Parking changes for Wimbledon tennis designed to keep spaces free for residents

Published: Monday, June 26, 2023

  • Changes in place throughout the championships 
  • All existing Southfields parking zones merged into one superzone
  • All households in the area given two free permits for visitors  

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Changes to parking rules across the Southfields area will come into effect next week to coincide with the start of the Wimbledon tennis championships.

The changes are designed to keep parking spaces in the area available to use by local residents and their visitors and prevent an influx of tennis fans arriving by car.

For the duration of the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, 3 July and continue, weather permitting, to Sunday, 16 July, parking controls in the area will be in operation from 8.30am to 8.30pm every day.

All the area’s existing parking zones will be combined to form one single tennis event zone (EZ). This zone will also include some streets in the area that do not have existing parking controls.

Motorists who have an existing permit for the S1, S2, S3, S5, Q1 and Q2 parking zones will be entitled to park anywhere in the EZ zone.

All households within the zone have been issued with two free-of charge temporary permits which can be used by their visitors. This is because pay and display machines throughout the area, apart from those serving the shops in Replingham Road, will be switched off to ensure that tennis fans do not occupy residents’ parking spaces.

These temporary permits should also be used by residents who normally park in streets within the EZ that are not normally subject to parking controls.

People using these permits should place them on the dashboard so they can be clearly seen. They do not need to be displayed if the vehicle already displays a valid resident, business, resident visitor permit or a disabled person's blue badge.

These free EZ temporary visitor permits remain the property of Wandsworth Council and are not for resale. Anyone caught attempting to sell these permits is likely to face legal action.

All roads within the EZ will display signs informing residents and visitors of the changes. These signs will be prominently displayed on lighting columns and signposts in each road. Signs will be placed on the perimeter of the zone to warn motorists that they are entering a restricted parking area.

Residents are also being advised that some parking bays in the event zone, especially along Wimbledon Park Road, Augustus Road, Victoria Drive, Bathgate Road, Queensmere Road and Princes Way will be suspended for the duration of the tournament at the request of the police. Vehicles will be essentially banned from parking in the affected spaces along these roads.

Some other roads will also see parking bays temporarily removed and an extension to the hours of waiting restrictions such as in Wimbledon Park Road and Queensmere Road.

Motorists are also being advised that the parking bays and yellow lines at the following locations will be in operation continuously throughout the tournament. This means that parking on these yellow lines is not permitted at any time of the day or night and vehicles parked within the bays must be displaying a valid permit.

• Revelstoke Road (between Wimbledon Park and the junction with Heythorp Street)
• Southdean Gardens
• Kingscliffe Gardens
• Gartmoor Gardens
• Penner Close
• Campen Close
• Frimley Close

All vehicles parked incorrectly over the Wimbledon tennis fortnight are liable to receive a parking ticket and may be relocated.
Residents with an EZ permit are being urged not to park in the roads closest to the All-England club where parking is at a premium. These include Penner Close, Campen Close, Gonston Close and Boddicott Close - unless they actually live on the Queensmere Estate (North, East or West). EZ permit holders will be monitored in these roads and your EZ permit may be revoked if a vehicle persistently parks in any of these streets with a EZ permit issued to an address outside the Queensmere Estate.

Different rules apply for parking on housing estates in the area. The housing department provides its tenants and leaseholders with permits and visitor permits which are unaffected by the changes to the rules on parking on the public highway. Anyone who unlawfully parks their car on an estate without displaying a valid permit is liable to receive a parking ticket.

The council intends to continue to provide further robust parking enforcement in the residential roads that are located close to the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club to prevent private hire vehicles parking at these locations for prolonged periods.

Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) will be speaking to drivers who leave their engines running unnecessarily and where applicable may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).

Motorists are also being reminded that the long-standing banned left turn from Wimbledon Park Side into Withycombe Road and the existing restrictions at the northern and southern arms of Inner Park Road will continue to be enforced during the tournament.

For more information about parking arrangements in Southfields during the Wimbledon fortnight, please contact the parking enforcement team on (020) 8871 6660 and choose option two from the automated service so that your call is directed to the right team.