A furious Croydon resident is determined to battle controversial council plans to extend controlled parking zones into her neighbourhood believing it could create parking nightmares.

Maureen Thomas, of Hartley Road, says she will “shout and scream” after the council heard objections to proposals on July 12.

The traffic management advisory committee agreed to the new controlled parking zone (CPZ) in the Princess Road area, covering several other streets including hers.

However, the plans have split the neighbourhood with some people supporting the zone.

It follows after signs were put up by the council warning motorists of temporary parking restrictions which were “installed too early due to an administrative error”.

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Photo: Maureen Thomas

Ms Thomas said: “I came home to get ready to go to the meeting because yesterday's meeting was about looking and addressing the recommendations and the objections.

“I couldn't believe it. I came home and, on the road, they had the signs up. ‘This bay has been suspended from the 16th to the 18th [of July] to put the marking up,’ then it had a sign up, ‘Parking - Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm’.

“And I'm thinking, 'Wait a minute, the meeting is at 6.30pm! It's only 5pm!'

“Something like that is not done in a day, something like that is pre-planned. You have to do the signs, you have to organise someone to have to put them out.

“That is something that's done weeks and months in advance.”

On July 17, a Croydon Council spokesman the signs were for road markings only but they were not a pre-emptive decision from the committee.

However, the authority has apologised following the mistake.

Documents released by the council post-consultation show a range of views – some think it “will not make a difference” while others think the 18 percent response rate was too low.

Concerns arose because there could be more drivers living in flats within the area, possibly meaning more cars than parking spaces, while petitions the council received “should have remained” in those roads.

Ms Thomas sent in her petition to the council, which received more than 100 signatures, alongside another from Boulogne Road.

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Photo: Maureen Thomas

Shifa Mustafa, executive director of the council’s place department, said: “The council is aware that a number of houses in the borough have been converted into flats.

“Therefore, the council has made a conscious decision to allow a maximum of two permits per property with the cost of the second permit at £126 – rather than £80 – which has the effect of reducing the demand for second permits.

“If the informal consultation was only carried out in Boulogne Road and Princess Road and the residents voted for a controlled parking scheme to be introduced, then this would have the potential to displace vehicles from Boulogne Road and Princess Road into neighbouring streets, like St Saviours Road. "

She added the 18 percent response rate is considered “average” for this type of consultation.

Low responses could be because of more properties being rented, where residents may feel “they are not entitled” to vote.

However, of those who did respond the majority (55 percent) were in favour of parking bays being introduced.