Traffic wardens not consulted over parking plans (From Croydon Guardian)

Traffic wardens not consulted over parking plans

10:31am Wednesday 21st August 2002 in

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Traffic wardens have joined residents and businesses battling against Croydon Council's proposed parking restrictions, says their union spokesman.

The traffic wardens are contracted to work until midnight but are angry about not being consulted about plans they say will extend their working day.

The 27 traffic wardens currently working in the borough from 7am-7pm, but fear they will face violence from motorists when the controlled parking zone hours are extended in the central zone to midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Malcolm Campbell, Croydon's Unison branch secretary said: "I will be complaining in writing to Gerry Ryan that we have had no consultation.

"If the traffic wardens were told they would have to work more hours for the same rate of pay we would definitely consider balloting for strike action.

"The health and safety issue is there because traffic wardens are some of the most vulnerable workers in terms of violence from the public.

"I don't agree with these new restrictions because even if everything is all right in terms of employing more workers and coming to a pay deal, the workers are still vulnerable to violence late at night."

Croydon Council spokesman said: "There's going to be no extension of working hours. There is already a reduced shift of nine parking attendants working till midnight.

"We're not going to recruit more parking attendants if the new restrictions go ahead. Existing staff will have to work till midnight.

"We'll have the nine workers initially and will monitor the situation regularly to see if it's necessary to increase the number of parking attendants working till midnight."