Lewisham's NSL parking wardens strike on 19, 20 and 23 October over a £1.70 an hour pay gap with Camden. Red routes are not affected; the rules still apply.

Lewisham’s parking wardens are due to strike on Monday 19, Tuesday 20 and Friday 23 October. They work for NSL, the private company that enforces parking for Lewisham Council.

The dates were set out by the union Unison in a press release on 21 September. Unison says a picket line will be in place at Eros House, Brownhill Road, Catford, on each strike day.

What the dispute is about

Unison says NSL pays its Lewisham enforcement officers £1.70 an hour less than NSL staff doing the same job in Camden and Westminster.

The dispute began in July over two things: that pay gap, and NSL’s refusal at the time to recognise Unison (Unison, 16 July). Since then NSL has signed a recognition agreement with the union. Unison says the company still “refuses to engage in proper talks” on pay.

“NSL can end this dispute quickly by coming to the table and addressing wage inequality,” said Rachael Johnson, Unison’s London regional organiser.

NSL has published no response on the dispute that we could find. Its side of the argument is not in either union release.

How we got here

Timeline of the Lewisham NSL parking wardens dispute in 2026: strikes on 3, 9, 10 and 15 to 17 July; recognition agreement signed before 21 September; strikes scheduled 21, 22 and 25 September and 5, 7 and 8 October; next strikes Monday 19, Tuesday 20 and Friday 23 October
The strike days Unison has announced since July. Graphic by Lewisham News.
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  • July: walkouts on 3, 9, 10 and 15 to 17 July, according to Unison’s September release. The union had announced eleven more July dates; the September release does not list them among the strikes held.
  • By 21 September: NSL had signed a recognition agreement with Unison, which called it “a hard-won victory for staff”.
  • 21 September onwards: a new series of strikes began, with dates on 21, 22 and 25 September and 5, 7 and 8 October.
  • Next: 19, 20 and 23 October, the last dates Unison has announced.

What it means for you

  • The parking rules do not change on strike days. Yellow lines, permit bays and pay-and-display limits still apply. A strike affects how many wardens are out, not the law.
  • Red routes are not part of this dispute. On the A2, A20, A21 and the South Circular, TfL does its own enforcement with cameras and officers under a separate contract, the council’s parking enforcement page says. NSL issues tickets on every other road in the borough.
  • The permits office: the council’s 2023 parking policy lists NSL’s permits office at 1A Eros House. If you need to visit in person on a strike day, expect a picket outside and check before you go.
  • If you get a ticket, you challenge it in the normal way. Our Lewisham parking guide covers permits, charges and how to appeal.

We will add any further dates, or a settlement, to this page if Unison or NSL announces one.

Sources