Agenda item

Report ES18090

Parking charges had been reviewed borough-wide (in line with the agreed Parking Strategy) with on and off street parking fees recommended, including permit fees and changes to Bromley Zone A. Proposed changes to parking controls in Sundridge Park Village car park and Biggin Hill were also recommended. The proposed charges had been benchmarked against inflation since the previous increase in 2015.

Report ES18090 proposed:

·  a 10p increase per hour to all on and off-street pay and display tariffs with the minimum charge increasing from 40p to 50p per hour;

·  a 20p increase at premium locations with a higher demand where the charge is currently £1.50 or more;

·  that charges in the Lebanon Gardens Car Park, Biggin Hill are not included in the increase (following a recent petition), leaving the charge at 40p per hour (to be the cheapest in the borough). 

Details of proposed charges for all on and off street parking bays were appended to the report. For parking permits, prices are based on the cost of scheme management including administration and level of enforcement needed (related to hours of operation for permit bays). Prices for all permits have been frozen since at least 2015. Any restriction of four hours or less is currently charged at £40 for an annual permit; any restriction over four hours is charged at £80. The charging differential covers extra costs of enforcement by Civil Enforcement Officers.

Proposed charges for Resident, Business and Visitor Vouchers are:

For Visitor Vouchers, a charge is proposed for residents in Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) restricted for four hours or less and another is proposed for CPZs restricted over four hours. As such, the cost of a pack of 15 visitor vouchers for residents in a CPZ of four hours or less would increase from £35.00 to £45.00 (increasing each voucher from £2.33 to £3.00) and for residents in a CPZ of more than four hours, the cost of a pack (of 15 visitor vouchers) would increase from £35.00 to £55.00 (increasing each voucher from £2.33 to £3.66). A second pricing tier would add fairness and equality for residents of all CPZs. Currently, a visitor in a lesser-enforced CPZ pays the same for a two-hour restriction as a visitor parking in a ten-hour restriction. CPZs that would be affected by the £55.00 visitor voucher cost are:

(Residents in other Town Centre/Community shopping centre areas are excluded from buying visitor vouchers and this was proposed to remain unchanged.)

Full details of proposed charges for all resident permits, business permits and visitor vouchers were appended to Report ES18090.

The cost of parking dispensations (permitting organisations to park on a single yellow line during restricted times) was also proposed to increase from £12.50 per week to £20 per week. Similarly, for parking suspensions (permitting workmen of organisations or residents to park vehicles in a restricted parking bay during restricted times e.g. permit bay, pay and display, or limited waiting bay) the suspension fee is proposed to increase to £20 per day from £10 per bay suspension per day. However, it was proposed to retain the administration fee for parking suspensions at £25.00. 

A review had also been undertaken of Zone-A of the Bromley Town Centre CPZ with the aim of ensuring: (i) that signs within the Zone are clearly understood by permit holders and town centre visitors; (ii) a balance exists between parking needs of residents and visitors; (iii) flexibility or alternative options for drivers in the evening visiting the town centre; and (iv) consistency of parking controls on roads within the CPZ. As a result of the review a new Zone-AA was proposed operating from 8am - 8pm in Ravensbourne Road, Ringers Road, Ethelbert Road, Aylesbury Road, Newbury Road, High Street, Elmfield Road, and Elmfield Park. The detailed design of the proposal includes:

·  reallocating approximately 12 Shared Use bays on Ravensbourne Road, Ethelbert Road and Ringers Road to Permit Holder Only;

·  extending the enforcement hours of bays in Aylesbury Road and Newbury Road to 8am-8pm and reallocating approximately ten Permit Holder Only bays to Shared Use bays;

·  removing 6.30–8pm restrictions on Church Road and South Street, which will remain in Zone-A;

·  increasing the cost of resident permits where Zone-C roads become Zone-A roads, due to extended hours of CPZ; and

·  new Permit Holder Only bays on Hayes Road and Sanford Road to replace some of the Shared Use bays.

Consultation is continuing with Shortlands and Bromley Town Ward Councillors with the next stage being to consult with the public following which further changes might be necessary. As such, a decision on the detailed design of the scheme, post-consultation, was recommended for delegation to the Executive Director of Environment and Community Services, in discussion with the Portfolio Holder and Ward Members. Implementation was expected to be July 2019.

Within Plaistow and Sundridge Ward, a New Pay and Display Scheme was proposed at Sundridge Park Village Car Park, Cooden Close. Following a decision in 2013 to remove charges for use of the car park (and revert the facility back to free use), it has, for some time, been heavily used by commuters using Sundridge Park station. A free car park serving commuters is unusual and maintenance costs for the Car Park continues (the car park is in need of re-surfacing). Car parks need to be self-financing so that repair costs are paid by users of a facility. 

As such, a Monday to Friday only tariff was recommended at the car park at 50p per hour, £2.50 maximum per day (the same tariff as commuter car parks at Penge East and Lennard Road). 

Although additional parking controls have been put in nearby residential streets to address commuter parking, a review of parking in the vicinity was also recommended before implementing any charges at the car park. It was additionally recommended that a final design for both parking controls in residential roads and details of the car park charging be delegated to the Executive Director of Environment and Community Services, after discussions with the Portfolio Holder and Ward Members.

