Agenda item

This report advises the committee of the outcomes of a review of the Zone E Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), covering Ealing Road, Wembley following consideration of a petition that was presented to the Highway Committee on 17 July 2012.  The petition raised concerns about the level of pay & display charges in the Borough along with parking restrictions imposed by the Council in and around the Ealing Road area. It requested more free parking; reduced parking charges; parking restriction times to be reduced and; parking fees to be reduced.

(i)           Noted that the Council had listened to trader’s concerns and approved a new tariff structure introduced on 14 October 13 and now fully operational, to support traders and their customers. As a result, the first 15 minutes parking had been reduced to 20p; pay and display tariffs had been reduced by up to 50% and; customers were now able to pay for parking in smaller time blocks.

(ii)          Noted that the outcomes of the consultation carried out in Zone E were not conclusive and, given the recent introduction of the new tariff structure for pay and display parking to support trader’s and their customers, that no changes be made to the days or hours of operation of Zone E CPZ.

(iii)         Noted that a £250,000 traffic safety scheme has been developed for Ealing Road as part of this year’s Local Implementation Plan programme, and that this scheme has been consulted over and would be implemented during the current financial year.

(iv)         That the Wembley Protected Parking Scheme restrictions be reviewed generally to ensure that they continue to meet the Council’s transport strategy objectives through a clear, consistent and fair strategy.

Members had before them a report that advised of the outcomes of a review of the Zone E Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), covering Ealing Road, Wembley following consideration of a petition that was presented to the Committee on 17 July 2012.  The petition raised concerns about the level of pay & display charges in the Borough along with parking restrictions imposed by the Council in and around the Ealing Road area and requested the following: more free parking; reduced parking charges; parking restriction times to be reduced and; parking fees to be reduced

Mrs Linda Parmar, representative of Ealing Road Traders Association addressed the Committee.  Mrs Parmar raised concerns about the level of pay & display charges in the Borough along with parking restrictions imposed by the Council in and around the Ealing Road area.  She continued that the parking charges and the hours of operation were having a detrimental impact on the businesses in the Ealing Road area.  Mrs Parmar therefore requested the Committee to reduce the restriction times to ensure free parking on Saturdays and Sundays and reduced parking charges which in her view would assist with employment generation and business growth in the Ealing Road area.

In response to members’ questions, Linda Parmar stated that she had observed a positive correlation between higher parking charges and contraction in business activity, particularly in the Ealing Road area where the amount and volume of spaces given to residents were impacting on businesses.  She noted the changes in the parking tariff but added that this would take some time to make a significant impact on business activities.

MrsParmar was thanked for her address.

Paul Chandler, Head of Transportation informed the Committee that further to the petition, 1,628 consultation packages were delivered to residents, Ward members, businesses and all local interest groups, including schools, and that a total of 607 questionnaires were returned. In reference to the report, he stated that respondent’s requirements varied throughout the zone and no single preferred option was favoured in all areas; therefore the results did not demonstrate a significant majority in favour of one specific option. 

It was noted that members approved a two year funding package through the LIP programme to develop a safety scheme to address a poor accident record along Ealing Road (35 personal injury accidents over a three year period). £250k was allocated during 2013/14 to develop and implement this safety scheme and construction was due to start in December 2013. He also drew members’ attention to the Council’s implementation of a radical change to its parking tariffs and methods of charging which he added had resulted in positive changes to making parking more affordable.  For the above reasons, the Head of Transportation proposed no changes to existing hours or days of operation in the CPZ zone E area at the present time.

In welcoming the report, Councillor Mashari expressed a view that Ealing Road area was well connected in terms of parking and public transport accessibility.  Other members felt that the impact on Ealing Road traders could also be attributed to on-line retail and trading competition from other local areas such as Kingsbury.  On the basis of experience with their own ward town centres, all Members expressed the view that parking charges were just one of many factors affecting trade, the biggest being the recession since 2008. It was also felt that the substantial (25-33%) reduction in charges implemented in Brent since October should assist. Councillor Chohan requested the Committee to consider making available residents parking bays on the side roads which were mostly empty.  Members heard from the Head of Transportation that further changes to the loading bays would be made so that restrictions would only apply for part of the day, thereby providing free parking at all other times.

In bringing the discussion to an end, the Chair informed the Committee that the Wembley Protected Parking Scheme restrictions would be reviewed generally to ensure that they continue to meet the Council’s transport strategy objectives through a clear, consistent and fair strategy.

RESOLVED:

(i)           that it be noted that the Council had listened to trader’s concerns and approved a new tariff structure introduced on 14 October 2013 and now fully operational, to support traders and their customers. As a result, the first 15 minutes parking had been reduced to 20p; pay and display tariffs had been reduced by up to 50% and; customers were now able to pay for parking in smaller time blocks;

(ii)          that it be noted that the outcomes of the consultation carried out in Zone E were not conclusive and, given the recent introduction of the new tariff structure for pay and display parking to support trader’s and their customers, that no changes be made to the days or hours of operation of Zone E CPZ;

(iii)         that it be noted that a £250,000 traffic safety scheme has been developed for Ealing Road as part of this year’s Local Implementation Plan programme, and that this scheme has been consulted over and would be implemented during the current financial year;

(iv)         that the Wembley Protected Parking Scheme be reviewed generally to ensure that it continues to meet the Council’s transport strategy objectives through a clear, consistent and fair strategy.