Queues for parking permits - DISGRACE!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 13, 2011 at 10:24

As Hugh and John have pointed out, there has been useful work by the Council to shift a large part of the parking permit issue online. This is a sensible way to save time and money. (Although the wide variety of different parking permits for different CPZs may be a complicating factor.)

However, this is the real world and not some la la land designed by the IT department. In the real world people will turn up in person. And software systems won't always run according to design. In fact I'd be very curious to find out from HoL members how well - or not so well - the online systems are doing.

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Permalink Reply by Malcolm on October 13, 2011 at 11:25

Sadly the problems at the parking centre are not just bad systems (although they are dreadful), but also the staff who struggle with basic maths. Recently, having queued for well over an hour to get to see someone, it then took over 30 minutes to be issued with my visitor permits.

Some of the difficulty included the staff member working out the answers to questions like:

"If I want 16 permits and they are printed in sheets of 4, how many sheets should be printed?"

"If the limit is 120 hours and the customer wants 30x2 hour and 60x1 hour, is that OK?"

I was repeated assured that they "needed to check the prices by hand" as the "computer often adds things up wrong". Given the standards of numeracy on display, I'd suggest that's unlikely.

Since all that needed to be done was to type the number of vouchers I wanted into the computer and hit print, I am baffled by how long it took.

It's not made easier by the design of the forms which seem expressly designed to make it hard to work out how many vouchers at what total cost are being purchased - but this was more than just poor forms, it was innumerate workers.

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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on October 13, 2011 at 16:17

Poor Maths teachers! I wondered when the crap was going to land on their heads.

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Permalink Reply by Hugo Read on November 4, 2011 at 7:59

For me the online system was fine, but I only used it after first going into the 'Customer Services Centre' or whatever other name that god-forsaken building is and immediately turning round after a security guy told me the queue was probably about an hour and a half.  It looked every minute of it.

However, the problem is that the vouchers arrived about two weeks after I ordered them online (longer than it says on the website) and I only ordered them after I ran out.  So basically, the problem is that most people with busy lives realise they need vouchers NOW and can't wait a couple of weeks.  It's just about the immediacy of it.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 13, 2011 at 11:51

COPY

----- Original Message -----
From : Alan Stanton, Tottenham Hale ward councillor
To: Julie Parker, Director of Corporate Resources
Cc: Cllr Joe Goldberg
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 11:40 AM
Subject: Issue of Parking Permits - current problems

Dear Ms Parker,

I understand you may be the senior officer trying to sort out problems with the issue of parking permits.

For some time I have been hearing about what seem to be long queues; as well as some delays in issuing permits online. Recently the issue has been raised in this thread on Haringey Online Community website.

Could I please ask that you read the thread and let me have your thoughts.

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 13, 2011 at 13:53

So twenty minutes queuing and then fifteen minutes actually issuing Visitor's permits. Have I got that right? Was it a  simple straightforward transaction? Or was there some glitch with the documents?

Anyone else got direct recent experience of how well the system works?

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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on October 13, 2011 at 16:17

Yes, the real life queue worked smoothly for me about three weeks ago. Join the queue, have your papers ready and your form filled correctly. Get to know your fellow queuers (watch that spelling), calm down the heavy breathers, deep meaningful sighers and ceiling eyers. Best carry a good book of poetry, or even a book of good poetry in your rucksack. Or better still, the Irish Times.

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Permalink Reply by tigha on October 18, 2011 at 21:11

Interestingly i have heard complaints on here about this previously, but have to say my experience over the last 15years is that i am always in and out 10-15mins- no prob although havent been for about 5months now- but thanks for on-line link as have just ordered there- much easier

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Permalink Reply by Sue on October 18, 2011 at 22:08

A couple of months ago I arrived just after 4pm, was told the centre was closed for issuing visitors parking permits (even though it doesn't close until 5pm) - to cut a very long story short, after half an hour of unnecessary discussion, I requested to see the manager. I explained the ridiculous situation I was in, how I work full time and can't come at 8.15 to queue before the centre is open, how I wanted to spend £60 and they were turning me away blah blah blah - She then advised that someone had miraculously become available and would issue my permits. I hope now that these can be issued online I never have the need to go to that place again - it was an absolute joke. I did a formal complaint and received feedback which was appreciated but I feel really sorry for those people less able to fight their corner than myself.  

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 27, 2011 at 19:41

Below is the reply from Julie Parker, Haringey's Director of Corporate Services, responding to my email here on 13 October about problems with Parking permits raised in this thread.

----- Original Message -----

From: Parker Julie
To: Cllr Stanton Alan
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 7:20 PM
Subject: Issue of Parking Permits - current problems

Dear Cllr Stanton,

Thank you for your comments regarding the service received in the Customers Services Centre (CSC) in relation to the issuing of Parking Permits. I have looked at this thread on Haringey Online and hopefully have covered your points below.

The closure of the Payment Service did initially cause difficulties in the Customer Service Centres as staff familiarised themselves with new processes and IT systems. Customer Services, the Parking Service and Corporate IT Services have worked closely together to improve the way permits are issued and give customers greater choice as to how they apply for them.

Customers are able to apply online for visitor vouchers and renewal of permits. The system is currently undergoing testing and we are expecting the facility for customers to apply for new permits to be in place by the end of October. The self-service option is proving to be very popular as customers are able to immediately access their permits and print them themselves. Public access computers and printer facilities are available at all libraries. Furthermore, customers are also able to apply by post for all permits and there currently is a speedy response for this service.

Within the Customer Service Centres our transaction times for processing parking permits has steadily decreased over the past 5 months and is now an average of 14 minutes compared to a high of 20 minutes. Our average parking waiting time has improved month on month and currently is 19 minutes, against a target of 70% in 20 minutes. We have an intelligent queuing system in place whereby customers are issued tickets depending on their query and queues are then managed based on demand and transaction time.

It is positive to see praise from the forum in relation to the online links, the speed of service on previous occasions and our staff’s flexibility in terms of acceptable documentation. We fully accept that the past few months have been a challenging time and are working hard to improve the service customers are offered.

Julie Parker
Director of Corporate Resources

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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on October 27, 2011 at 21:41

I note "customer" or "customers" appear 11 times.

Fortunately I'm now car-less and am not required to be a customer.

But is this word accurate? Most customers (in the ordinary meaning of the word) are free to either give or withold their custom; or to take their custom elsewhere. Do these abilities apply here?

In the case of applying for parking permits, I suggest "customer" is misleading, even an attempt at Orwellian Doublespeak. "Taxpayer" might be more accurate, or "victim" or even "tormented slave". Lets have plain speaking!

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 27, 2011 at 23:00

And I naively thought, Clive, that you and some other members of HoL might be interested in reading Julie Parker's response. To see that she took the time to read through this thread. And then to tell people what they are doing and how they are trying to measure improvement.

I also find it positive that unlike some former senior officers and a few politicians, Ms Parker does not deny that the problem existed.

George Orwell's "doublethink" wasn't about obfuscation or self-delusion. It was being ready and willing to say the opposite of what is clearly the fact. And then - crucially - to change that "view". But not because you have serious doubts, followed by a rethink, and then a genuine change of mind. (I hope most of us are honest and open-minded enough to do that.) Instead you say and believe what the powers-that-be tell you to say and believe.

There's a joke about bankers being interviewed for a job. They're asked to add £2 million + £2 million. They appoint the one who says: "What do you want it to be?"

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