Report of the Strategic Director for Sustainable Regeneration

Part 1 / ITEM NO.

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE REGENERATION

TO THE LEAD MEMBER FOR PLANNING ON THE 16th AUGUST 2011

TITLE: CONTROLLED PARKING ZONE, SALFORD – EXTENSION OF OPERATING HOURS.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. That the legal process to increase the Salford CPZ operating hours as proposed in this report be commenced.

2. That the possibility of introducing additional pay and display bays in the area be examined and if found feasible, included in the same legal process.

3. That the revised hours and additional bays be implemented subject to approval by the Planning and Transportation Regulatory Panel.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) located within the Chapel Street area of the City borders a similar zone in Manchester whose City Council are soon to extend its operating hours. To maintain parity, it is considered that the operating times in Salford should be similarly altered and that the opportunity to install additional pay and display parking bays be explored.

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: N/A

(Available for public inspection)

KEY DECISION: No

DETAILS:

KEY COUNCIL POLICIES: Local Transport Plan, UDP.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND IMPLICATIONS:- The extended hours will apply equally to anyone wishing to park in the CPZ except disabled drivers displaying a valid blue badge who will be unaffected. They will still be able to park on single yellow lines for three hours and in pay and display bays free of charge.

ASSESSMENT OF RISK: Due to the close proximity of the two zones, failure to align the operating hours could cause confusion to motorists and frustrate the measures to reduce congestion in Manchester. Also, the opportunity to attract additional revenue from the increased charging hours which would go towards Sustainable Regeneration’s efficiency target would be missed.

SOURCE OF FUNDING: Parking Budget/Civil Parking Enforcement

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS: Supplied by Jeanette Williams – No issues

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Supplied by Alison Swinnerton X2585

Following on from the extending of appropriate operating hours, the City Council is considering a charging regime which more appropriately align with that of Manchester.

OTHER DIRECTORATES CONSULTED: None.

CONTACT OFFICER: Mr William L Earnshaw TEL. NO. 0161 779 4924

WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S): Ordsall

DETAILS:

1. Background

1.1. Off-street car parking facilities in Salford are provided by the Council at several locations throughout the City, some of which are subject to a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) and are controlled by way of a pay and display regime.

1.2. The regulations are enforced by Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) operating under the provisions of the Traffic Management Act, 2004 and the scheme is administered by Urban Vision’s Parking Services section.

1.3. On-street enforcement is also undertaken by the Civil Enforcement Officers who can issue Penalty Charge Notices for contraventions of the various waiting restrictions introduced by the Council.

1.4. There is a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) located in the Chapel Street area of the City and contained roughly within the inner relief route, Trinity Way and the Manchester City boundary.

1.5. Within this CPZ, except where indicated otherwise, parking is generally restricted between 0800 hours and 1800 hours, Monday to Friday and between 0800 hours and 1200 hours on Saturday. The general restriction does not apply on Sunday.

1.6. There are a number of Pay and Display bays on various roads within the CPZ where parking is permitted for a fee, with tickets dispensed by roadside machines.

1.7 Parking contraventions in respect of these bays are also enforced by the CEOs.

2. Current Arrangements.

2.1 Charges apply within the CPZ during the general restriction times which were until recently, £1.00 per hour with a two hour limit. The time limit, however, has not been enforced, to encourage use as there was low demand from motorists to park there when the scheme was first introduced

2.2 In common with off-street charges, on-street tariffs were increased in April this year to £1.00 for each 40 minute period.

2.3 There are no Council owned off-street parking facilities in the area but there are a number of privately operated car parks, some of which offer all day parking for £5.00.

2.4 Manchester City Council also operate a CPZ which adjoins that in Salford at the respective boundaries.

2.5 The Manchester CPZ is divided into three zones permitting maximum waiting periods of one, two and three hours respectively within zones 1,2 and 3.

