DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT & LEISURE
REPORT TO CABINET 13th DECEMBER 2006
CITY CENTRE CAR PARKING
1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1 To make proposals for changes to the tariff zones for on street and off street parking to take account of changes in the city centre parking stock and the increased demand for short stay car parking.
2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 The majority of the current off street City Centre car parking operated by the Council (approximately 1300 spaces out of a total of 6400 spaces) is on sites held temporarily pending redevelopment. The previously agreed car parking strategy is to replace these with a series of larger multi-storey car parks in mixed-use developments, well located to the road access system.
2.2 Due to the continued successful redevelopment of the city centre the availability of on and off street parking provided by the Council has reduced significantly for a temporary period, for the next two years. Public car parking levels will then increase over the next two years to 2010. During this period the new high quality multi-storey car parks being constructed, as part of major mixed use redevelopments, will come into use to re-provide the city with over 9000 public parking spaces, the overwhelming majority of which will be provided and operated by the private sector. A chart showing the expected profile of Council operated car park availability to 2010 is attached as Appendix A.
2.3 Many of the car parks that have closed served the central shopping area. As a result of this, the remaining car parks, some of which had low demand a few years ago, are now near to capacity for large parts of the day.
2.4 Since 2001 the number of on street spaces has also reduced by over 300 to the current figure of around 1450, also as a result of redevelopment schemes.
3.0 PROPOSALS
3.1 In order to provide additional spaces where possible, improve management of the parking stock, respond to market demand and improve the turnover of spaces to reduce congestion at peak shopping times changes to the operational tariffs are proposed. In addition it is proposed that the annual increase in car parking charges that has been in place for the last 3 years continues.
Proposals for Off Street Car Parking
3.2 Efforts continue to identify land for new off street, short stay parking to provide adequate availability of spaces during the construction period of the new multi-storey car parks. Eyre Lane car park (50 spaces) opened on 22nd November and, subject to agreeing final details of the licence, Russell Street car park (100 spaces) is expected to open in December, 2006.
3.3 The redevelopment of car park sites over the last few years have mainly affected the central, higher tariff car parks. Several of the remaining car parks that were previously under used are now operating at capacity. To reflect this increased demand and the shift in the city centre shopping destinations it is proposed to review the tariff zones with the aim of simplifying off street tariffs. It is proposed to replace the six existing tariffs with four new ones. These will be Short Stay Inner, Short Stay Outer, Short Stay Outer Special and Long Stay. The proposed tariff changes to off street parking are attached at Appendix B and a city centre plan showing the revised off street tariff zones is attached at Appendix C. The implementation of these changes will require a new Traffic Regulation Order to be made.
3.4 In terms of meeting transport policy aims this proposal will convert all day parking from three central zone car parks, Eldon Street, Fitzwilliam Street and Rockingham Way to short-medium stay spaces thereby increasing usable capacity.
3.5 Whilst these changes will increase tariffs on some car parks, the majority of the tariffs will remain just below the hourly rate charged by commercial operators.
Proposals for On Street Car Parking
3.6 As proposed in the previously approved Car Park Business Plan (2003/04) work is in progress to review on street parking zones in the city centre. Some on-street bays are no longer available as a result of redevelopment work in the city centre. The aim is to identify all opportunities to introduce new bays, taking account of changes to the road network over recent years and also to amend the tariff zone boundaries to ensure sufficient provision of short stay bays in areas of high demand. This with appropriate levels of enforcement will ensure a good turnover of spaces to help meet demand and help to reduce congestion from circulating traffic looking for spaces. It is anticipated that this work will be completed by April 2007 with up to 80 new bays made available.
3.7 It is also proposed to harmonise on and off street charging hours. Currently, charges are made until 6.30pm for on street parking and 8.30pm for off street car parks. If on street charges were extended to 8.30pm it is estimated that additional income on the central shopping area bays could be in the region of £100,000 per annum. This will require further work to accurately evaluate the effect on income.
3.8 The implementation of these changes will require a new Traffic Regulation Order to be made involving consultation and a report to the Area Board and the changes to the charging hours would require amendments to the signs at the entry to the City Centre Controlled Parking Zone.
Future Tariff Levels
3.9 In order to protect against inflationary increases in operating costs an annual increase to parking tariffs at the level of inflation (or 5p per hour) has been implemented in the last three years. It is proposed that this should continue in future years. These increases are already built in to the base position for 2007/08.
3.10 Taken in isolation it is not considered that this level of price increase will adversely affect the number of visitors to the city centre, given the high utilisation of the current limited number of spaces.
Residents Parking Zone Charges
3.11 In order to partially offset the annual increase in enforcement costs it is proposed to increase the charge for residents parking zone permits by the rate of inflation. Current prices are £35 for the first permit for residents and £70 for the first permit for businesses. The charges for 2007/08 would increase to £36 and £72 respectively.
3.12 Parking charges in the residents parking zones are limited to 20p per hour. The purpose of these charges is not to raise revenue but to contribute to enforcement costs within the zones and ensure turnover of spaces. It is not proposed to increase these charges in 2007/08.
Green Permit Scheme
3.13 The Green Parking scheme is to continue unchanged. This has been well received since its introduction. Over 150 permits have now been issued.
4.0 CONCLUSIONS
4.1 In view of falling capacity and increasing demand, it is appropriate to review current car parking policies and tariffs in the City Centre, which were last reviewed in 2003/04. The changes proposed will ensure that the majority of the tariffs will remain just below the hourly rate charged by commercial operators.
4.2 The implementation of the proposals for on and off street parking will require Traffic Regulation Orders to be made and will incur costs to alter the ticket machines, car park tariff boards and the signs at the entry to the City Centre Controlled Parking Zone.
5.0 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
5.1 The provision of additional disabled parking bays will be implemented where possible as part of the on street review. Disabled parking will continue to be free of charge on Council operated car parks and on street parking bays.
6.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1 The cost of the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders and direct implementation costs such as changes to signing and ticket machines will be covered by the additional income generated from these proposals. Any additional surplus will continue to support services within DEL such as Parking Enforcement and spending on roads and transport related activities.
6.2 It is estimated that the proposed changes to tariff zones and charging hours if implemented would result in an overall increase of just under 8% in the income from car parking, when account is taken on reductions in overall capacity in the short-term and the elasticity of demand.
7.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
7.1 The proposal to remove all day parking from three city centre car parks will place a greater emphasis on supporting short and medium stay visits.
8.0 COMMUNITY SAFETY
8.1 There are no Community Safety implications from these proposals.
9.0 HUMAN RIGHTS
9.1 There are no Human Rights implications from these proposals.
10.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
10.1 That the changes to City Centre on and off street car parking tariffs and zones, as set out in this report, be approved.
David Curtis
Director of Development Services
5th December 2006