Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Darris Close, Hayes – Objection received to Proposed Waiting Restrictions
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Democratic Services Location: Phase II DDI: 01895 250185 CMD No: 2026/1780 To: COUNCILLOR WAYNE BRIDGES CABINET MEMBER FOR RESIDENTS SERVICES c.c. All Members of the Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee c.c. Dan Kennedy, Corporate Director of Residents Services c.c. Caroline Haywood, Residents Services c.c. Ward Councillors for Yeading Date: 05 August 2026 Non-Key Decision request Form D Darris Close, Hayes – Objection Received to Proposed Waiting Restrictions Dear Cabinet Members, Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Thursday 13 August 2026 in order to meet Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied and return it to me when you have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. Liz Penny Democratic Services Title of Report: Darris Close, Hayes – Objection Received to Proposed Waiting Restrictions Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ……………………………………………………… Date…………………….. Cabinet Member for Residents Services Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 1 DARRIS CLOSE, HAYES – OBJECTION RECEIVED TO PROPOSED WAITING RESTRICTIONS Cabinet Member Lead Councillor Wayne Bridges Cabinet Member for Residents Services Chief Officer responsible Dan Kennedy - Corporate Director, Residents Services Report author Caroline Haywood – Resident Services Report classification and reason Public Relevant Committee Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee Electoral Ward Yeading 1. Executive Summary To inform the Cabinet Member that objections have been received to the proposed ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions on Darris Close, Hayes. There are no costs associated with the recommendations in this report. 2. Recommendations That the Cabinet Member for Residents Services: 1. Considers the objections received from the statutory consultation for the proposed ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions on Darris Close, Hayes. 2. D oes not approve the introduction of the proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions on Darris Close, Hayes, as shown at Appendix B to this report. 3. Ask officers to investigate further if footway parking would be a viable option. 3. Reasons for decision These reflect the views of the objectors and local Ward Councillors. Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 2 4. Proposal 1. Darris Close is a residential cul -de-sac within yeading Ward. The road has 19 properties, which all have off street parking for at least one vehicle. Vehicles are allowed to park both sides of the road. There are existing yellow lines on its junctions with Strone Way and in the turning area at the end of the road. A plan of the area is shown on Appendix A to this report. 2. The Council received a request from a resident for measures to deter vehicles from parking outside No 13 which they say restricts access when cars park on the other side of the road creating a chicane. They feel yellow lines would improve access to the dead-end part of the road. A table of the resident’s concerns is attached as Appendix C to this report. As a consequence, a detailed site investigation was undertaken by Council officers. 3. Officers did not observe vehicles parked in this area during the daytime. However, the resident has provided several photos showing the issues in the evening time which will be sent separately to the Cabinet Member and Ward Councillors in order to assist in the decision-making process, as there are too many to include with this report. Vehicles were parking on both sides of the road creating a chicane effect. These vehicles might restrict access for large vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engines. 4. As a result of the detailed investigations, two options were developed and the residents were informally consulted on both options. Of the 19 properties consulted eight responded. One supported option 1, four supported option 2 and three did not support either of the options. 5. As a result of the informal consultation, option two was agreed in principle by the Cabinet Member, in order to keep this area clear of parked cars to improve forward visibility and promote road safety. The proposed ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions are shown on the plan attached as Appendix B of this report. 6. The Cabinet Member agreed to take the proposal through the statutory 21-day consultation process, which involved the placing of advertisements in the local press and the display of public notices on site. During this period, the Council received four objections and a petition against the proposal. 7. The first objector stated “All the houses are at least four bedrooms or more, which means a considerable amount of adults with cars. Seeing as the council feels fit to allow homeowners to convert garages to dwellings and to build on their driveways and turn properties into HMO’s, which houses multiple driving adults with more cars. Now, you're telling them they can’t park on the road outside of their property, The other alternative for parking is Broadmead Road, for people who use Broadmead Road know, it is chaotic most of the time. Hardly a week goes past without seeing damage to cars.” 8. The second objector stated "In our household we own ... cars and unfortunately only space for ......... on the driveway..........., we lived here for ....... and know other neighbours cars. On day to day bases there is 5 cars parked on the street sometimes 6. ……... If the new double yellow lines are going to be added it will limit us to 3/4 spaces to be able to park. We will Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 3 have to park on the street next to it Strone Way which the people there are not too happy about as I had to park there before……….” 