Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Rob Murphy, Principal Transport Planner, regarding feedback on the recent car parking strategy consultation.

Robert Murphy, Principal Transport Planner, gave a presentation regarding the recent car parking strategy consultation. 

Parking in Wiltshire had been reviewed because:

•         The move to Wiltshire Council had meant there had been a lack of consistency between former district council areas.

•         Parking is wider than just charging.  It is an important part of local transport policy (eg improving streetscenes, reducing traffic conflicts and supporting bus services), policies for developers need to be in place and there was a need to update the strategy due to changes since the last review and price comparisons with neighbouring areas.

•         People had been informed of the consultation by:

–        web portal and documents in libraries

–        press release and subsequent good media coverage, parish newsletter article and area board announcements

–        letter and follow-up email on ‘opportunities’ to relevant town and parish councils

–        correspondence with chambers of commerce

–        meetings with several town and parish councils

–        emails and letters to some 8,000 Area Board and Local Transport Plan contacts

•         some 600 people had made over 5,000 comments and a petition had been received.

Parking charges:

•         The majority of people favoured the ‘conventional’ (lowest) parking charges option

•         Some respondents disagreed with all three options (eg wanting to keep parking free in small towns)

•         There was little enthusiasm for proposed Sunday parking charges

•         A small majority supported the proposed way of reviewing charges

Residents’ parking:

•         There was significant support for more pragmatic approach to residential parking in new housing developments

•         There was overwhelming support for policy and process on residents’ parking zones

•         A large majority supported a policy on overspill parking in residential areas

Other policies and issues:

•         There was overwhelming majority supported the council’s approach to parking enforcement

•         A small majority saw the kerb space hierarchy as reasonable

•         A large majority stated that council should continue to offer season tickets

Corsham Responses

•         There were 21 total respondents

•         Residents near the market place in Box, use the car park as they are without any on or off road parking to their properties

•         The Market Place car park is also used for a local nursery, an engineering firm, a butchers and a drop of point for Box Primary School

•         Parking should be provided on street in Box which will provide a natural speed restraint on the A4 through the village

•         Corsham Town Council wants one hour free parking

Next Steps

•         Sept-Nov: Area Boards’ feedback presentations

•         Oct-Nov: consideration of consultation responses

•         14 Dec: Cabinet decision meeting

•         Jan-Mar: statutory procedures

•         Apr: implementation of changes

The following issues were discussed:

• Could the freehold of a car park be transferred to a town or parish council?  Officers had considered this option but it was not procedurally possible.
• The Chamber of Commerce was opposed to the one hour paid parking and would prefer for the first hour to be free.  Employee parking had not been addressed and it was important for the needs of part time workers to be taken into consideration.  The smaller market towns were not on a level playing field with the larger towns and cities and this should be taken into account. 
• Officers confirmed that all comments made would be taken into account when preparing the report to be considered by Cabinet.
• It was also important when approving new housing developments to allow enough parking spaces.