IATTENDED a public meeting at Lochaber Hall on May 28 to discuss with local residents and traders the implications of the council’s proposed controlled-parking zone (CPZ) in this area.

The hall was packed with more than 130 residents in attendance but, unfortunately, many who could not get in went away. It was a very lively meeting and, on a show of hands, more than 90 per cent of the residents present were against a CPZ.

Answering questions for the council were Phil Cunningham and Darien Goodwin. We pointed out to Mr Cunningham according to the results of the council’s own official survey, Manor Lane Terrace voted 18-7 against and Manor Lane voted 15-14 against. Yet the mayor and cabinet have agreed half of these two roads will be included in the new CPZ.

Now this is the best bit: it is called reversed democracy. Murillo Road voted 19-12 in favour of a CPZ but the mayor and cabinet have decided not to include this road in the scheme.

I will leave you with a final word from Phil Cunningham: “The mayor and cabinet have complete and final say in implementing CPZs.” So, at the end of the day, even if the vote against a CPZ was 100 per cent the mayor and cabinet could still ignore the residents’ wishes and implement a CPZ.

Gerard Ambrose Manor Lane Terrace Lewisham