9. The third objector stated “We strongly opposed to this proposal on the following grounds: At this present time, we are already disadvantaged and regularly experience difficulty in gaining access to our property due to current parking restrictions -parking on the pavement only on our side of the road. Leaving limited parking spaces for cars to park. We have to walk in the road to go around vehicles to gain access to the path to our house as the pavement is consistently blocked. We would also like to highlight that also whilst wheels of vehicles technically may not actually be on the dropped kerb to our drive other parts of vehicles restrict our access to our drive. We are constantly boxed in and your proposal will make access to our home even more awkward. A neighbour .....................................so Hillingdon Council have contributed inadvertently to parking limitations. If Hillingdon Council truly consider that double lines were really necessary and is the safest option in the Close, why didn’t they consider what would cause the minimum disorder. Only three houses would be affected if the yellow lines on the opposite side on the proposal whereas at least five houses would be impacted on the current proposal. Parking would only be available from No 2 to No 6 Darris Close as from No 7 to the end of the cul -de-sac have extended drop kerbs. Therefore only 4- 5 vehicles would only have availability to park whereas if parking was available from 13 – past 15 Darris Close, there would be parking for 6-7 vehicles. There will no doubt be further impact on the residents in the Strone Way and other surrounding roads as the overflow parking of vehicles from Darris Close. We request you consider the objections and propose amendment to either: Remove restrictions all together or Placing parking on the pavement to other side of the street or move the proposal to the other side where the impact will be considerably less.” 10. The fourth objector stated " Residents have not been provided with any objective evidence showing that Darris Close suffers from a recurring obstruction problem that prevents access for emergency services or refuse vehicles, or that the proposed extents are necessary…….. In day-to-day use, Darris Close remains passable. Refuse collection is routinely carried out and residents are not aware of any substantiated pattern of emergency service access being prevented…….. The proposed restriction is also difficult to reconcile with the wider area, where other nearby residential roads are similarly narrow and yet parking continues on both sides without equivalent restrictions. This inconsistency undermines the assertion that an extensive double-yellow-line extension in Darris Close is a proportionate response. If the Council believes there is a genuine highway safety/access risk, it should explain why Darris Close is being treated differently from comparable surrounding streets………” 11. The petition with 42 signatures states “While the proposed change may appear minor, it would have a significant and disruptive impact on daily life for residents. The proposal to restrict parking on only one side of the road creates an inherently unfair and unbalanced outcome. Both sides of Darris Close are used equally by residents, visitors, carers, and delivery vehicles, yet only one side is being targeted. This inconsistency raises serious Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 4 concerns around equity and fairness for those affected. Parking on Darris Close is already limited. Introducing double yellow lines would further reduce available spaces, disproportionately impacting certain households particularly those without driveways leaving them with no practical parking options. The proposal also offers no alternative parking solutions or mitigation for affected residents. In addition, these restrictions risk creating unnecessary tension within the community and make access more difficult for essential service providers such as carers, delivery drivers, and tradespeople. Pushing vehicles further away from homes may also raise safety and accessibility concerns. Residents strongly believe that a more balanced and inclusive solution can be found, one that considers the needs of all who live on and use Darris Close, without unfairly disadvantaging part of the road.” 12. The parking issues were discussed at the Council’s Traffic Liaison Meeting with the emergency Services. The Fire Brigade have undertaken a test run on Darris Close between 3pm and 4pm and cars were parked on the road at the time which didn’t affect their progress to the end of the road but they stated “we can’t speak for when cars are parked in greater numbers.” 13. The local Ward Councillors have been consulted, and both have responded not supporting the proposal and have requested if footway parking could be considered instead. 14. After careful consideration of the comments received from the statutory consultation and the thoughts of the local Ward Councillors, it is recommended that the Cabinet Member agrees not to proceed with the proposed ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions on Darris Close, Hayes in Appendix B to this report, but asks officers to look into the option of footway parking. 