Blacked out parking signs thought to be indication of anger and frustration at Barnet Council’s pay-by-phone parking charges in Mays Lane

Anger among Underhill residents over Barnet Council’s imposition of parking charges outside a parade of shops in Mays Lane is said to be a likely reason why parking signs have been obliterated with black paint.

After six months of protests and petitions the council’s cabinet has finally agreed to re-think the scheme – and there is every indication the parking restrictions and charges will be dramatically scaled back.

Instead of all-day charging the council is examining a proposal to limit this to one hour – between 2pm and 3pm – when a pay-by-phone parking charge would apply.

If the council agrees, parking would again be free in the service road in front of the six shops, except for the one hour when charges would apply.

Parking restrictions at the Mays Lane parade would then be in line with the adjoining CPZ where there is a 2pm to 3pm restriction when parking is only permitted by residents with parking permits.

A one-hour ban in the early afternoon is intended to prevent all-day free parking – and the same principle would apply outside the Mays Lane shops preventing cars being left all day.

Almost immediately when the parking charges were introduced at the start of the year, Mays Lane traders complained bitterly about a dramatic loss in business as regular customers, who made brief stops outside the shops, were intimidated by the restrictions and pay-by-phone charging.

Charges apply from Monday to Saturday, from 8am to 6.30pm, for a maximum stay of one hour – a requirement which the traders claim is out of all proportion and is intended solely to boost the council’s income from parking charges.

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet (15.6.2026), Councillor Alan Schneiderman who leads on the environment and climate change, indicated that the council was “minded” to lift all-day charging and opt instead for a one-hour restriction to discourage all day parking.

Council officials have been asked to examine the practicalities of bringing this into effect and a decision will be made within 20 days (by mid-July).

A petition calling on the council to think again was presented by Gina Theodorou on behalf of the Quinta Green Residents Association and Underhill Residents Group.

She said the six shops on the parade depended on customers being able to make brief stops in the service road, but they were now faced with having to pay the highest parking charges in the borough when many of their customers resisted using the pay-by-phone system.

The impact of the charges had been dramatic:

Coopers of Barnet had received countless complaints and the restrictions felt like the “final straw” after 40 years’ business in Mays Lane.

Mays Pets – the last remaining independent pet shop in the borough – had lost 50 per cent of its takings and had been forced to lay off staff.

Much as she did not condone vandalism, Ms Theodorou thought the painting over of the parking signs reflected “the depth of local anger” when other parades of shops had free periods and when the restrictions failed to align with the nearby CPZ.

“Please instruct officials to carry out an immediate review and engage with the traders – once the shops are gone, they cannot be replaced.”

Ms Theodorou was supported by the newly elected Underhill Councillor Josh Tapper who proposed a continuing restriction with charging between 2pm and 3pm but otherwise free parking which would incentivise local people to use the shops while discouraging all-day parking.

Councillor Schneiderman explained that the rationale for introducing parking charges outside the Mays Lane shop was that the service road was midway between two CPZs and if it was left uncontrolled, there was a danger people would park there free all day.

However, he accepted that the idea of limiting charging to an hour – and bringing it into line with the CPZ – “did make sense”.

Councillors were keen to listen, and he hoped the solution which had been suggested would prove acceptable.

Ms Theodorou agreed that local business would be prepared to look at the compromise which had been proposed.