Agenda item

Cabinet agreed at its meeting on 14 March 2016 to undertake a major consultation exercise on a series of changes to the way in which the council manages, and charges for, on street parking in Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs).This report sets out the results of the consultation exercise and makes a coherent set of linked proposals for reform.

RESOLVED:

Demand-Led Pay and Display Tariffs:

-       To freeze parking prices in Pay & Display bays borough-wide.

Daily Visitor Parking Charges:

-       To proceed to formal consultation on a Traffic Management Order, under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, introducing new visitor parking charges in CPZ areas, with a £1.50 charge for up to 2 hours, a £3 charge for up to 4 hours, and a £4.50 charge for ‘all-day’ visitor parking of more than 4 hours.

-       To delegate authority to implement the price changes following formal consultation, including amendment of any relevant Traffic Management Orders, to the Strategic Director Regeneration & Environment, in consultation with the Lead Member for Environment.

Visitor Household Permit

-       To retain the Visitor Household permit.

-       To increase the charge made for the Visitor Household permit, from 1st October 2016, to a 2016/17 rate of £163 for a full year; £98 for 6 months and £66 for three months; and with future increases linked to the price of a third Resident Parking Permit for vehicles in the proposed ‘Standard’ emissions band.

Carer and Support Permit:

-       Dependent on agreement to recommendation 2.4 above, to withdraw the proposal to introduce a new Care and Support permit.

School Parking Permits:

In respect of parking for school staff:

-       To allow schools within CPZs to purchase a maximum of 3 business permits, at the standard rate (£366 in 2016/17) and terms & conditions, with immediate effect;

-       To introduce a new scheme allowing qualifying schools to:

-       Purchase a maximum of 3 school staff parking permits at a rate discounted by 25% to reflect term-time use only, providing the school has a bronze level accredited travel plan;

-       Purchase additional school staff parking permits at the reduced term-time rate should they have either a silver (up to 6 school permits in total) or a gold (up to 9 school permits in total) level accredited travel plan.

Residents Parking Permits:

-       From 1st April 2017 to amend the resident parking permit scheme as follows:

-       Simplifying emission-based bandings for resident household permits, as set out in paragraph 7.3, to provide a clearer signal and encouragement to switch to lower emission vehicles

-       Introducing a minimum charge of £25 for a resident’s parking permit for any vehicle (other than a powered two-wheel vehicle)

-       Reducing the permitted size of vehicles with resident permits to those weighing no more than 3.5 tonnes

-       To agree in principle to introduce a £25 supplement for diesel car permits, reflecting their additional contribution to air pollution, with effect from 1st October 2018 to give adequate notice and therefore time for owners to change to less polluting vehicles or transport modes.

-       To note that further research is required regarding the proposal to phase a reduction of resident permit entitlement from 3 permits to 2, as set out at paragraph 7.2.

Visitor Permit Entitlement:

-       Dependent on agreement to recommendation 2.4 above (to continue the offer of the Visitor Household permit), to cap the number of visitor permits any household can buy to a maximum of 300 permits p.a., commencing from 1st April 2017.

Trader Permits:

-       To develop and introduce a new one-day All Zones trader’s permit, allowing a business vehicle to park in any CPZ within Brent for one day.

CPZ Concerns

To note that a further report detailing and scoping a comprehensive review of the operation of CPZs will come to Cabinet in the autumn.

Councillor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Environment, introduced the report stating that Cabinet agreed, at its meeting on 14 March 2016, to undertake a major consultation exercise on a series of changes to the way in which the council managed, and charged for, on street parking in Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs). She stated that this report set out the results of the consultation exercise and made a coherent set of linked proposals for reform.

Councillor Southwood stated that a wide range of consultation methods had been employed to consult stakeholders on the proposals outlined in the March 2014 Cabinet report. This also included consultation with non-Cabinet members.

Councillor Krupesh Hirani, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, welcomed the proposed changes to parking support for traders.

