Issue - items at meetings - Preston Park Parking Review

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

1.         That Committee notes the outcome of the review.

2.         That Committee approves the proposal to reduce the times parking charges apply from the current position of 9am – 6pm Monday to Sunday, to 9am – 4pm Monday to Friday and 2pm – 6pm Saturday and Sunday.  The change would be subject to the statutory consultation process for Traffic Regulation Orders.

3.         That Committee instructs officers to advertise the associated Traffic Regulation Orders. Any unresolved objections will be brought back to the Council’s Transport Committee. 

4.         That the revised scheme is reviewed again formally 12 months after implementation with a report brought back to committee to assess the performance of the scheme and the improvements made to the park with the surplus funds.

47.1         The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place that set out the findings of the review into parking controls at Preston Park.

47.2         Councillor Sykes asked if it was likely that the revised scheme would simply lead to people predominately using the car park in the hours that it was free of charge resulting in previous problems re-appearing.

47.3         The Head of Projects and Strategy replied that now the scheme had been operational for six months, officers were in a position to make projections based on the patterns of parking. They were confident that parking would not be used only when it was free.

47.4         Councillor Pissaridou asked why parking charges were not allocated to the transport budget as normally occurred.

47.5         The Head of Projects and Strategy clarified that income from penalty notices issued were allocated to the transport budget whereas parking charges at the park were ring-fenced for re-investment in the park.

47.6         The Principal Solicitor explained that the legal basis for this was further outlined in paragraph 8.5 of the report.

47.7         Councillor Theobald thanked the Head of Projects and Strategy for his detailed briefings on what was a complex matter. He added that he had been confident a surplus would be made and he was pleased that there would now be more periods of free parking

47.8         Councillor Cox welcomed the report asking if specific attention could be paid in using the surplus for investment in the cycle track and cycle club. He explained that the track was potentially a high standard facility and would provide real benefit with the next closest cycle track based in Southampton.

47.9         The Chair thanked Councillor Cox for his input. He agreed that there was huge potential in the cycle track and the Committee should look to facilitate this.

47.10    Councillor Mitchell relayed her thanks to the Head of Projects and Strategy for his briefings adding that it had been a good idea to review the progress of parking in Preston Park.

47.11    The Head of Projects and Strategy informed the Committee should the recommendations of the report be accepted, and objections to the necessary Traffic Regulation Order process would be reported to the Transport Committee as this was within its remit.

47.12    RESOLVED-

1.         That Committee notes the outcome of the review.

2.         That Committee approves the proposal to reduce the times parking charges apply from the current position of 9am – 6pm Monday to Sunday, to 9am – 4pm Monday to Friday and 2pm – 6pm Saturday and Sunday.  The change would be subject to the statutory consultation process for Traffic Regulation Orders.

3.         That Committee instructs officers to advertise the associated Traffic Regulation Orders. Any unresolved objections will be brought back to the Council’s Transport Committee. 

4.         That the revised scheme is reviewed again formally 12 months after implementation with a report brought back to committee to assess the performance of the scheme and the improvements made to the park with the surplus funds.