Emergency staff and frontline workers helping vulnerable people can now apply to park for free in council-owned car parks and parking bays across Barking and Dagenham during the coronavirus pandemic.

The council is making key worker permits applications available from today, in a move to help these important staff continue providing vital services to the local community. Residents will also be able to park for 5 mins in CPZ zones without a permit, so they can drop off essential items outside loved ones’ doors, while socially distancing.

Keyworkers include NHS workers and Police, council workers who need to physically be in the borough and contractors delivering services on their behalf such as social care. Others include school staff visiting vulnerable children, those supporting vulnerable individuals, volunteers and faith leaders.

Two different types of key worker permit are available. One for two hours’ parking, and the other for unlimited where this is needed.

Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “These key workers and volunteers are critical and are on the frontline in our efforts to tackle this pandemic. They are all doing vital and highly valued work to support the most vulnerable in our community and it is right that we do all we can to support them.

“We will still be carrying out enforcement action to ensure the safety and security of our residents by ensuring traffic flows smoothly, as well as access for emergency vehicles and bin lorries. But we know it’s important for residents to be able to drop off food and medicine to their loved ones, especially people who are self-isolating, so they can now park for 5 mins in any CPZ zone without a permit.”

NHS and emergency services staff need to send an email from their official work email address to staffparkingpermits@lbbd.gov.uk to apply for a permit. In the email they need to clearly state their name, home address, contact phone number, organisation they work for, job role, vehicle make, colour and registration number.

Volunteers need to ask the organisation or charity they are volunteering for, to send an email from the charity’s official email address to staffparkingpermits@lbbd.gov.uk This email needs to clearly state their name, home address, contact phone number, organisation they are volunteering for, volunteering role, vehicle make, colour and registration number.