Issue - items at meetings - Preston Park Parking Proposals

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

1)     That the Cabinet Member notes the outcome of the consultation.

2)     That the Cabinet Member approves the proposals to control parking in Preston Park set out in this report, subject to the statutory consultation process for Traffic Regulation Orders.

3)     That the Cabinet Member instructs Officers to advertise the associated Traffic Regulation Orders.

73.1               Councillor West considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place that recommended new measures for parking regulation at Preston Park.

73.2               Councillor West stated he was pleased to present the report which set out proposals to address the issue of long stay parking in Preston Park.

Parking in Preston Park was currently uncontrolled and as a result it was becoming a free car park for commuters, residents and visitors to the city.  Park users had asked the administration to do something about this problem which was having a detrimental effect on their park.

In 2011 a cross party group of councillors had met to discuss the issues and set out key points that should be addressed

Proposals had now been drawn up and consulted on to control parking.

The consultation showed that the majority of people feel parking is a problem and there was particular support from local residents and casual park users for the plans.

To enforce the parking restrictions it had been necessary to introduce charges, but these had been kept lower than on street parking.  The main deterrent to long stay parking by non park users would be through limiting the maximum length of stay.

Any income over and above the cost of enforcement, which was anticipated to be around £10,000 per year will be ring fenced to improvements to the park and park users would be informed as to how the money had been spent.

The proposals are still subject to the statutory consultation process for Traffic Regulation Orders.

73.3               The Head of Projects and Strategy clarified that there was a mistake in one of the maps provided and corrected that the disabled parking bays would remain near the chalet.

73.4               Councillor Mitchell acknowledged that it was very difficult to regulate parking in the area and whilst it was regrettable that charges had to be introduced she was pleased that any profit made would be ring-fenced for improvements to the Park. She suggested the policy be strongly monitored to make sure it attained the desired effect.

73.5               Councillor West thanked Councillor Mitchell for her agreement that the proposals were the right way to address the issue. He agreed it absolutely right to monitor the issue and he would be doing so.

73.6               Councillor Mitchell suggested that the meeting receive a bi-annual progress update.

73.7               Councillor West agreed that this would be a good idea to monitor developments.

73.8               Councillor Theobald thanked officers for the report and welcomed the extension of the maximum length of stay on Preston Avenue. However, Councillor Theobald noted his disappointment that the first hour of stay was not free of charge.

73.9               Councillor West replied that it was deemed necessary to charge for the first hour of parking as this would adequately cover the cost of enforcement with any surplus re-invested back into the Park.

73.10          Councillor Theobald replied that he disagreed with a surplus in principle and that any deficit arising from the cost of providing the first hour of parking free of charge should be met by the central parks budget.

73.11          The Head of City Infrastructure clarified that there was no guarantee that the new measures would generate a surplus and the system proposed assured that the measures could be enforced without significant cost.

73.12          RESOVLED-  That the Cabinet Member-

1)           Notes the outcome of the consultation.

2)           Approves the proposals to control parking in Preston Park set out in this report, subject to the statutory consultation process for Traffic Regulation Orders.

3)           Instructs Officers to advertise the associated Traffic Regulation Orders.