5. Corporate implications Financial (mandatory) Y Equalities impact assessment Legal (mandatory) Y Workforce Alternative options (mandatory) Y Public Health Risk management (mandatory) Y External partners Asset Communications Procurement Committee comments Planning Digital Climate Change Other a) Financial There are no costs associated with the recommendations to this report. b) Legal The Council’s power to implement the proposed ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions on Darris Close, Hayes is set out in section 6 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The consultation and order- making statutory procedures to be followed are set out in Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 5 Regulation Act 1984 and the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedures) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996. Consultation must also meet the standard set by established common law principles in public law, namely fairness and adequacy. When introducing ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions, Part 5 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 set out the signage requirements, which must be observed. In exercising any of the powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, section 122 of the 1984 Act requires the Council to consider its statutory duty to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic ( including pedestrians), and the provision of suitable and adequate parking facilities on and off the highway. These powers must be exercised so far as practicable having regard to the following matters: (a) the desirability of securing and maintaining reasonable access to premises; (b) the effect on the amenities of any locality affected and the importance of regulating and restricting the use of roads by heavy commercial vehicles, so as to preserve or improve amenities of the areas through which the roads run; (c) the national air quality strategy; (d) the importance of facilitating the passage of public service vehicles and of securing the safety and convenience of persons using or desiring to use such vehicles; and (e) any other matters appearing to the Council to be relevant. Moreover, the Council has various statutory duties in relation to road safety, such as under section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004, which are relevant when deciding on road traffic measures. To this end, the report and consultation responses do refer to the topic of road safety. Pursuant to established public law principles on consultation, the decision maker, when deciding on progress of the proposal for waiting restrictions, must be satisfied that all responses, including those that do not accord with the officer's recommendation , were conscientiously taken into account. Regulation 13 of the Local Authorities’ Traffic Orders (Procedures) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996 also requires the Council to consider all objections made. In this instance, the consultation responses included a number of objections to the proposed waiting restrictions, which have helped to inform the recommendation not to introduce them, but, in light of concerns raised, the report author has in instead recommended that the Council explore other options. The Council must also be continually mindful of its public sector equality duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. c) Alternative options The Council could decide to proceed with the installation of the ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions as advertised. Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 6 d) Risk management There will be no changes to the existing parking arrangement. e) Other implications Nil 6. Consultation & engagement Consultation has been carried out on this proposal through a notice on site and in the local press. Local Ward Councillors have also been consulted. 7. Timetable for implementation There is no further action. List of appendices attached Appendix A - Location Plan Appendix B - Plan of Proposal Appendix C – Table of comments from concerned resident List of Background Papers • Traffic order • Objection emails • petition Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 7 APPENDIX A – LOCATION PLAN Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 8 APPENDIX B – PLAN OF PROPOSAL Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 9 APPENDIX C – Table of comments from concerned resident Comments from resident concerned with parking Listed newest to oldest 1 To be clear, I am not surprised that a petition has been raised. As you will be aware, the restrictions introduced many years ago were implemented specifically because pedestrians could not safely walk along the pavement when vehicles were parked with two wheels on it. That was the original reason for the restriction. However, the situation has now changed significantly. Instead of two‑wheel pavement parking on that side, vehicles are now routinely parking with all four wheels fully on the road itself, and this is what has created the current danger. The width of Darris Close simply cannot accommodate four ‑wheel parking on that side without obstructing the carriageway, restricting access and visibility, and preventing residents from safely exiting their driveways. It is becoming clear that the decision taken at the time did not fully consider the actual width of the road and the obvious side‑effects of forcing vehicles to park entirely on the carriageway. The current arrangement is less safe for drivers, residents, and emergency access. Given this, I believe the current proposal should be reconsidered. Instead of installing double yellow line s, the more appropriate and safer solution would be to retract that decision and reinstate controlled two‑wheel pavement parking on the same side of the road, which is what previously allowed the road to remain passable and free of obstruction. Furthermore, it is not appropriate to leave a well ‑known safety issue to be decided by residents, especially when the Council is already aware of the road layout limitations and the long‑ standing hazard. Safety measures should be based on evidence, not on petitions. I must also point out that the petition appears to include signatures from people who do not live on Darris Close, and in some cases from residents of the private road, whose vehicles should not be parking on Darris Close in the first place. This undermines the validity of the objections. For years I have provided consistent, clear evidence of blocked access, dangerous parking behaviour, and inability of residents to safely exit their drives. If these safety measures are not implemented, I can assure you the road will again become fully blocked, as it has many times before. Should that occur, and with so much evidence already provided, the Council will need to answer for having failed to act to prevent a known hazard. I trust this will be taken into consider ation when the Cabinet Member reviews the objections. 