Additionally, a new Pay and Display Scheme was also proposed for Main Road, Biggin Hill. Although the current time-limited parking controls can assist turnover for the benefit of local shops, they are difficult to enforce, resulting in long-term parking in many bays by shops and drivers moving from one bay to another over a daily period (not allowing turnover). To assist the position at Main Road, Biggin Hill, a Pay and Display scheme was recommended for consultation (with 45 bays currently proposed). The final design of a scheme could then be delegated to the Executive Director of Environment and Community Services, following discussions with the Portfolio Holder and Ward Members.

In taking account of comments from Members and Officers since publication of Report ES18090, a revised schedule of Pay and Display Charges was tabled as Appendix 1 to the report. A couple of car parks had also seen a reduction in usage. Additionally, comments from Cllr Melanie Stevens on the proposed Pay and Display scheme for Main Road, Biggin Hill were tabled.

Comments from Cllr Kieran Terry (unable to attend) on proposed charges for Chislehurst Town Centre, Gosshill Road Chislehurst, and Bromley Civic Centre were also tabled (Cllr Terry’s comments can be viewed on the meeting page of the Council’s website at the following link https://cds.bromley.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=127&MId=6464&Ver=4). The Assistant Director, Traffic and Parking had read the submission from Cllr Terry and having taken account of Cllr Terry’s comments confirmed that they did not affect the report’s overall recommendations.

On parking permit charge changes, it was suggested they seemed high in a low inflation context. However, they had not increased for at least four years. The permit costs need to cover the cost of enforcement and other CPZ related costs. The charges will remain competitive with other boroughs and maintain the pro-rata charging levels for different durations of operation.

An undertaking had previously been given not to raise the charges for four years. Cumulative inflation over the period amounted to about 10% and in a low inflation period, less frequent price increases were perhaps more appropriate. The increases are planned for 1^st April 2019 but it was suggested they take place over two years (to soften their impact). The Chairman suggested reducing the cost of a first car for a permit but escalating costs for subsequent cars. Officers offered to look at the suggestion and model the idea should this be wanted. Aspects concerning permit charges would also be considered with the Council’s Transformation agenda and related matters would be brought to Members in the summer.

Concerning a new Pay and Display Scheme for Main Road, Biggin Hill, Cllr Melanie Stevens (Biggin Hill) indicated that most traders have parking at the rear of shops and many of the spaces in car parks are empty. It is also possible to park without cost at the Waitrose car park. Cllr Stevens also implied that spaces along Main Road remain empty as it is possible to see along the high street to its end. Concerning difficulties with enforcing time limited parking bays, Cllr Stevens suggested that the parking facilities would be (are being) abused if it is not possible to adequately enforce the bays. Instead, Cllr Stevens referred to the benefits of cashless parking which is much easier to enforce and enforcement would therefore be more successful. The Assistant Director indicated that features of the proposed Biggin Hill scheme had worked successfully on previous occasions in similar circumstances e.g. at Westmoreland Road.

Concerning a New Pay and Display Scheme at the Sundridge Park Village Car Park, Cooden Close, Cllr Allatt (Plaistow and Sundridge) suggested that drivers would park elsewhere should the proposed scheme be implemented. However, the scheme would cover the cost of the car park and following a question from the Chairman on how many schemes had met their business target, details were outlined to Members. Nevertheless, if a similar scheme previously introduced had not worked effectively, it was questioned why the new scheme should be introduced. Should the scheme be supported, the Assistant Director advised that a design would include controls in nearby roads to cover any parking displacement. 

In view of Cllr Stevens and Cllr Allatt needing more information on the Biggin Hill and Sundridge schemes and the Chairman requiring information on any schemes not meeting their business case (income against actual expenditure) to see whether the policy is working, it was agreed that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to defer a decision on these two schemes. Cllr Allatt asked to see a probability analysis in particular of potential parking displacement to adjacent roads for the Sundridge scheme. The Assistant Director advised that officers are aware of where vehicles were displaced on the previous occasion that charges were introduced at Cooden Close Car Park. Officers would be able to implement schemes around the car park so that residents are not affected. 

For recommendations related to Bromley Zone A it was agreed to support these subject to consultation with Ward Members on roads at the edges of the scheme. 

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

(1)  agree the proposed parking charges as set out at Appendix 1 to Report ES18090;

(2)  agree the proposed permit charges as set out at Appendix 2 to Report ES18090;

(3)  agree the proposed dispensation and suspension charges set out at Section 5 of Report ES18090;

(4)  agree the proposed changes to Bromley Zone A Controlled Parking Zone set out at Section 6 of Report ES18090 subject to consultation with Ward Members on roads at the edges of the scheme;

(5)  defer a decision on the proposed changes to parking controls in the Sundridge Park Village car park and surrounding streets (set out at Section 7 of Report ES18090) subject to further information being provided as outlined above;

(6)  defer a decision on the proposed changes to parking controls in Biggin Hill (set out at Section 8 of Report ES18090) subject to further information being provided as outlined above; and 

(7)  the decision regarding detailed design of the proposed changes to Bromley Zone A Controlled Parking Zone post-consultation be delegated to the Executive Director of Environment and Community Services, in discussion with the Portfolio Holder and Ward Members.