Terms and conditions

About parking suspensions

We suspend parking places so that a parking space can be reserved for a specific use.

We suspend parking bays for: 

• road works
• Construction Traffic Management Plans (CTMPs)
• building or maintenance works (trades people using vans, not cars)
• skips
• statutory utilities work (gas, water, electricity or communications)
• the safe movement of traffic (traffic flow purposes)
• tree works
• and other events

We also grant suspensions so that private companies and individuals may carry out removals and provide services.

We accept applications for suspensions for:

• vans
• lorries
• trucks

We do not grant suspensions for:

• cars
• people carriers
• four-wheel-drive vehicles
• minibuses

1. How to apply

You can apply for a suspension by completing and submitting an online application form.

Other ways to apply

Send us a completed application form and return it by:

• email: [email protected]

Submitting an application form does not guarantee that we will agree a suspension.

We do not accept applications over the phone.

2. Conditions of application

You must submit your application before the suspension start date. 

• We need ten* working days' notice to suspend a resident, numbered disabled bay, diplomatic, car club or doctors’ parking bay.
• We need two working days' notice to suspend a pay-by-phone or a Blue Badge disabled parking bay.
• Where chargeable days are not booked as cumulative, seven consecutive days are required between the end of an application and the start of a new one for the same location for the higher charges not to apply. 

*Short notice (Express) suspensions (5 working days notice) is a limited service and at the Council’s discretion. It will incur a one off additional charge per application. 

A notification day is based on applications received up to 3pm on that day. 

Submissions received after 3pm will be registered as notification from the following working day.

We do not count Saturday, Sunday, bank and public holidays as notification days, so you should take these into account when arranging a suspension.

If your application is unsuccessful we will call to explain why or to offer a possible alternate location for the suspension.

3. Payment

We will only grant a suspension when you have made advance full payment.

We accept payment by cheque, credit card and debit card or via BACS. We don't accept Amex or Diners Club cards.

Call the suspension team on tel: 0207 361 4385 to let them know if you are paying by cheque. It is taking longer to process postal items due to arrangements to keep staff safe during the coronavirus disruption. Make your cheque payable to RB Kensington and Chelsea and send it at least ten days before the requested suspension date so it has time to clear.

Do not enclose cash with your application form.

You can ask the operator for an alternative payment method to be considered (if processed ahead of the suspension).

4. Conditions of use

Suspensions for resident parking bays apply from:

• Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm
• Saturdays from 8.30am to 1.30pm or 6.30pm, depending on the zone hours for the location
• Sundays from 1pm to 5pm

Suspensions for any other type of parking bays apply from:

• Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6.30pm
• Saturday from 8.30am to 1.30pm or 6.30pm, depending on the zone hours for the location

Parking bay suspensions for the purpose of a traffic flow or for alternative bays are restricted 24 hours for each day(or at any time for yellow line dispensations) during the suspended period. 

5. Suspension fees and admin charges

There are three categories of fees depending on how many suspension days you need.

The suspension fee is chargeable per day, per space* required as follows:

• one to five days: £72 per space per day
• six to 42 days: £108 per space per day
• 43 days or more: £144 per space per day

We suspend parking places for utility companies on the first day only (unless the reason is for traffic flow) to enable them to access the requested site to carry out necessary excavation works.

*available in a marked out bay such as a pay-by-phone bay, or in 5 metre lengths only within unmarked spaces such as a resident bays.

Additional one off charge

A short notice suspension (5 working days notice) will incur a one off charge of £357 per application in addition to the standard suspension fees. 
 

Admin charges

We charge an admin fee per application if you cancel or make changes to the application:

We will charge an admin fee if we have to cancel your suspension because you are not using it for the approved purpose.

All administration charges for skip permits, temporary structures and plant and material licenses must be paid in addition to the suspension fees.

6. Extending a suspension

If you want to extend a suspension, you must request it in writing by 3pm on the day before it expires. We must be able to contact you to take payment.

If your suspension is due to expire on a Sunday or a Monday you must advise us before 3pm on the Friday.

Extensions are subject to availability.

7. Renewing a suspension

Suspension renewals are subject to availability.

You must renew a suspension before 3pm on the day prior to your suspension expiring.

If your suspension expires on Sunday or Monday, we must receive your renewal and payment before 3pm on the Friday prior to expiry.

If you have any problems please contact the Parking Suspensions Team on 020 7361 4385.

8. Cancellations

You must send us any cancellation requests in writing. Requests received before 3pm will be processed for the following day.

We charge:

• £24 cancellation fee if you cancel a suspension application after the signs have been erected
• £19 cancellation fee if you cancel a suspension application before it starts and before the signs have been put up

We also charge the admin fee if we have to cancel your suspension because you are not using it for the approved purpose.

9. Refunds

You must make any requests for refunds in writing to the Suspension Team by email [email protected] before we can take any action.

We will not consider a refund if you send the request after the original finish date.

10. Enforcement

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea provide the parking suspension service in accordance with statutory powers and duties and reasonable care will be taken in processing applications. However, no liability is accepted for any financial loss (whether direct or consequential) that may arise as a result of accepting an application.

If you have any difficulties with vehicles obstructing the suspended bays then please telephone our on street enforcement contractor on 020 7361 3949.