Agenda item - Car Parking Short Sharp Review Report

Agenda item

Car Parking Short Sharp Review Report

Minutes:

The Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor S. P. Shannon, presented the group’s final report.  He explained that the group had undertaken a comprehensive review, gathering evidence from a variety of sources, including comparative data for similar districts and information about parking trends. Members had also taken into account the findings of the previous Recreation Road South Car Park Task Group.

 

A key source of the evidence had been a survey undertaken by Councillor R. J. Shannon as a member for St John’s ward.  He had surveyed businesses located in a number of the streets in the town centre to find out about opening arrangements during the evening and on Sundays.  This survey had revealed that a significant number of businesses were not open on a Sunday, though might open if there was an increase in footfall. 

 

During consideration of this report the following matters were also discussed by Members:

 

·         The decision that had been taken by Council on 19th January to permit free parking in the evenings in Bromsgrove, which would cost an estimated £60,000.

·         The timing of the decision that had been made on Monday and whether it would have been more appropriate for a decision on this matter to be postponed until the Car Parking Short, Sharp review had been completed.

·         The costs involved in offering free parking on a Sunday for a trial six month period, which were estimated to be approximately £30,000, and the extent to which the Council could afford to offer this free provision in addition to the costs for free evening parking.

·         The need for Cabinet to determine how to fund both schemes.

·         Methods that would be used to assess the impact of free parking provision.  Officers explained that the Council would need to consult with local businesses to find out about the impact of free parking provision on business in the evening. A similar method could be used to assess the impact of free parking on a Sunday and the feedback could be compared to baseline data gathered by the group.

·         The second recommendation had originally been proposed by the Recreation Road South Car Park Task Group and Members had felt that due to slow progress it should be proposed for a second time.

·         The potential to expand the pay on foot system to more car parks in the Town Centre Regeneration Programme as part of any resurfacing and maintenance works.

·         The extent to which the car parking permit scheme had been used by working people when the process had previously been in place.

·         The potential income that could be accrued by the Council following the reintroduction of a car parking permit scheme for the over 65 year olds as well as the potential benefits to day time business from increased custom.

·         The concerns of the Older People’s Forum regarding car parking charges and the extent to which this reflected general concerns amongst senior citizens.

·         The availability of season parking tickets for people working in Bromsgrove.

·         The benefits of proposing strong recommendations that required action from Officers.  For this reason Members agreed to amend the group’s third recommendation which had originally proposed that consideration should be given to re-introducing the car parking permit scheme.

 

RECOMMENDED that, subject to the amendment detailed in the preamble above, the three recommendations in the report be approved by the Cabinet.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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