review.
Due to contentious proposals on how drivers can access Stop & Shop parking slots, the Labour-run Ealing Council has come under heavy fire from Ealing Conservatives, who claim the action will penalize locals and negatively affect the borough’s struggling high streets.
At yesterday’s (10 June 2025) full council meeting, Ealing Broadway Councillor Seema Kumar brought a petition signed by 951 locals to draw attention to the proposed changes.
In order to receive free 30-minute short-stay parking, homeowners would have to dial a hotline or utilize the PayByPhone app.
Ealing Conservatives are calling on Ealing Council to drop what it calls a
“flawed proposal and listen to the people they are supposed to represent, not force them to jump through hoops just to support local shops.”
Cllr Kumar criticised the plans along with the cost to implement them. She said:
“Labour is putting up digital barriers that will punish residents and drive footfall away from our already struggling high streets.”
During the meeting, Kumar asked the cabinet member in charge, Councillor Paul Driscoll, about the £90,000 allocated for borough-wide signage replacement.
Councillor Driscoll was unable to provide an estimate of the increased revenue that the new system was anticipated to produce at the meeting.
Why are Ealing Tories petitioning against the Stop and Shop plans now?
Because the Labour-run Ealing Council wants to alter how vehicles access the free 30-minute short-stay parking, the Ealing Conservatives are now submitting a petition against the Stop and Shop plans.
In contrast to the previous method, which did not require registration, the new scheme will require people to register their free parking session either by phone or through the PayByPhone app.
The Conservatives contend that this reform will hurt local companies that are already struggling due to increased costs and cause annoyance to consumers, especially elderly and vulnerable individuals.
They contend that the registration requirement might discourage consumers from shopping on high streets, which would hurt business. The petition seeks to persuade the council to reevaluate or scrap the new registration scheme in light of the mounting local resistance.