Agenda item

1.    To approve the new short stay parking tariffs as set out in the Table 4 below.

2.    To delegate the implementation of recommendation above to the Strategic Director of Environment.

Councillor Sharon holder introduced the report proposing to implement new emissions-based parking charge bands and improve the offer for residents visiting friends and family or shopping across the borough. The policy would decrease charges on 80% of vehicles and support the Councill’s net carbon zero 2030 target and clean air neighbourhood strategy while helping residents tackle the cost-of-living crisis. It also supports businesses in the face of a potential recession.

Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler welcomed the decrease in parking charges for residents but asked the reason for favouring electric cars as only around 3% of residents owned an electric car due to its high cost. She believed that the decrease should apply to all vehicles as the majority of people were still affected by higher parking charges.

Councillor Holder replied that in the near future most people would own an electric car and at that point the new charges would favour everyone in the borough.

Cllr Brocklebank-Fowler acknowledged that this was a forward-looking policy, but it would take a long time for the majority of people to be able to afford buying an electric car.

Cllr Brocklebank-Fowler noted that the higher cost of parking charges had affected business since it had been implemented and asked what steps the Council was taking to help businesses during this period.

Councillor Holder stated that the Council had an extensive programme to support residents and businesses through the cost-of-living crisis, led by Councillor Harvey. She added that she had not been contacted by any business requesting help related to the cost of parking.

Cllr Brocklebank-Fowler added that there was no mention on this report about opening up of the borough to free zonal parking outside rush hour and school run traffic.

Councillor Holder replied that she was currently reviewing this issue and would bring a paper forward for consideration and approval by Cabinet in the near future.

Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler asked for the reason for the high increase in parking charges during the pandemic.

Councillor Ben Coleman stated that the higher parking charges were introduced to stop non-residents using the borough as a parking lot. However, the situation had changed, and many residents had made representations to the Council that they were being affected by the higher cost of parking outside their residential zone. In addition, the Council had a commitment to reach net carbon zero by 2030. He reiterated that 80% of all vehicles would see a decrease in parking charges. The proposed tariffs would be divided into four bands depending on their CO2 emissions, with diesel being the most expensive.

Cllr Brocklebank-Fowler added that she would like to see a table with figures for non-residents parking in the borough to check whether there had been an increase in numbers during the pandemic to justify the consequent increase in parking charges.

Kainth Bram, Strategic Director of Environment, assured he would send her the information required.

The Leader acknowledged that over the last 12 years the economy and local government funding had been a real challenge, exacerbated by the significant increase in inflation. Therefore, considering inflation, in real terms the new proposed parking charges were lower than before they were increased during the pandemic. The big challenge to consider was to effectively tackle climate change by limiting the number of vehicles on the streets and encouraging people to use cleaner forms of transport, including cycling and other active travel means. Consequently, this would also help businesses as it would be easier for people to stop and shop. North End Road was an example where business turnover significantly increased on the days the road closed to traffic.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

1.    To approve the new short stay parking tariffs as set out in the Table 4 below.

2.    To delegate the implementation of recommendation above to the Strategic Director of Environment.