With the permission of the Chair, Councillor Neil Nerva, Queens Park, addressed the meeting on behalf of Queens Park residents and councillors. He praised the amount of consultation that had taken place. Councillor Nerva asked that the Cabinet reconsider the special permit for teachers which had significant implications in Queens Park Ward.

In response to Councillor Nerva, Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council, stated that the issue would be looked at. He outlined the Council’s desire to expand existing schools. Councillor Butt asked that the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, Amar Dave, review school travel plans across the Borough. Councillor  Butt stated that the these permits assisted with the retention of teaching staff but that schools also needed to be robust in their monitoring of school travel plans.

RESOLVED:

Demand-Led Pay and Display Tariffs:

(i)         that parking prices in Pay & Display bays borough-wide be frozen;

Daily Visitor Parking Charges:

(ii)        that approval be given to proceed to formal consultation on a Traffic Management Order, under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, introducing new visitor parking charges in CPZ areas, with a £1.50 charge for up to 2 hours, a £3 charge for up to 4 hours, and a £4.50 charge for ‘all-day’ visitor parking of more than 4 hours;

(iii)       that authority to implement the price changes following formal consultation, including amendment of any relevant Traffic Management Orders, be delegated to the Strategic Director Regeneration an Environment, in consultation with the Lead Member for Environment;

Visitor Household Permit

(iv)       that the Visitor Household permit be retained;

(v)        that the charge made for the Visitor Household permit, be increased from 1 October 2016, to a 2016/17 rate of £163 for a full year; £98 for 6 months and £66 for three months; and with future increases linked to the price of a third Resident Parking Permit for vehicles in the proposed ‘Standard’ emissions band;

Carer and Support Permit:

(vi)       that in the light of agreement to (iv) above, the proposal to introduce a new Care and Support permit be withdrawn;

School Parking Permits:

(vii)      In respect of parking for school staff:

(a)       that schools within CPZs be allowed to purchase a maximum of three business permits, at the standard rate (£366 in 2016/17) and terms and conditions, with immediate effect;

(b)       that approval be given to the introduction of a new scheme allowing qualifying schools to:

Purchase a maximum of 3 school staff parking permits at a rate discounted by 25% to reflect term-time use only, providing the school has a bronze level accredited travel plan;

Purchase additional school staff parking permits at the reduced term-time rate should they have either a silver (up to 6 school permits in total) or a gold (up to 9 school permits in total) level accredited travel plan.

Residents Parking Permits:

(viii)     that from 1st April 2017 the resident parking permit scheme be amended as follows:

(a)       Simplifying emission-based bandings for resident household permits, as set out in paragraph 7.3, to provide a clearer signal and encouragement to switch to lower emission vehicles

(b)       Introducing a minimum charge of £25 for a resident’s parking permit for any vehicle (other than a powered two-wheel vehicle)

(c)        Reducing the permitted size of vehicles with resident permits to those weighing no more than 3.5 tonnes

(xi)       that agreement in principle be given to the introduction of a £25 supplement for diesel car permits, reflecting their additional contribution to air pollution, with effect from 1st October 2018 to give adequate notice and therefore time for owners to change to less polluting vehicles or transport modes.

(x)        that it be noted that further research was required regarding the proposal to phase a reduction of resident permit entitlement from 3 permits to 2, as set out at paragraph 7.2;

Visitor Permit Entitlement:

(xi)       that following agreement to recommendation (iv) above (to continue the offer of the Visitor Household permit), to cap the number of visitor permits any household can buy to a maximum of 300 permits p.a., commencing from 1 April 2017.

Trader Permits:

(xii)      that a new one-day All Zones trader’s permit, allowing a business vehicle to park in any CPZ within Brent for one day be developed and introduced.

CPZ Concerns

(xiii)     that it be noted that a further report detailing and scoping a comprehensive review of the operation of CPZs would come to Cabinet in the Autumn.