Archived decisions

Contact: Hannah Baker, ext 6594 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 In November 2003 New Forest District Council was given consent to introduce car parking charges in off-street car parks. This has taken the form of both metering through the purchase of a ticket from a machine, and the use of parking clocks, which can be purchased for the calendar year. These clocks then allow the user to park in any District Council car park without incurring further charges. The user is still restricted on the length of stay, which varies depending on the restrictions within the car park.

1.2 The County Council had reservations about the level of charge under the clock system in relation to the objectives of the New Forest Transport Strategy. Therefore, when the clocks were introduced, permission to run the clock system was limited just to 12 months from January 2004 to December 2004. Clocks were priced at £5 for the year. For the following year, January 2005 to December 2005, permission was granted for a further 12 months, with an increase in cost to £6. New Forest District Council has approached the County Council to seek permission for a further continuation of a revised scheme.

1.3 The District Council is introducing decriminalised on- and off-street parking enforcement in 2005/06, commencing in January 2006.

2. Operation of the Clock Scheme

2.1 The clock system has now been in place for 18 months. The District Council is preparing the arrangements for the continuation of the clock system which, subject to agreement, would be altered to form a dual clock system, one clock for `shoppers' (short stay) and one for `district wide' long stay parkers, and would be in place from January 2006.

2.2 In approving the consent for the continuation of the scheme for last year, the County Council stated that it needed to be assured that the clock system would address the following points:

(i) the charges are consistent with national and local policy objectives, in particular relating to the encouragement of travel by modes other than the private car;

(ii) the charging system should reflect the cost of provision and its management should not result in the costs being borne by the council tax payer;

(iii) the charges should be introduced on a consistent basis and compare favourably with those existing in other surrounding authorities; and

(iv) the distribution arrangements for the clock should ensure that it is available to all users of the car parks.

2.3 These criteria are still relevant to this current review of the system.

3. Principles of the Clock System

3.1 The clock system provides parking to purchasers of a clock at a reduced cost, if used regularly, when compared to the actual cost of using the meter system, with charges of either 30 pence or 50 pence per hour.

3.2 The County Council agrees with the introduction of parking charges. However the principle of a clock system, which provides a substantially reduced cost for parking for those wishing to purchase a clock, still needs to be thoroughly reviewed against local policy objectives prior to any possible permanent consent.

4. Transport Patterns

4.1 The system has only been in operation since January 2004. It is not realistic to expect a noticeable modal shift towards non-car modes within this timescale, as a direct result of the car park charges. Parking charges are only one cost that is borne by the motorist, and therefore it is difficult to demonstrate the direct impact of charging on levels of use. Surveys undertaken by the District Council do indicate that since the introduction of charges and the clock scheme, turnover in short stay car parks has increased.

4.2 Whilst there is a need to be consistent with national policies and stated aims within the New Forest Transport Strategy, which seeks to bring about a change in travel behaviour, it is recognised that many residents within the New Forest are dependent on the use of a private car, with limited opportunities in some areas to use public transport.

4.3 The scheme also provides a mechanism for better management of off-street car parks and particularly better enforcement of waiting restrictions, and gives the District Council a legislative platform for decriminalisation.

5. Number of Clocks Sold

5.1 Up to the end of May 2004 (£5), 60,370 parking clocks have been sold, with a peak in sales during December 2003 and January 2004. Within the same period for clocks valid for 2005 (£6), 56,698 have been sold, again with similar peaks in sales in December 2004 and January 2005. There is now data that covers the summer period of 2004 which shows modest sales of just over 1,000 per month from June to August. This suggests that tourist visitors have had some impact but not comparable to resident sales. To enable administration costs to be kept to a minimum, no information on the residence of the purchaser is recorded when buying the clock, therefore a full picture of visitor uptake is not known.

5.2 This report proposes the establishment of a working group to consider future parking charges. It is also proposed that the New Forest National Park Authority be invited to join the group.

6. Adjacent Local Authorities Charges

6.1 All adjacent local authorities charge for car parking. In Test Valley an annual season ticket costs £530, whilst in Christchurch the charge is £180 for residents, £299 for non-residents and £62 for shoppers.

6.2 The proposed £8 `shoppers' short stay clock fee in the New Forest is very low in comparison with charges in surrounding authorities. In effect, this charge is being subsidised by the standard charges payable in the car parks. The proposed cost of £80 for the `district wide' clock is still low in comparison to neighbouring authorities, but is more in proportion.