2.6 Parking time may be paid for in increments of 15 minutes in zones 1 and 2 or in 30 minute increments in zone 3.

2.7 New charges have recently been introduced in these Manchester zones which now stand as follows:

A) Zone 1 – Parking places with a maximum stay of 1 hour

B) Zone 2 - Parking places with a maximum stay of 2 hours

Previous Charge / Current Charge
55p up to 15 minutes / 65p up to 15 minutes
£1.10 up to 30 minutes / £1.35 up to 30 minutes
£1.65 up to 45 minutes / £2.00 up to 45 minutes
£2.20 up to 1 hour / £2.70 up to 1 hour
£2.75 up to 1 hour 15 minutes / £3.35 up to 1 hour 15 minutes
£3.30 up to 1 hour 30 minutes / £4.00 up to 1 hour 30 minutes
£3.85 up to 1 hour 45 minutes / £4.70 up to 1 hour 45 minutes
£4.40 up to 2 hours / £5.40 up to 2 hours

C) Zone 3 - Parking places with a maximum stay of 3 hours

Previous Charge / Current Charge
55p up to 30 minutes / 65p up to 30 minutes
£1.10 up to 1 hour / £1.35 up to 1 hour
£1.65 up to 1 hour 30 minutes / £2.00 up to 1 hour 30 minutes
£2.20 up to 2 hours / £2.70 up to 2 hours
£2.75 up to 2 hours 30 minutes / £3.35 up to 2 hours 30 minutes
£3.30 up to 3 hours / £4.00 up to 3 hours

2.8 The Salford CPZ adjoins zone 1 of the Manchester scheme and at £1.00 for 40 minutes, is currently cheaper for the motorist.

2.9 In addition to increasing charges, Manchester City Council have also recently decided to increase the operating times of their CPZ so that from September, 2011, (subject to final approval), the restrictions and charges will apply between 0800 hours and 2000 hours, seven days a week, excluding Bank Holidays.

2.10 All of Salford’s pay and display car parks and CPZ on-street facilities are free of charge on Bank Holidays but unlike Manchester, single yellow line restrictions are enforced on those days in common with other neighbouring Authorities. However, unlike the Salford CPZ, most restrictions in Manchester City Centre are double yellow lines which prohibit parking at any time and these are enforced on Bank Holidays.

3 Proposals

3.1 It has been agreed that parking provision in Salford is to be subject to regular review and that it was considered the respective CPZs in the two cities should be more aligned to each other in the future

3.2 It is proposed therefore, that consideration be given to extending the Salford CPZ operating hours, subject to the necessary Traffic Regulation Order procedures being followed and that those hours be the same as those proposed for Manchester CPZ, i.e. 0800 hours to 2000 hours, seven days per week.

3.3 With respect to the current on-street parking charges in Salford, it is considered that it may not be sensible to raise them to the same levels as the Manchester zones 1 and 2 where demand is higher.

3.4 The charges were raised in April 2011 and as a majority of motorists who currently park in the Salford CPZ walk into Manchester, the current cheaper rate and less restrictive time restraints are an incentive to use the Salford facilities. Harmonisation of the charges could deter some who would simply park in the adjacent Manchester zone nearer to their choice of destination for the same price. Zone 3 charges are however, currently lower and due to the area’s location, do not provide competition to the Salford CPZ.

3.5 As any change to the scheme operating hours will need to be made under the TRO process, it may also be prudent to examine the feasibility of introducing additional pay and display bays in the area during this process to maximise parking potential in the area.

4. Financial Considerations.

4.1 These proposals would increase the CPZ charging hours by roughly 50%.

4.2 Income from the CPZ pay and display operation amounted to £136,000 in the 2010/11 financial year. Simple maths would indicate a potential to increase income by 50% but in practice this would probably not be the case due to differing parking demand according to the time of day and other considerations.

4.3 Salford parking charges were increased recently by some 30% and current income in the CPZ is roughly the same as for this period last year reflecting a reduced demand for parking at the present time.

4.4 This could be attributable to a number of factors indicating a reduction of traffic in general caused by the effects of the current financial climate, fuel costs, increased parking charges, effectiveness of the green travel agenda etc.

5. Recommendations

5.1 That the legal process to increase the Salford CPZ operating hours as proposed, be commenced.

5.2 That the possibility of introducing additional pay and display bays in the area be examined and if found feasible, included in the same legal process.

5.3 That the revised operating hours and additional bays be implemented subject to approval by the Planning and Transportation Regulatory Panel.

Paul Walker,

Strategic Director for Sustainable Regeneration.