“Gang” vandalism and intimidation has led to a group of residents signing a petition urging CCTV be installed and a dispersal zone set up in a car park

The petition has been organised after what residents say has been a prolonged period of crime, including a knife attack, in the car park next to Goodmayes station, Goodmayes Road.

Nearly half of the residents in Fenman Gardens flats, which border the car park, are said to have signed the petition.

The April 1 stabbing saw three suspects mug two men at knifepoint in the car park before fleeing into nearby Fenman Gardens where they escaped in a waiting vehicle.

One man was stabbed and both needed hospital treatment.

Describing the council car park, Cllr Bert Jones said: “It has free access and you enter down a side road. It’s an underused area throughout the week.

“The only time it is really busy is on Fridays when the local mosque has prayers.

“It’s a well known area for people hanging around. There’s a long history of vandalism to cars in the car park. I’ve left my car parked there all day before and it was broken into.”

Cllr Jones explained that residents have contacted him to report escalations in the gang activity centred around the car park, but which was spreading into the hallways of nearby flats in Fenman Gardens.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, described how gangs of youths had moved from the car park to a communal area in the flats, gaining access by kicking in the doors.

He said they had since carried out a raft of petty vandalism, including graffiti and throwing stones at residents’ windows as well as more serious antisocial behaviour and harassment.

Cllr Jones said: “Residents are concerned that police haven’t been able to deter gangs from hanging around in the car park.”

The petition, organised by residents, will be presented at the next meeting of area committee five on May 20.

Anyone with information on the knife attack in the car park should call police on 020 8345 2680.