EAST HERTS COUNCIL
NON KEY DECISION – 08/38
REPORT BY THE EXECUTIVE MEMBER
FOR PLANNING POLICY AND TRANSPORT
PROPOSED REVISION TO OPERATIONAL HOURS AND PARKING TARIFFS IN BOWLING GREEN LANE (BUNTINGFORD) AND STANSTEAD ABBOTTS CAR PARKS
WARDS AFFECTED: Buntingford And Stanstead Abbotts
‘D’ RECOMMENDATION – that (A) Officers be authorised to advertise a Traffic RegulationOrder (TRO) proposingchanges to the operating hours of its Bowling Green Lane, Buntingford and High Street, Stanstead Abbotts car parks;
(B)if there are no objections to the advertised TRO, or if any changes to the TRO as a result of objections are minor in nature, Officers be authorised to make the TRO and implement the changes at the earliest opportunity; and
(C)Officers be authorised to enact tariff changes in the above car parks by means of a ‘Notice of Variation’, to come into effect on the same day on which the above TRO becomes effective.
1.0Purpose/Summary of Report
1.1The report seeks Member agreement to the drafting and advertisement of a Traffic Regulation Order – necessary to secure a reduction in the operational hours of the Council’s Buntingford and Stanstead Abbotts car parks. Also, it seeks permission to enacta parallel reduction in charges by means of a ‘Notice of Variation’ to come into effect on the same day as the related TRO.
2.0Contribution to the Council’s Corporate Objectives
2.1Shaping now, shaping the future
Safeguard and enhance our unique mix of rural and urban communities ensuring sustainable, economic and social opportunities including the continuation of effective development control and other measures.
3.0Background
3.1On 31 March 2008, East Herts Council introduced charges for the use of its car parks in Buntingford and Stanstead Abbotts. The Council recognised that this mightaffect patterns of parking in the town and made a commitment to theBuntingfordTownand Stanstead Abbotts Parish Councils, the Buntingford Chamber of Commerce and others that it would monitor the situation over time and take such steps as might be appropriate to further modify parking and traffic management arrangements in the town. The proposals in this report are a tangibleexample of that commitment.
4.0Report
4.1Using powers grantedunder Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 2489, in 2008/09 East Herts Council varied its car park charges by means of ‘Notice of Variation’ rather than through the orthodox Traffic Regulation Order process. As part of this process, charges were implemented for the first time in the Council’s Buntingford and Stanstead Abbotts car parks. As a result, East Herts Council made a commitment to representative bodies in both communities that it would monitor and where appropriate, adjust its approach to parking and traffic management in the two towns according to evidence that would come forward during the year.
4.2The new regime is now eight months old and reliable evidence is now available. This evidence has already enabled the Council to propose amendments to the on-street limited waiting bays in both towns and the limited introduction of waiting restrictions in Bowling Green Lane, Buntingford, on safety grounds.
4.3In the case of Buntingford’s Bowling Green Lane car park, representations have been received from three main interest groups and the Council has sought to find ways in which their needs and wants can be met as far as is possible whilst adhering to current Council policy that this should be a charging car park:
i)Some correspondents have suggested that the charging regime causes problems when delivering and collecting students from the WardFremanCollege and EdwinstreeMiddle School in Bowling Green Lane. Whilst nothing the Council has done would preclude parents from dropping off or picking up a child in the nearby car park, the Council proposes to shrink the charging hours from 0730 – 1830 to0900 – 1500, Monday to Friday. This will mean that all users of the car park outside of those hours will be able to park free of charge.
ii)Other correspondentshave suggested that the charging regime impacts directly on local residents who have no off street parking of their own and who use the Council provided car park for their parking needs. The Council has no particular duty to provide free parking to local residents in such circumstances; however, the reduction in charging hours mentioned above, allied with the fact that the car park does not charge on Saturdays or Sundays, should mean that many residents will be able to park their vehicle in the afternoon after the cessation of charging and remove it in the morning before charging hours begin.
iii)The Chamber of Commerce and others in Buntingford have suggested that the introduction of charging will have a detrimental effect on the economic viability of the town. Since charges were introduced, a local supermarket, Somerfield, has introduced a rebate scheme for its customers. In addition, to reflect the proposed shortened charging hours, the Council proposes to simplify and where appropriate reduce its tariffs in line with the reduced charging hours, which will be of direct benefit to those who use the car park for work purposes.
4.4Current and proposed charging hours and tariffs in the Bowling Green Lane car park are shown in Appendix A.
4.5Representations received in respect of the Stanstead Abbotts car park were broadly similar in nature; therefore the response proposed is similar:
i)A reduction in charging hours to 0900-1500, (Monday to Friday) to allow the car park to be used as a base for the school walking bus currently in operation and as an overnight and weekend parking facility for local residents.
ii)A parallel reduction in tariffs, whilst seeking to remain competitive with charges operated at the nearby St Margarets railway station.
4.6Current and proposed charging hours and tariffs in the High Street, Stanstead Abbotts car parkare shown in Appendix A.
4.7It is proposed that should the Order making process permit, the shortening of charging hours and parallel reduction in tariffs in these car parks could be achieved before the customary time for revision of tariffs in the Council’s other car parks, which will be 30 March 2009.
4.8The 2009/10 tariff changes in all other East Herts car parks, which will not also involve a change to charging hours, will be implemented by means of the ‘Notice of Variation’ procedure identified above and will come into effect on 30 March 2009.
5.0Consultation
5.1The changes proposed in this report are in part a result of correspondence with interested parties including Buntingford Town Council, Stanstead Abbotts Parish Council and the Buntingford Chamber of Commerce.
5.2The advertisement of the proposed Order in the car parks and in the local press will itself amount to a form of local consultation.
6.0 Legal Implications
6.1 In order to change charging hours in these car parks it will be necessary to promote a Traffic Regulation Order. Any interested party may object to an advertised Order within 21 days of its advertisement. The parallel change in tariffs can be achieved by means of a ‘Notice of Variation’ which cannot be the subject of objections.
7.0 Financial Implications
7.1The cost of drafting and advertising the TRO and Notice of Variation will be paid for by East Herts Council from within existing budgets. The impact on parking income is likely to be minimal; however, as 2008/09 is the first year of charging it will be impossible to quantify this by reference to previous years’ income. In addition, it is suggested that the economic benefit to the two towns of the above changes is likely to outweigh the risk of a slightly reduced income.
8.0Human Resource Implications
8.1None perceived.
9.0Risk Management Implications
9.1None perceived.
Background Papers
None
Contact MemberCllr Mike Carver – Executive Member for Planning Policy and Transport.
Contact OfficerNeil Sloper – Head of Customer Services and New Media (1611)
Andrew Pulham – Parking Manager (2030)
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