7. Availability of the Parking Clock

7.1 The clock scheme is open to all, but the District Council's target customers are residents and those who work or visit the towns/villages on a regular basis. There is a good spread of locations and opening times throughout the district which sell the clocks, and the District Council has increased these opportunities by extending the number of outlets to 20, including internet purchasing. These distribution arrangements will remain in place for the dual clock system.

7.2 Originally there were laminated posters placed at strategic points in the car parks, setting out the details of the clock scheme to improve awareness. The District Council has improved this system by formalising detailed information notices adjacent to ticket machines in all car parks.

7.3 Within the objective of minimising the costs of distribution, the availability of the clocks would appear to have met the requirement to ensure a ready provision to users of the car parks.

8. Level and Equity of Charge for the Clock

8.1 There was concern at the time that the original parking clock scheme was introduced that charges could encourage parking outside the car parks, to avoid paying the charge. This concern is likely to be heightened with the introduction of the higher long stay charge of £80. With the District Council now adopting responsibility for on-street enforcement through decriminalisation, there is a remedy should this problem arise.

8.2 New Forest District Council has requested that the charging of the clock scheme should be revised.

8.3 Two classes of clock are to be administered. A `shoppers' (short stay) clock giving a maximum three hours parking in any town/village car park currently covered by the existing scheme. The cost of this clock is to be set at £8 for the period 1 January to 31 December 2006. If used everyday it will offer three hours parking at under two pence per day. A charge set at this level is not expected to discourage people from using local shops and facilities. In order to facilitate this clock system, the District Council will change the maximum waiting period in all two hour short stay car parks to three by the appropriate amendment to the Parking Order.

8.4 The second clock, the `district wide' clock, covers town centre and amenity car parks for both long and short stay periods. It was considered that the clock should be set at a level that better reflects its value, makes motorists consider alternative transport, but not at a level that is unreasonable for those who work in the towns and villages. The District Council considers that setting the clock at £80 per annum would meet these requirements. It still remains below the charged levied by neighbouring councils.

8.5 The `shoppers' (short stay) clock will contribute towards maintaining the financial viability of the town/village centres and encourage a greater turnover of vehicles to provide as many parking opportunities as possible. The new scheme will also set charges and regulations for long stay parking that will encourage individuals to consider not using their own cars for commuting, but at the same time not be overburdening on those who have no choice but to travel by car.

9. Financial Implications

9.1 The £6 charge per clock in 2005/06, together with the income generated from the meters, means that the car park account is predicted to show a surplus for the current financial year. It should be noted that the car park income goes to the District Council, and has no effect on County Council budgets, although it may impact on the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement business case in due course.

9.2 It is proposed that a further 24 months' consent be given from January 2006, together with the consent for the introduction of the dual clock system. The working group should convene within the next year. This in turn will place the County Council in a better position to fully review the new dual clock system and to comment on any future proposals put forward by the District Council. This can be carried out in the light of the transport policies set out in the second Local Transport Plan.

10. Impact Assessments

10.1 The proposed dual system parking clocks will benefit the community by improving the turnover of short stay parking and thus enable more opportunities to park within the District.

11. Conclusion

11.1 The parking clock system has been in operation since January 2004, with over 65,000 clocks being sold in its first year and 56,698 in the first half of 2005. As the working group has not yet been established, this annual review has no firm basis on which to make a decision on providing a permanent consent for the clock system.

11.2 The District Council's car park account is now in credit, which would indicate that there has been no demand on the council tax to support car parking, as predicted last year. The indication is that the dual clock system will continue to keep the account in credit.

Recommendations

1. That New Forest District Council be informed that, with regard to parking charges in off-street car parks controlled by the District Council, consent be given in accordance with Section 39(3) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to introduce a scheme for parking in District Council owned car parks, subject to the following conditions, that:

(a) a new payment clock system be permitted for two years only, from January 2006, ending December 2007;

(b) two classes of clock be permitted, a `shoppers' (short stay) clock at £8 per annum and a `district wide' clock at £80 per annum. The `shoppers' (short stay) clock provides a maximum of three hours parking in any town/village car park and the `district wide' clock enables long and short stay in town and amenity car parks.

2. That a working group be established to consider the future of parking charges in the New Forest, including the New Forest National Park Authority; with particular focus on investigating special charging arrangements for Hythe Ferry users, in conjunction with the `Access to Waterside' ongoing study.

3. That a future report be taken, if required, to the Executive Member for Environment: North Hampshire and Spatial Strategy to seek approval for any further amendments to the parking clock system, including potential variations for Hythe Ferry users.

462Rpt/HB