Parking is a perennial problem in Radlett. There is a huge car park behind the main shops (Newberries Car Park) but many people either don't know it is there or don't use it because they will then have to walk a few feet to the shops. There are also parking bays in front of the shops but these are full much of the time. Some are looked after by the local council but others are privately owned by shops and restrictions on the latter are rarely enforced.

It has all been chaos for some years as the Police simply withdrew from enforcing parking restrictions and the local council (Hertsmere) had to get legal enforcement powers before it could take over. This took some two and a half years.

But the new regime started at the end of January. You can park for free for one hour either in front of the shops or in Newberries Car Park. The second hour costs 50p in front of the shops but 35p in Newberries. You have to move after two hours in front of the shops but can stay in Newberries all day if you want (and are prepared to pay for it).

Wardens are making short random visits and are now issuing tickets. I largely approve of this because I think it is good to ensure a flow of cars to enable more people to use the local shops. the alternative will be that people will do all their shopping elsewhere, our local shops will close and we will have a high street full of estate agents, take-ways and hair salons. On refelction, we are already on the way to this but we still do have good local food shops like a greengrocers, two butchers and several shops selling baked goods. But we also have a Tesco Express which has proved a killer on many high streets..... More about that soon!