Agenda item

5.1

No petitions were received from members of the public.

5.2

The Policy Committee received three questions from members of the public. Two members of the public did not attend to ask their questions, written responses would be provided.

Questions from Roy Morris

Would it be a positive development to publicise the use made of traffic infringement charges?

More detail:

- What use is made currently of funds collected?

- Is there a potential benefit in giving a higher profile to these funds and their use?

- Would such publicity facilitate the development and public acceptance of measures to move towards net zero?

The Chair thanked the questioner for attending to ask their question and explained that the council issues Penalty Charge Notices for civil contraventions of Parking, Bus Lane and Clean Air Zone restrictions. The Council did not derive any income from police issued fines.

The Council published the parking account (where Penalty Charge fees are received) annually, on its website. The use of the parking account is regulated by Section 55 (4) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022. These regulations set out the purposes for which income beyond the costs of running the parking service can be used:

• Provision and maintenance of off-street parking (parking account only) 

• Funding public transport 

• Highway and road improvements  

• purposes of environmental improvement

The Penalty Charge Notices for the Clean Air Zone are regulated by Part III and Schedule 12 of the Transport Act 2000, Parts 2 and 6 of The Road User Charging  Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013. In the event that net proceeds are generated from the Scheme over the opening ten year period, these proceeds would be applied to facilitate the achievement of relevant local transport policies in Sheffield's Transport Strategy and the Sheffield City Region Transport Strategy in accordance with the following high level spending objectives: 

- supporting the delivery of the ambitions of the Scheme and promoting cleaner air; 

- supporting active travel and public transport use; 

- supporting zero emission and sustainable infrastructure and actions in and around the city to improve air quality 

A report to the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy committee at the meeting recommended endorsing the proposal to for a Clean Air Investment Fund which would commit an initial £1m of CAZ surplus income, when this was generated, to accelerate air quality improvement initiatives around schools and improve air quality for children traveling to school. 

In terms of publicising the use of any surplus income, council officers brought a public report on the annual parking account to the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee in December 2023, with detail on the work undertaken by Parking Services to manage traffic and support bus priority measures.  The report to Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee on CAZ income would be accompanied by a press release and ongoing communications plan relating to the clean air implementation plan. 

The council was keen to promote net zero and measures to increase public transport patronage are an essential strand to improving overall carbon emissions in the city.