Agenda item

That (A) the objections received in respect of the Traffic Regulation Orders be received;

(B)     the summary of the petitioner’s address to the Council meeting on 30 July 2014, as now tabled, be received;

(C)    the making of the East Herts Rural Order be authorised;

(D)    in respect of each of the Bishop’s Stortford, Hertford and Ware Traffic Regulation Orders, these be implemented subject to the following modifications:

(i)           no evening charges beyond 6.30 pm;

(ii)          a £1 flat rate charge be retained for the 4.00 pm - 6.30 pm time band;

(E)     a further report reviewing the impact of these changes for the Council’s finances and, in particular, for town centre retailers, be submitted to the Executive in June 2015.

The Executive Member for Economic Development submitted a report on the outcome of public consultation on four Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) that had been advertised.  This detailed the objections made, including the petition submitted and debated at the Council meeting on 30 July 2014.  A note summarising this debate had been tabled at the meeting.

In the absence of the Executive Member for Economic Development, the Leader outlined the basis for the proposals in the TROs and reminded Members of the principles underpinning the car parking service.  As indicated at the Council meeting on 30 July 2014, he proposed deferring the evening charge proposal, but that the £1 flat rate charge be retained for the hours of 4.00 pm – 6.30 pm.  Also, the proposal for a 30 minute free period should also be retained.  The Leader corrected the figures in Essential Reference Paper ‘E’ relating to the one-off costs of the alternative proposal for the flat rate evening charge between 4.00 pm – 6.30 pm.

The Leader commented on the potential impact of the changes for improving footfall in the town centres and on the Council’s car parking income.  He suggested that Officers would need to gauge the impact, seek feedback from retailers, the business community and the public and report back to the Executive in June 2015.

Notwithstanding these proposals, the Leader reiterated the moral justification for evening charges and the principle of the user pays.  He referred to further considerations in the pipeline and advised that Officers were looking at a number of issues that utilised new technology in areas, such as pay on exit and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).  This review would also pick up the points made in the petition relating to town centre resident parking and in the context of the emerging District Plan.

The Executive Member for Finance referred to the financial implications of amending the TROs as suggested by the Leader and advised that they would cost the Council.  Despite this, he supported the revised proposal.

Councillor J Wing repeated the concern he expressed at the Council meeting in respect of evening charges impacting on volunteers in community groups.  He also expressed his concern on the displacement effect of evening charges and resident parking zones.

The Executive approved the revised proposals as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the objections received in respect of the Traffic Regulation Orders be received;

(B)      the summary of the petitioner’s address to the Council meeting on 30 July 2014, as now tabled, be received;

(C)      the making of the East Herts Rural Order be authorised;

(D)      in respect of each of the Bishop’s Stortford, Hertford and Ware Traffic Regulation Orders, these be implemented subject to the following modifications:

(i)              no evening charges beyond 6.30 pm;

(ii)            a £1 flat rate charge be retained for the 4.00 pm - 6.30 pm time band; and

(E)      a further report reviewing the impact of these changes for the Council’s finances and, in particular, for town centre retailers, be submitted to the Executive in June 2015.