Council hits hurdles in 'botched' move to new parking system

Problems with the Waltham Forest Council’s new parking system MiPermit mean permit-bay enforcement has been paused for over a week now

The council’s “botched” move to a new parking system has been criticised by residents.

Waltham Forest Council had been due to switch from RingGo to MiPermit on Wednesday 1st July, with a two‑day pause in permit bay enforcement (29th and 30th June) while the changeover took place.

But this pause has been extended until at least tomorrow, (7th July), while the council attempts to ensure that migration issues are resolved.

Residents using the MiPermit app have encountered issues with its map, with their parking zones not appearing, leaving them unable to use it.

One resident writing on social media called for a “partial refund or permits extended by a week” due to the lack of enforcement, adding: “Paying for a service and not receiving it is not really acceptable.”

Some have told the Echo they have been put on hold for hours while trying to ring the support number provided by the council.

When the council first announced it was moving to MiPermit, it said the new parking provider would offer “faster approvals and simpler account management, allowing users to apply, pay, renew and track permit usage in one place”.

In a statement published on the council’s website, Waltham Forest deputy leader Eva Tabassam, said: “We are aware that some residents have been experiencing issues with the new MiPermit parking system. We know how frustrating this is, and we apologise to everyone who is experiencing issues.

“We will temporarily suspend enforcement for residential parking bays until 10am on Tuesday 7th July, when we will review the arrangements. We will make sure that no one is penalised because of the situation. This will apply to residents and any visitors they may expect.

“We are in constant dialogue with MiPermit sharing the issues that we know residents are experiencing with a view to finding resolutions as quickly as possible.

“We know that some people may need extra help with their account. We have arranged sessions for residents in our local libraries to make sure they have the support they need.

“Many residents have been asking about why we moved from RingGo to MiPermit. RingGo has exited the residential parking permit and will no longer be offering the service. This meant we needed to move to an alternative supplier to provide continuity of service.”

You can access information about using the MiPermit app here

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