Issue - meetings

Car Parking Strategy and rural car park review

Meeting: 25/01/2018 - Cabinet (Item 74)

74 Car Parking Strategy and rural car park review pdf icon PDF 231 KB

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Local Economy

 

Decision:

            RESOLVED

 

(i)         That the town centre parking tariff increases be approved, as set out in the report.

 

(ii)        That the rural car park investment plan be approved.

 

(iii)       That the update on the 2017/18 rural figures (first year of the Annual Parking Disc Scheme) and emerging Parking Strategy be noted.

 

REASONS

 

The purpose of increasing the town centre parking tariffs is to:

 

1. Standardise parking prices across the town bringing them more in line with each other

2. Use pricing to improve the spread of parking across the town and attempt to reduce the use in the areas of highest demand

3. Introduce a better relationship between the hourly, daily and annual costs for parking.

4. Increase income to meet the needs of the medium term financial strategy.

 

Approving the rural car park improvement plan will allow us to progress with those improved changes to the car parks as agreed when the Annual Parking Scheme was introduced.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Local Economy submitted a report seeking approval for proposed town centre parking tariff changes for 2018/19 and the rural car park investment plan, together with performance data for 2017/18 in respect of rural car parks following the introduction of Annual Parking Discs/parking charges.

 

The targeted tariff increases in specific car parks would generate an additional £150,000 annual income for the Council.  A blanket increase across all car parks was not proposed as the aim was to increase prices where there was a disparity in price compared to other locations and where demand outweighed availability.

 

Following the introduction of the Annual Parking Disc scheme in rural car parks in April 2017, it had been agreed that money would be reinvested in these car parks to improve their structure, appeal and usability.  A plan of works was proposed that prioritised action according to remaining life left in respect of the the structure of the car park (the surface) and opportunities for increased spaces, shared across locations to ensure that the availability of spaces during works was maximised.  It is proposed that these works would take place over a six year period.

 

An update on the performance of the current Annual Parking Disc schemes included details of income and sales per location, usage surveys and an update on changes made over the year.

 

The Local Economy Policy Development Advisory Group had considered and supported the proposals.

 

            RESOLVED

 

(i)         That the town centre parking tariff increases be approved, as set out in the report.

 

(ii)        That the rural car park investment plan be approved.

 

(iii)       That the update on the 2017/18 rural figures (first year of the Annual Parking Disc Scheme) and emerging Parking Strategy be noted.

 

REASONS

 

The purpose of increasing the town centre parking tariffs is to:

 

1. Standardise parking prices across the town bringing them more in line with each other

2. Use pricing to improve the spread of parking across the town and attempt to reduce the use in the areas of highest demand

3. Introduce a better relationship between the hourly, daily and annual costs for parking.

4. Increase income to meet the needs of the medium term financial strategy.

 

Approving the rural car park improvement plan will allow us to progress with those improved changes to the car parks as agreed when the Annual Parking Scheme was introduced.