Glyn Road Car Park said to be very well used by school staff and care home visitors despite council claim it was “underperforming”, reports Clara Aberneithie

Glyn Road Car Park (credit Mannan Ahmed)

Local residents have launched a campaign to stop Enfield Council’s proposal to close a public car park in Southbury.

Residents say Glyn Road Car Park is almost always at maximum capacity, of around 100 vehicles, and is essential to the local community because of its proximity to both Southbury Station and Ponders End High Street.

However, Glyn Road is one of a number of council assets deemed either no longer necessary for “operational requirements”, not “fit for purpose” or said to be “underperforming”. The council announced it would put these assets up for sale in March 2024.

Local resident Mannan Ahmed said: “There are over 100 cars parked there on a daily basis, so for the council to argue that it is not useful is totally false – it is full up continuously. Sometimes we residents even have trouble parking there.

“Even if the council had approached the residents, proposing we buy allotted spaces or a yearly permit or something like that, it would be a step in the right direction. But that has not been proposed to anyone at any moment.

“The car park is covered by three wards – Ponders End, Carterhatch, and Brimsdown. I have personally written out emails to the relevant councillors and it seems as if one person just passes it on to another person.”

A consultation was opened by the council last month and is due to close on Wednesday, 23rd July. In response, the ‘Glyn Road Action Group’ is collecting paper and online petitions against its sale – the former has already amassed around 150 signatures.

The car park is used by teachers at Southbury Primary School and Kids Inc nursery, visitors to a care home, and workers from the nearby bus station. It is also used by those who live in the area who cannot park outside of their homes due to cycle lanes.

Rob Brassett, another local resident told the Dispatch: “It may be ‘underperforming’ for them financially, but it is not ‘underperforming’ in its benefit to the community.

“The main concern I have is taking away the parking for schoolteachers because they drive into London and sometimes have to pay Ulez [Ultra Low Emission Zone] and now might not have anywhere to park. It means teachers may leave the schools and the same applies for the nursery and care home.

“Also, if they sold it, a developer would probably go in there and develop on it. But where would people in those new houses now park? It would totally clog up Ponders End completely, it would be crazy.”

Brassett also explained that since he is partially sighted, he walks through the car park daily to get to the rail and bus station, in order to avoid the main junction which he finds difficult to navigate, particularly when it is dark during the winter months.

When cycle lanes were introduced in the area a few years ago, residents say there were told that parking would not be an issue, as they could always use the Glyn Road Car Park. They are now concerned that there will be no feasible parking.

The action group meet every other day to discuss the proposal, and its website can be found here.

A council spokesperson said: “The proposed sale of Glyn Road Car Park is part of our work looking at all council-owned land, helping us raise create an income for the council to support key services, invest in important local services and priorities, and build family sized affordable homes.

“However, a sale is just one of several options for Glyn Road Car Park that could be considered by the council. We would therefore encourage everyone to take part in the consultation, so we can review all responses and carefully assess the best way forward for the site and the wider community.”

To take part in the consultation:
Visit enfield.gov.uk/consultations/glyn-road-car-park

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