Agenda item

Presentation by Councillor K. Bright

Councillor Kristian Bright, Cabinet Member for Parking made a presentation on the Parking Strategy and asked the Panel to comment on the proposed strategy. During the presentation Councillor Bright made the following comments:

·  This was a comprehensive strategy with eight broad objectives; four for on street and four for off street parking;

·  There were fifty two actions with thirty for off street and 22 for on street parking;

·  There were short, medium and long term objectives for the strategy;

·  This strategy was for the period up to 2044. It was a twenty year parking strategy;

·  The aim was to make the car parks enhanced, integrated, future proofed and balanced;

·  The aim was to ensure that streets were well managed, cleaner, enhanced and less conjected;

·  There would be a need to work with residents and businesses for motorists to use car parks;

·  The public consultation had resulted in 4,866 responses being received by the Council. This was quite a high response rate. Eighty six percent supported the vision;

·  There was resistance to flexible tariff structure with 45% responses not in support;

·  Residents talked of the need for a balance between residents parking and dedicated coach and motor homes parking;

·  Residents also talked about preserving green spaces and increasing vegetation;

·  The annual parking budget would fund the quick wins in the strategy;

·  The Joint Transportation Board would discuss the strategy on 17 December before it goes to Cabinet for decision on 19 December 2024.

Members asked questions and made comments as follows:

·  Would there be use of ANPR technology?

·  These were very impressive proposals and they were a long time coming. How would this strategy be communicated to residents, in order to explain why the Council was considering such proposals?

·  It was pleasing to note that the strategy had proposals for bike hangars;

·  This strategy was important for the local residents as councillors were receiving a number of case work related to parking;

·  The Council should lead the way on electric vehicle charging points that should be established across the district;

·  Having solar panels on car park roofs was a fantastic idea. Was there going to be a review of this strategy in time?

·  The use of ANPR technology would be useful as it would relieve staffing resources and it would also deter anti-social behaviour;

·  The strategy to reduce traffic was welcome. Would car clubs be a council managed or community group managed approach?

·  How would this strategy combat dangerous school street parking during school runs?

·  How much were the quick wins going to cost?

·  Car parks could be enhanced to provide work spaces to enhance the towns;

·  Electric vehicles (EVs) would have a long presence. It was therefore important to review the strategy regularly to take into consideration any changes in technology. It would be helpful to state when the reviews would be and the type of such reviews;

·  Coach parking should be sited where residents would have to walk which would help with their health instead of living them by shop doors;

·  It was good to see such a good response to the consultation. Underused car parks should be developed to encourage more usage;

·  Could the council liaise with owners of private car parks to encourage more usage;

·  Signage for car parks was important. More houses to come through housing development in the district would also mean more traffic. Quick wins were a great idea, but it was also about how the Council was going to communicate these to the public;

·  Would parking and garages on tower blocks be part of this strategy? If they were not could these be included in this parking policy?

·  There needed to be joined up thinking between Parking and Tenant and Leaseholder Services;

·  How could the Council make parking easier for residents without overcharging them?

·  It was important for the strategy to consider accessibility to car parks particularly for families with small children and therefore having family with babies parking bays on the ground floor;

·  Staffordshire car parks were surrounded by residential properties. There was therefore an opportunity to make these suitable for residents use;

·  More enforcement should be considered for verge parking, as this created mud mess;

·  It might be that follower beds should be put on these verges to discourage verge parking.

Councillor K. Bright and Penny Button, Head of Neighbourhoods responded to member comments and questions as follows:

·  Yes, ANPR technology would be used as part of the parking strategy;

·  Having the appropriate Comms would be a key factor in ensuring that this strategy became successful. This strategy was full of positive things that the Council did on the subject. The strategy would need to be set up in way that the residents could understand it;

·  If by next year the Council has not made progress with this strategy, Cabinet would review it;

·  A progress update report would be presented to the Panel annually;

·  Council was committed to reaching net zero;

·  TDC was currently working with KCC on grant funding for electric vehicle charging points for car parks and was still to decide which car parks would have these facilities;

·  The Levi Fund had on street charging points which the Council could access;

·  The Council was starting to get push back with parking enforcement at schools. Feasibility studies on car clubs would inform the policy;

·  The Decrim funds had already been allocated to designated car parks that included the Mill Lane car park;

·  The Council would need to look at ways to enhance active travel and car parking to free up town centre streets;

·  This was a twenty year strategy. EVs would also be improving in technology and become more efficient. The strategy would be flexible to adapt to the changes in technology and law;

·  The council had no control over private car parks. However officers could try and engage the owners as requested by Members. Developing trust important for such discussions on usage of car parks;

·  Garages at tower blocks was included in the strategy;

·  Parking at tower blocks was managed through Estates.

The Panel noted the presentation.