Agenda item

Report ES12034

Proposals were outlined in Report ES12034 to introduce a new Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Beckenham town centre.

In June 2011, a consultation in the Beckenham and Eden Park area aimed to help clarify which roads were experiencing parking difficulties and to gauge what residents felt to be a suitable solution. The outcomes revealed difficulties around Beckenham town centre and Eden Park Station and it was decided to look at the two areas separately. Report ES12034 focused on the proposals for Beckenham town centre and proposals for Eden Park would be addressed at a later date.

The original proposed designs for a CPZ near Beckenham town centre included Downs Road, Manor Grove, Bevington Close, Bevington Road, Manor Road, Kelsey Park Road, Stanmore Terrace, Burnhill Road, Lea Road and Fairfield Road. The Beckenham Towen Centre CPZ Perimeter area was shown in drawing ESD-10858-4. A second consultation was carried out with residents of these roads in December 2011. This indicated that the roads around Stanmore Terrace, shown in drawing ESD-10858-5-01 (scheme 1), supported the proposed introduction of a CPZ but that residents of Bevington Road, Manor Grove and Downs Road were not supportive. Consequently it was proposed to install the CPZ in the Stanmore Terrace area. However, due to the risk of displaced parking, further consultation was carried out in February 2012 with residents of Bevington Road, Manor Grove and Downs Road. The consultation asked residents if they would like to reconsider being included within a new CPZ given the risk of displacement.

The outcome of this last consultation was reported at the meeting. The residents of Bevington Road indicated that they wished to be included within the new CPZ but as there was no consensus amongst residents in Manor Grove and that the residents of Downs Road voted against being included in the CPZ, it was proposed to exclude these roads from the zone. In responses to this consultation from some Bevington Road residents, further changes were requested to the layout outside their properties and in the final design there would be some further refinements following the changes requested.

The proposal had been developed based on a new CPZ operating Monday to Saturday 8am to 6:30pm. However, discussions were ongoing with local resident groups and the hours might be extended as a result of the evening trade in Beckenham Town Centre and the traffic that this attracts.  Any such changes would be addressed during the detailed design stage.

In discussion, Councillor Michael Tickner spoke on this item as a Member representing Copers Cope ward.

Concerning the proposal to exclude Manor Grove and Downs Road from the CPZ, it was indicated to Members that displacement was anticipated to these roads and their position could be reviewed in six months when it was proposed to review both schemes 1 and 2 (as described below).

The Portfolio Holder referred to a possibility of including Manor Grove and Downs Road in a Traffic Management Order but not to progress it unless residents opt in. Councillors Samaris Huntington-Thresher and Reg Adams supported this approach.

In concluding it was also agreed that a six month review could also review any need for a Beckenham Business Parking Permit. Councillor Tickner indicated that any views on this from the Beckenham Business Association to the R&R PDS Beckenham and West Wickham Town Centre Working Party could be taken account of in the six month review.

RESOVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree that:

(1)  the CPZ shown in drawing number ESD-10858-5-01 (scheme 1) be introduced;

(2)  the extension to the CPZ shown in drawing number ESD-10858-5-02 (scheme 2) be introduced but subject to the following changes arising from the latest consultation carried out in February 2012 –

  (a) residents of Bevington Road be included within the new CPZ and in the final design the residents’ bay to stretch down to include the frontages of numbers 16 and 18 and the yellow lines outside properties 1 and 2 be cut back slightly to create longer parking bays – the yellow lines around the junction with Manor Road to be converted to double yellow lines for a distance of 10 metres

  (b) Manor Grove and Downs Road to be excluded from the zone but the length of yellow lines at both road junctions with Manor Road be cut back to 10 metres and the lines be converted to double yellow lines to help create some additional parking space in these roads adjacent to flank fencing whilst maintaining safety at the junctions;

(3)  authority to make any minor modifications which might arise as a result of any considerations be delegated to the Director of Environmental Services, in consultation with the Environment Portfolio Holder and Ward Members;

(4)  the outworking of Scheme 1 and Scheme 2 (as amended above) be reviewed in a further six months and this review to include consideration of any displacement to Manor Grove and Downs Road that might have occurred along with the consideration of any need for a Beckenham Business Parking Permit; and

(5)  Manor Grove and Downs Road, although currently excluded from the CPZ, be nevertheless included in the draft Traffic Management Order should it be necessary to include these roads for the CPZ in the future – however no action be taken to implement road markings for these two roads until after the six month review recommended at (4) above.