Agenda item

(Safer, Greener & Transport Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-035-2016/17).

(1)        That the creation, and naming of the following three new off-street car parks in the Loughton Broadway area be approved:

            (a)        a car park on the northern half of the Industrial Estate, Oakwood Hill            North Car Park, with a short stay tariff, creating 15 new parking spaces;

            (b)        a car Park on the southern half of the Industrial Estate, Oakwood Hill           South Car Park, with a short stay tariff, creating 25 new parking spaces; and

            (c)        a car park behind shop numbers 12 to 14 Loughton Broadway, Burton         Road South Car Park, with a long stay tariff, creating 15 new parking spaces;

(2)        That an ‘Invest to Save’ bid in the sum of £40,000 for 2017/18 for improvement and setup costs for the above three new car parks be agreed; and

(3)        That the services of the North Essex Parking Partnership be secured to make the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders to convert these car parks to pay and display.

The Portfolio Holder for Safer, Greener & Transport presented a report seeking approval to create three new off street car parks at Oakwood Hill and Loughton Broadway.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the Council provided 18 car parks across the District, which would increase to 21 if the recommendations within the report were agreed. These provided pay and display parking for shoppers, visitors and commuters and were a source of revenue for the Council. An opportunity had arisen for the Council to increase the number of pay and display parking spaces in the Loughton Broadway area. If agreed then the increase in parking spaces would benefit the local shops and traders in The Broadway as well as the business users of the Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate.

The Portfolio Holder stated that, in order to convert these car parks into off street car parks, it would be necessary to incur expenditure to install pay and display machines and other associated infrastructure, and there would also be the need for ongoing maintenance and enforcement. Consequently, a request for funding from the ‘Invest to Save’ fund had been made to cover the installation costs. Traffic Regulation Orders would also have to be made to create the pay-and-display off street car parks, and it was proposed to secure the services of the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) to progress this.

When asked about the cost of using the NEPP to make the necessary Road Traffic Orders, the Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods (Technical Services) responded that the likely capital cost would be £40,000 and it should be possible to meet this cost from within existing resources; the biggest cost element would be the statutory public notices to be placed in the local press. The Portfolio Holder added that the estimated maintenance costs of £18,000 per annum had already been considered and it was anticipated that the likely income would more than cover this cost.

Cllr C C Pond highlighted that the proposed charges for the two car parks at Oakwood Hill would see residents charged £10 if they wished to stay for more than 3 hours; this was felt to be unreasonable and the Portfolio Holder was requested to investigate this and to consider whether parking charges should be synchronised across the District. The Portfolio Holder replied that the Council had an agreed Schedule of Parking Charges, acknowledged that there were lower charges in those areas where there was not a London Underground Railway Station, and consequently there would be higher charges for car parking in areas such as Loughton, Debden and Epping. The Finance Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the car parking charges were reviewed annually.

In response to further questions from the Members present, the Portfolio Holder explained that the Council would be in a better position to monitor the usage of the car parks through the installation of ‘smart’ parking meters; and the Portfolio Holder was content to remain with the proposed names for the new car parks, regardless of how mundane these names appeared to be.

Decision:

(1)        That the creation, and naming of the following three new off street car parks in the Loughton Broadway area be approved:

            (a)        a car park on the northern half of the Industrial Estate, Oakwood Hill            North Car Park, with a short stay tariff, creating 15 new parking spaces;

            (b)        a car Park on the southern half of the Industrial Estate, Oakwood Hill           South Car Park, with a short stay tariff, creating 25 new parking spaces; and

            (c)        a car park behind shop numbers 12 to 14 Loughton Broadway, Burton         Road South Car Park, with a long stay tariff, creating 15 new parking spaces;

(2)        That an ‘Invest to Save’ bid in the sum of £40,000 for 2017/18 for improvement and setup costs for the above three new car parks be agreed; and

(3)        That the services of the North Essex Parking Partnership be secured to make the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders to convert these car parks to pay and display.

Reasons for Decision:

The Council had an opportunity to increase the number of off street parking places available in the Loughton Broadway area. This, besides increasing the parking capacity in the area, would also generate revenue for the Council.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To keep the status quo and not introduce pay and display charges in these car parks. However, this would not help to reduce the parking stress in the Loughton Broadway area.

To not introduce pay and display charging. However, the Council would be foregoing a useful source of revenue generation.