From parking policy to climate action: Gossica Anichebe’s impact in Hackney
Leadership in transport decarbonisation often happens behind the scenes, but its impact can be felt across entire communities. As Policy and Projects Manager at the London Borough of Hackney, Gossica Anichebe has transformed how parking policy can be used as a powerful tool to cut emissions, improve air quality and deliver fairer outcomes for residents.
Published: 3 July 2026
The challenge – rethinking parking’s role
Parking policy is often overlooked in transport decarbonisation, seen primarily as an operational function rather than a strategic tool. Yet in dense city areas, it is one of the most effective ways to influence behaviour, shape car ownership and reduce emissions.
Hackney Council’s Parking and Enforcement Plan (PEP) 2022–27 places parking at the centre of the borough’s response to the climate emergency declared in 2019. It moves beyond traditional controls towards an integrated kerbside, highways and sustainability strategy designed to reduce car dependency, improve air quality and accelerate a shift to active and sustainable travel.
The borough faced a complex set of challenges. Car dependency remained high, contributing to poor air quality and associated public health impacts. At the same time, any intervention needed to be fair and inclusive for a diverse population.
The central challenge was behavioural. Parking had to be reframed from managing space to shaping choices, influencing whether
The approach – policy as a tool for change
Gossica’s approach has been to use parking policy to influence decisions at the point where they matter most.
Her focus was to encourage residents to consider whether they needed to drive at all. Where driving remained necessary, the policy framework guided a shift towards more sustainable choices, from vehicle type to frequency of use, and ultimately towards public transport, cycling and walking.
At the core of this approach is a strengthened link between car ownership, emissions and public health. The cost and convenience of parking were aligned with environmental impact, ensuring that cleaner choices are more accessible.
This was embedded across the entire system. Under her leadership, emissions-based permit bands were expanded from five to thirteen, creating a more precise pricing structure linked to greater sustainability. Diesel surcharges and progressive pricing were introduced to provide a clear long-term signal.
Visitor parking was reformed to reflect vehicle type and usage, with limits introduced and costs increasing progressively to discourage habitual use. Long-standing disparities between estate and on-street parking permit pricing were addressed to improve fairness.
Enforcement was also realigned, deployment to areas of non-compliance to ensure that policy translated into real-world outcomes.
This created a consistent system where cleaner choices are more affordable and higher-polluting behaviours are discouraged.
Measurable impact
This approach has delivered clear and measurable results.
Diesel vehicle ownership has reduced from 28% to 15%, achieving the borough’s 2030 target early. High-polluting vehicles have fallen from 40% to 30%. Visitor voucher demand has reduced by 15%, while short-stay parking has decreased by 31%.
Air quality has improved, with nitrogen dioxide levels showing a sustained downward trend from a 2019 baseline, continuing beyond the pandemic period and demonstrating long-term behavioural change.
Impact is monitored through permit data, air quality tracking and vehicle trends, ensuring that policy remains evidence-led and responsive.
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Diesel vehicles reduced: 28% → 15% (2030 target achieved early)
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High-polluting vehicles reduced: 40% → 30%
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Visitor voucher sales reduced: 15%
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Short-stay parking reduced: 31%
Why this stood out
What distinguishes Gossica’s work is her ability to reposition parking as a strategic climate tool.
She has delivered early progress against long-term targets while maintaining a strong focus on fairness and inclusion.
Crucially, she has brought residents, businesses and visitors along on the journey, embedding behavioural change from the outset.
The Parking and Enforcement Plan was shaped through extensive collaboration, including cross-service workshops, stakeholder engagement and benchmarking against best practice. Proposals were tested, refined and revised where necessary in response to feedback.
Communication was so important, with clear messaging and a defined trajectory of change over several years, allowing residents time to adapt.
"The judges would like to highlight her commitment to driving down emissions through the multi-headed parking strategy which she has led. However, it is also clear that her commitment to diversity and inclusion both within the organisation and outside has enabled her to unlock delivery. The testimonials all spoke incredibly highly of her respect, drive, inclusivity and ability to bring people together."
Statement from the Decarbonising Transport Awards Judges.