2 Another evening passes and another risk for residence that can be easily tackled with restrictive parking. 3 @Safe Roads, when can you make our roads safe? 4 Ok thanks I hope you are noting down the photos sent and the blocks its causing the roads. Super hazardous! 5 Can this be expedited its getting really bad. Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 10 6 Thanks, I appreciate that. We have been asking you for years about this. 7 Hi, What is the update here? How come it takes forever to get any updates from you? When will these partial double yellow lines be laid outside number 13 and 14 Darris close to prevent this from happening again? 8 This was reported to you back a few years ago and the response then you gave was inadequate! 9 Dear Parking Enforcement Team, Thank you for your response. However, I must express concern regarding the handling of the situation on 19th October. I personally witnessed one of your officers taking photographs of the road blockage, which clearly showed that access was obstructed from both ends. Given this clear evidence, I am struggling to understand why the matter was not escalated further. Was this not within your jurisdiction to report to Safer Roads or the relevant authority managing road safety and access? If not, could you please clarify who is responsible for such escalations when public access is visibly blocked? This issue has been ongoing and continues to pose a safety risk to residents. I would appreciate a more proactive approach moving forward, especially when there is photographic evidence and eyewitness accounts confirming the obstruction. Looking forward to your clarification and next steps. 10 @Safe Roads - this is another example of the road been blocked, along with ongoing restriction of vehicles passing. 11 When will these double yellow lines be installed on the side where there are already restriction on parking? Residents cannot even reverse their vehicles out their driveway without ease. 12 Still ongoing. 13 Can you ask your manager to call me again please as mentioned already? 14 Actually, the vehicle XXXX is still parking in a hazardous way and we cannot reply upon this evasive behaviour. 15 Dear XXX, I hope you are well. Could you please ask your manager to give me a call regarding the Darris Close parking situation? Since your letter went out, the XXX with registration XXX appears to be parking more considerately and is not currently causing disruption. I would like to discuss this matter further and explore whether a formal letter can be sent to the resident to reinforce this positive change and state this should not happen again as the consequences will be double yellow lines. Additionally, I have not received a reply to my last email and would appreciate an update on the next steps. Please let me know a suitable time for your manager to contact me, or if you require my phone number. Many thanks for your attention. Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 11 16 Dear Safer Roads Team, Thank you for reviewing my initial response. I am writing to continue and expand on my concerns, as I had run out of space previously. The residents on my side of Darris Close will not accept the current proposal of your option 1, as it does not adequately mitigate the ongoing hazard. As previously mentioned, the XXX with registration XXXX, ..........., is the primary cause of obstruction, creating a blind spot and a persistent safety risk. If Option 2 is not implemented, this issue will remain unresolved. The road simply does not have sufficient width to safely accommodate a parked vehicle in that particular location. Additionally, there are significant restrictions for residents at Number 6 when reversing out of their driveway, and I am personally affected when trying to exit from the right - hand side of my own drive. I have attached supporting documentation to help illustrate these concerns. I strongly recommend that you write directly to the owner of the XXX at XXX Darris Close, advising that double yellow lines will be enforced under Option 1 if parking continues in this manner. This would serve as a fair warning and encourage more considerate parking behaviour. It’s important to note that further up the same side of the road, we do not experience similar issues. I therefore suggest that restrictions do not extend all the way to the end of the street. I understand your manager mentioned that this could simply move the problem further up the road, but based on my observations, this is unlikely. I have not seen any significant issues with vehicle access from the entrance of the street onward. I appreciate your time and consideration, and I hope this feedback helps guide a more effective and targeted solution. 17 Constant hazardous illegal parking taking place 18 Please see attached this is regular occurrence and as you can see the access to Darris close end is now restricted and no cars can pass through. 19 Dear XXX, Thank you for your update. Could you please confirm when the double yellow lines are expected to be implemented? The parking hazard on Darris Close is occurring daily, and it’s becoming increasingly frustrating for myself and other neighbours. The situation poses a consistent safety risk, and we’re keen to see progress on this matter as soon as possible. I appreciate your efforts and look forward to your update following the Cabinet Member meeting. 