Decision Maker: Samantha Howell (Director - Highways & Transport)
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
To the Re-Opening of the Salisbury Park &
Ride sites from 4 July 2020 following the easing of Government
travel restrictions which are in place due to the Covid-19
Pandemic.
This decision is being taken in accordance
with the power referred to under background below. This decision
will be reported to the next meeting of the Cabinet.
The Salisbury Park & Ride sites were temporarily closed after
demand reduced significantly following the instruction by the
Government for people to only make essential journeys to protect
against the Covid-19 pandemic. Now that lockdown measures are being
gradually lifted we expect demand for parking in Salisbury to
increase and Park & Ride will again play an important role in
the offering.
The Salisbury Reds bus company is in the process of revising all of
its bus services to run at near normal levels, so the opportunity
to again offer Park & Ride buses at acceptable frequencies is
now open again.
.
We believe that 4th July is the correct time to resume Park &
Ride and to re-establish the habit among motorists of not driving
into the city centre with all the congestion and pollution issues
that brings with it as that is the date from which cafes etc are
expected to re-open. This is also the date when roadworks in Wilton
are scheduled to end, works which make the Wilton site
operationally difficult to serve reliably at present.
Whilst we intend to re-open the Salisbury Park and Ride sites for
business, we are unable to reopen the site at Bee Hive as it is
currently being used as a Coronavirus testing facility and will
remain so for the foreseeable future.
I confirm that in making this decision I have considered the
following in line with Wiltshire Council’s
Constitution:
Key decision requirements: Yes
Views of relevant cabinet member(s), committee chairman, area
board(s): Yes
Consideration of the area boards and delegated decision checklist
for officers on the issue of when and how to involve local
councillors and area boards in decisions about local services:
NA
Implication of any council policy, initiative, strategy or
procedure: Yes
Consultation in accordance with requirements and expectations of
consultation with the public: Yes
Range of options available: The alternative option is to keep the
park & ride sites closed
Staffing, financial and legal implications: Yes
Risk assessment: Yes
Involvement of statutory officers and/or directors: Yes
Regional or national guidance from other bodies:Yes – latest
statutory guidance from DFT for transport operators
The council’s constitution: Yes
Keeping the Park & Rides sites closed
would be inconsistent with the fact that city centre car parks were
open.
Re-open the Park and Ride sites with reduced frequency bus service
(once per hour rather than every 15 minutes). This was felt to be
inappropriate as a Park & Ride scheme needs a frequent bus
service to be a credible alternative to City Centre parking.
Conflict of Interest: Not applicable
Background: As the Director for Highways and Environment, I am responsible for any matters relating to Parking Services in the County of Wiltshire on behalf of Wiltshire Council. The power to make a decision in respect of this matter is delegated to me pursuant to Wiltshire Council’s Constitution.
Contact: Parvis Khansari, Corproate Director - Place Email: parvis.khansari@wiltshire.gov.uk Tel: 01225 713340.
Publication date: 28/07/2020
Date of decision: 22/06/2020
Accompanying Documents: