Residents living within one of the boroughs controlled parking zones (CPZ) are able to purchase a resident parking permit providing they meet the criteria of having a vehicle registered at the address within the CPZ.
Residents' permits cost £60 per annum or quarterly for £24. The dearer cost of quarterly permits reflects the increased administrative costs of issuing permits quarterly.
The Secretary of State requires that we charge for permits (the zone must be self-financing) but Lewisham keeps the permit cost as low as possible.
At present there is no upper limit on how many permits a resident can purchase providing they meet the criteria set out above.
People occasionally comment that they have paid their road tax, and why therefore should they have to pay again to park outside their own house? In fact we each have an equal right to use the road; it is a public highway - we do not introduce Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) on private roads. When you buy a permit, you are paying to exclude other users during the CPZ operating times, usually commuters.
How to access the service
You will need to supply proof of residence in the form of your council tax book or your latest council tax bill, or be included on the electoral register.
You will also need to provide your vehicle registration document confirming that your vehicle is registered at the address for which the permit is required.
You can apply for a residents' permit for the zone in which you live, even if you live.
A residents' permit entitles you to park in any residents' bay in the zone for which your permit has been issued.
All permit application forms are available from the Parking Shop and AccessPoint Catford.
Temporary permits
You may need a temporary permit if you have just moved into a Lewisham CPZ, but do not yet have your Council Tax book or have not yet registered your vehicle at your new address.
To obtain a temporary permit you will need to take your car registration document to the Parking Shop and complete the relevant section to re-register the vehicle at your new address.
Staff at the Parking Shop will send this to the DVLA and will issue you with a one month Resident's Permit to cover the period until you receive your new vehicle registration.
Permits for company cars
If you have a company car and live within the zone you are entitled to apply for a Residents' Parking Permit for the company vehicle.
In addition to your Council Tax registration, or inclusion on the electoral register, you will need to provide a copy of your vehicle's registration document and a letter from your employer on their headed paper confirming you as the authorised driver/keeper of the vehicle. Please ensure the letter quotes the registration number of the vehicle.
What happens next?
Your permit will have the letters denoting the zone to which it applies clearly on it. Each set of parking bays will have a sign stating which zone it is in and the type of parking permitted in it.
Your permit does not entitle you to a space outside your own house. There are places where space is at such a premium that a permit will not necessarily guarantee you a space in your street, and you may occasionally have to park in an adjacent street.