20 Please ask your manager to call me, I am free now. 21 I am at home tomorrow and Thursday as your manager called and said he was visiting site this week... 22 Please see this is happening every day in the evenings and on the weekends day and night. I will continue to log this daily on the council portal and residence will do the same on this portal who are now actively going to be reporting this until actions are taken. 23 Another update for you. This happened all weekend, do you need more footage or pictures to back up this claim? I would like to speak to your manager please? Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 12 24 Thanks. However I have been providing you evidence of pictures and videos for a long time and not sure where the disconnect is? I have also encouraged residents to use this form to press for resolution. 25 This continues to keep happening! 26 @Safe Roads if this is concern for the council does it need reporting to the police. This is just too dangerous it's a blind spot for pedestrians as well as emergency vehicles not able to pass. Do you need to see a fatal collision before you act?? 27 I have repeatedly mentioned the dangerous parking of this XXX please can you take action as previously advised many times. 28 This is still happening again. There were again close collision which raises safety road concerns. It will just be a matter of time for a fatality to happen! 29 I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to follow up regarding the parking wardens' visits. Unfortunately, their presence seems to be exacerbating the situation rather than resolving it. When they arrive, they inadvertently encourage the offending vehicle to move onto the road, which is the primary issue. I am surprised that this has not been addressed, as it appears the wardens are not fully aware of the impact of their actions. Currently, the vehicle in question is not causing any disruption and should be allowed to park on the curb on the restricted side. To mitigate this issue, I kindly request that the parking wardens refrain from issuing tickets on that side. This approach should help alleviate the problem. Thank you for your attention to this matter. 30 I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the ongoing parking issues on Darris Close, Hayes. Despite previous communications and clear evidence provided, no effective action has been taken to address the hazards posed by improperly parked vehicles. Safety Concerns: The current safer road department are inadequate for making informed decisions about safety. The narrowness of the road and the frequent obstruction by parked vehicles create a significant risk for accidents. Repeated Offenses: Parking war dens have repeatedly observed the same XXX parked on double yellow lines. When asked to move, the offender simply relocates the vehicle to the same position, continuing to restrict access to the road. Complete Blockage: Today, residents have parked on the opposite side of the obstructing vehicle, making it impossible for any vehicle to pass through. This issue was reported previously by another resident, yet it persists. The action required has already been stated: the double yellow lines need to be extended across number 13, just as they were extended on the opposite side. Additionally, one side of Darris Close is restricted to curb parking, and double yellow lines were implemented at the top of Darris Close to mitigate the same concerns we are facing today a long time ago. I do not understand why no action has been taken despite the clear evidence of a hazard. The situation is urgent and requires immediate attention to pr event potential accidents and ensure the safety of all road users. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Executive Decision Report Cabinet Member 5 August 2026 Classification: Part 1 Public Page 13 31 This is happening again. I do not understand why you are not taking action . you have been provider with clear evidence of a hazard and you are still not undertaking action necessary? 32 Thank you for your response regarding the parking issues on Darris Close, Hayes. I would like to emphasize the significant danger posed by the current parking situation. The narrowness of the available road space has led to multiple incidents where vehicles have clipped the offending parked car. This is not just an inconvenience but a serious hazard that could lead to more severe accidents. Moreover, the current parking arrangement is extremely worrying as it affects emergency vehicle access. In the event of an emergency, the inability of fire trucks, ambulances, or police vehicles to navigate the road swiftly could have dire consequences for the residents. Additionally, on the left -hand side of Darris Close, curb parking is allowed, while on the right-hand side, curb parking is not allowed. This vehicle parking this way causes restriction and prevents cars from parking outside their own driveways at numbers 6 and 7, causing further inconvenience and potential hazards. To mitigate these risks, I strongly urge the Council to extend the double yellow lines around the bend, similar to what was done for the turning head point years back. This extension is crucial as it impacts all vehicles that pass houses from number 6 to 12 Darris Close. This measure is essential to ensure the safety of all road users and to maintain clear access for emergency services. I understand the need for resident support, but the immediate danger and potential for serious incidents necessitate prompt action. I hope the Council will consider the urgency of this matter and take the necessary steps to address it. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I have attached 2 pictures so you can visualize this concern. 33 This is a real hazard due to the narrowness of the available part of the road to pass by on and has been causing cars to clip the offending vehicle. I would hope you would address this.