Strand-on-the-Green CPZ Hours to Remain Unchanged For Now

Consultation showed residents split on how it should operate

Six out of nine road supported keeping the restrictions the same

March 28, 2026

Hounslow Council is to keep the Strand-on-the-Green Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) unchanged following a consultation that was held earlier this year.

A survey of views showed residents remained split on whether parking hours should be altered and it has now been confirmed that the existing operating hours will stay in place while further work is carried out on shared-use bays.

The council’s latest review found that six of nine roads supported keeping the current operating hours, with 116 responses submitted — a 24% response rate. As a result, the CPZ will continue to run at:

• Monday to Friday: 10am–12 noon and 6pm–8pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 2pm–4pm

The decision follows repeated calls from Chiswick Riverside’s Conservative councillors for the council to avoid rushing through changes after an earlier consultation revealed sharply divided views. Residents had raised concerns that the process felt unsettled, with no clear majority emerging for any alternative timetable.

Strand-on-the-Green has long been one of the most sensitive parking areas in Chiswick, shaped by a mix of narrow residential streets, riverside visitor traffic, school-run pressures and commuter parking linked to Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury. The CPZ was originally introduced to protect residents from long-stay parking, but over time the balance between resident needs, visitor access and business activity has become harder to maintain.

Earlier proposals — including keeping the weekday morning restriction but removing evening and weekend controls — triggered strong reactions in both directions. Some residents argued that weekend and evening parking pressures had eased and controls were no longer needed; others warned that removing them would push more non-resident parking into already congested streets.

The council’s consultation asked residents to rank seven different operating schedules, as well as give views on whether the maximum stay period in shared-use bays should be removed. The results showed no overwhelming consensus, prompting councillors to argue that any immediate change risked deepening local frustration.

While the CPZ hours will remain unchanged for now, the council has committed to further analysis of the shared-use bays, including whether the maximum stay period should be removed in some or all bays and if certain bays should switch between resident-only and shared-use. It will also further consider how to balance resident protection with access for local businesses and visitors.

Any proposed changes will require a formal statutory consultation, which cannot begin until June at the earliest due to the upcoming local elections.

Cllr Peter Thompson, Conservative councillor for Chiswick Riverside, said, “Residents told us very clearly that this issue was not settled and that the Council should not rush into changes that would have left many people unhappy. We pushed for a more careful approach, and that has now happened. The current CPZ hours will stay in place for now, rather than the Council forcing through a change on the back of a very close and contested process.”

He added that the next phase must focus on the shared-use bays, where tensions remain between protecting residents and supporting local businesses.

Cllr Gabriella Giles said the decision reflected the strength of feeling on both sides adding, “We know parking is a very sensitive issue in Strand-on-the-Green, and residents had strong views in both directions. Our priority has been to make sure the Council actually listens, rather than trying to declare the matter settled when the first consultation showed just how divided opinion was.”

She encouraged residents to stay engaged ahead of the statutory consultation later this year.

The council will now carry out technical work on bay usage, parking patterns and local business needs before drafting any new proposals. Conservative councillors say they will continue pressing for evidence-based proposals, vlear explanations of any changes and a full consultation before decisions are finalised.