Leadership in action
Gossica’s leadership is reflected in the way she has approached engagement and delivery.
The Plan was developed through a structured programme of internal collaboration and external consultation, including workshops, focus groups and partner engagement.
The consultation process set a new benchmark. Nearly 5,000 responses were received initially. Following feedback, proposals were revised, and a further phase generated an additional 3,000 responses. The consultation period was extended to ensure broad participation.
A wide range of engagement methods were used, including drop-in sessions, webinars and call-in events, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
This resulted in a sixfold increase in participation compared with previous plans and strengthened trust in the process.
Innovation and systems thinking
This work is innovative in its use of parking policy as a primary lever for behaviour change.
Leading with parking demonstrates how local authorities can influence travel patterns, vehicle ownership, and emissions. The approach integrates climate, transport and public health into a single framework.
Equality, inclusion and fairness
Equality and inclusion have been central to the approach.
Protections for disabled residents were prioritised through a clear hierarchy of parking need and a wider kerbside framework that places accessibility at the forefront.
Tailored solutions include personalised parking arrangements and exemptions for Blue Badge holders across key schemes such as low traffic neighbourhoods and school streets. Trials have also explored increased flexibility in how accessible parking is used.
This has ensured that the transition to more sustainable transport does not come at the expense of those who rely most on access.
Culture and team impact
Gossica’s influence extends beyond policy into organisational culture.
She has focused on mentoring and developing her team, supporting progression from entry-level roles into management and strengthening capability across the service.
She has also championed greater representation within the sector, supporting initiatives such as Women in Parking and providing visible leadership to inspire other people to pursue a career in Parking.
This focus on people has been critical to sustaining delivery and long-term change, as they are as invested as she is in making a change.
“I would like to thank the many colleagues, senior leaders and teams, past and present, who have contributed to developing and delivering the Parking and Enforcement Plan. Their support, dedication and shared commitment have been fundamental to the scale of change achieved.
In particular, I would like to recognise my previous manager, Michael Benn, alongside the continued commitment of the current team, including Habiba Muhibun Nessa and Brent Bautista.
This has been a collective effort focused on creating cleaner, fairer and more sustainable streets for everyone.”
Gossica Anichebe
What happens next?
The next phase will focus on strengthening sustainability while preparing for future change.
This includes responding to emerging technologies and refining how parking policy reflects vehicle impact. There will also be continued investment in alternatives to car ownership, including cycling and micromobility.
As the transport landscape evolves, policy will continue to adapt to support long-term decarbonisation.
Role in wider decarbonisation
Parking policy is one of the most direct levers available to local authorities.
It influences behaviour, ownership and the cumulative impact of all road users. While approaches vary by area, effective policy is evidence-led, collaborative and tailored to the local context.
The most important lesson is to understand your residents, businesses, visitors and stakeholders, because every policy decision and every change made will directly impact them.
Bringing people on the journey is so important. Stakeholders may not always agree with proposals, but they should have the opportunity to shape them, challenge them and fully understand the reasoning behind them.
Meaningful engagement builds trust, improves policy and strengthens long-term delivery. Consultation should not be viewed as a formality, but as an opportunity to co-produce solutions that reflect the needs of the community while still achieving wider environmental objectives.
There is also significant value in learning from others across the sector. Authorities do not need to start from scratch. Benchmarking, collaboration and sharing best practices can accelerate progress and help avoid repeating challenges already faced elsewhere.
Successful transport decarbonisation depends on balancing ambition with practicality, ensuring policies are evidence-led, locally informed and supported by the communities they are designed to serve.
Prioritised through a clear hierarchy of parking need and a wider kerbside framework that places accessibility at the forefront.
Tailored solutions include personalised parking arrangements and exemptions for Blue Badge holders across key schemes, such as low-traffic neighbourhoods and school streets. Trials have also explored increased flexibility in how accessible parking is used.
This has ensured that the transition to more sustainable transport does not come at the expense of those who rely most on access.
Enter the Transport Decarbonising Transport Awards…
Awards play an important role in recognising progress and sharing learning. They highlight the collective effort required to deliver decarbonisation and encourage continued innovation across the sector, so get your entry submission ready now!
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