Parking general information
Parking general information explains what we are responsible for, our priorities, our service standards and why parking restrictions are needed.
What do we do at Lambeth parking services?
We provide a service to all our residents, businesses and visitors, including motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users. Our aim is to ensure that Lambeth's limited on-street parking is shared fairly amongst all users and that roads stay safe and clear.
We are responsible for public roads and public car parks. There are a number of areas where we do not have authority. These are: red routes, which are managed by Transport for London, housing estates which are managed by the housing department (see council estates - parking) and private roads or land.
The money we receive from parking and traffic activities is spent on:
- improving parking facilities
- improving road safety, traffic management, condition of roads, footways and street lighting
- providing travel passes to older people and people with disabilities. The total spending by Lambeth on providing freedom passes for residents over 60 and residents with disabilities is over £5m.
What are the priorities of Lambeth parking?
- maintaining safety - vehicles parked on or near pedestrian crossings and junctions are a source of danger, obstructing the vision of motorists, pedestrians and other road users.
- managing congestion - parking on bus lanes and double yellow lines can cause congestion, leading to delays; it is important that we keep traffic moving.
- avoiding obstruction - vehicles blocking entrances or other vehicles can obstruct people from going about their daily lives; again causing frustration and delay.
- disabled residents’ parking needs - specific groups of individuals, such as people with disabilities, need designated parking spaces to be kept clear.
- Managing parking for residents’ benefit – with limited on-street parking we try to provide residents with as many parking choices as possible.
- business, doctor and visitor parking needs - businesses and services within Lambeth require designated parking areas to provide essential services.
Why do we need parking restrictions?
When you are desperate for somewhere to park, it is easy to think of yellow lines, bays for permit holders only and pay and display machines as nothing but a nuisance.
We have made rules to help increase safety and reduce congestion on our roads, as well as ensuring residents are provided with a place to park their car.
We will listen to your views and if appropriate, we will make changes to give more facilities; such as increasing the number of short-term parking bays and reducing double yellow lines where possible.
What can you expect from us?
That we will be fair, consistent and reasonable by:
- adopting the correct procedures and gathering all the available evidence when issuing a Penalty Charge Notice or removing a vehicle
- concentrating our efforts where illegal parking represents danger to road users and pedestrians
- monitoring all areas to maintain standards and prevent deterioration
- checking the quality of the service we provide and the PCNs we issue, ensuring our contractors work in line with the council's quality standard. If the contractors do not achieve the quality standards expected, then the council promises to penalise them.
How can you help?
You can:
- avoid using your car for journeys that are not essential
- consider alternative means of transport where possible
- tell us about illegal parking where you live or work
- take care to park legally.
Our services
- we provide resident, visitor and business parking permits for eligible people living or working within controlled parking zones.
- we maintain and enforce controlled parking zones in order to discourage commuter and long stay parking by people from outside the area.
- we provide parking shops that cater for services relating to parking, including paying parking penalties, applying for parking permits, getting general information on parking related issues, arranging for bay suspensions and registering early representations against Penalty Charge Notices.
Our service standards
- if you challenge or make a representation against the Penalty Charge Notice (parking ticket), no further action will be taken until a full reply has been sent to you.
- we will investigate the points raised in your letter/representation and make a decision as to whether or not the Penalty Charge Notice must be paid. Because we receive a high volume of letters, it may be a few months before you get a response from us. Please do not worry about this delay since no further action will be taken until you have received a reply.
- if we receive your letter within the discounted period and the investigations made by us show we cannot cancel the ticket, depending on the type of PCN we normally allow you another 14 or 21 days to pay at the reduced rate.
- if you make a representation against a removed vehicle we will investigate the case and respond to you within 56 days.
What is the council responsible for?
We are responsible for:
- yellow lines
- double parking
- residents' parking bays
- bus stops and some bus lanes
- some moving traffic offences
- disabled persons' parking bays
- parking in pay and display machine bays
- pavement parking
- Brixton multi-story car park
- off street parking sites at Norwood and Streatham
- overnight lorry parking
- school entrance markings
- pedestrian crossings and zigzag markings
- doctor and loading bays
- some taxi ranks
What are the police and Transport for London (TfL) responsible for?
The police and Transport for London (TfL) are responsible for:
- obstructions
- red lines
- some bus lanes (red routes)
Persistant Evaders - Transport for London enforces the London Congestion Charging. If they find a vehicle which has three or more Penalty Charge Notices outstanding they will clamp the car. Failure to pay means that they will remove the vehicle to their car pound.
If you think your car has been removed please call TRACE on 020 7747 4747.
TfL removal pound on telephone: 0870 850 1452.
Congestion Charging Vehicle Storage Car Pound
Depot Road
Off Wood Lane
White City
London
W12 7RP
Further information on red routes
Suspensions on Red Routes - To request a suspension on a Red Route for the purpose of house removals then please contact Transport for London on 0845 603 4545 (choose option two).
For information on red routes contact:
Transport for London
Faith Lawson House
15 Dacre Street
London
SW1H ONR
Telephone: 0845 305 1234
24-hours, 7 days a week parking offences
You can receive a Penalty Charge Notice any time night or day, Monday to Sunday, for some parking offences.
For example, you could receive a Penalty Charge Notice any time if you illegally park: on double yellow lines; on a footway (unless specifically exempted); in a disabled bay; on a pedestrian crossing; in bus lane where there are 24-hour restrictions; in a police or ambulance bay; in a bus stop; cycle path or in a taxi rank.
Parking for people with disabilities
Lambeth recognises the national blue badge scheme. This means that a blue badge holder can park legally in resident bays, business bays and pay and display bays. They can also park on single and double yellow lines for up to 3 hours as long as they display the clock next to their blue badge and as long as there is no loading ban in operation. Blue badge holders may not park in loading bays. For more information on the blue badge scheme, please contact 020 7926 5555 or see parking permits - blue badges.
The council has its own disabled parking permit scheme. This allows blue badge holders to park their own car in disabled bays without having to display their blue badge.
For more information on the Lambeth Disabled Parking Permit please contact 020 7926 5555 or see the Lambeth Disabled Parking Permit (white badge scheme) page.
Highway Code
The Highway Code is essential reading for everyone. It contains details of parking and traffic regulations and all the rules that apply to road users, including pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists, as well as motorcyclists and car drivers.
The code contains details on parking and traffic legislation. It will help you to ensure you do not break the law; knowing and applying the rules of the Highway Code could significantly reduce road accident casualties. Cutting the number of deaths and injuries that occur on our roads every day is a responsibility we all share.
Parking at a funeral
The London Borough of Lambeth allows a parking exemption at funerals for the hearse and the lead funeral vehicle. A driver must remain in each car at all times so that they can move the vehicle in case it causes an obstruction or becomes a security risk.
Vehicles driven by others attending the funeral must park according to the parking regulations, please make sure that any visiting mourners are made aware of this fact.
Loading and unloading observation time
Where loading and unloading is allowed it must begin within two minutes of the vehicle parking up and be continuous for the time allowed.