Agenda item

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability submitted a report that presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee the draft version of the Parking Strategy for East Hertfordshire following public consultation and engagement.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that this draft version of the strategy document was one that he would like to see challenged and thought through following the public consultation and engagement. He detailed the recommendations and set out the background to the report in terms of the East Herts corporate plan and the climate emergency.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that in February 2024, Council had approved a £1.75m income target for parking for the financial years 2025/26 through to 2027/28 and this document set the strategic context and principles by which changes might be approved to support the achievement of income and the wider ambitions of the council.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability set out the process that had led to the development of the strategy and said that there had been just over 1,700 responses in autumn 2024. The Executive Member set out the three strategic aims of the parking strategy which were linked back to the corporate plan and the other associated strategies detailed on page 6 of the report.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that in a number of areas pricing had been used as a behavioural change tool and the strategic aims had guided the three key objectives which had determined the actions for delivery. He said that the three objectives for delivery actions were alternative, balanced, and considerate. He summarised these objectives and said that there were 22 actions that underpinned these objectives and they fell into short, medium, and long-term categories.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that to be successful in delivering these actions, the council recognised that it could not be the direct deliverer of change in all instances and could not operate alone. Members were advised that the council must work with partners to maximise its impact, and to this end the Executive Member set out the roles that the council would adopt. He invited Members to debate the 2025 draft parking strategy.

Councillor Buckmaster said that he had read through the sentiments around behaviour change and acknowledged that it was generally difficult to achieve. He said that he could see some of the thinking around some of the movement of people, for example to Northgate End. He acknowledged that this would potentially free up assets for sale.

Councillor Buckmaster referred to Sawbridgeworth and the change from long term to short term would lead to an increase of up to 55% on charges for people parking for 1 to 2 hours, which was a large jump. He talked about a reduction in long term commuter parking, and also touched upon the difficulties of balancing considerations. He referred to a resident having to drive to a GP appointment and paying a lot more than they were used to.

Councillor Boylan referred to the list of charges on page 118 of the report and asked for some clarity on the rationale for the charges. He said that there were no charges in Buntingford or Sawbridgeworth at weekends, yet in Stanstead Abbotts village residents and visitors were charged to park there at weekends.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that charges had been reduced in Stanstead Abbotts following a loss of sponsorship. Councillor Boylan said that this reduction had followed a new increase in fees in 2024.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that parking had never been free in Stanstead Abbotts. He talked about short, medium, and longer-term implementation of the strategy. He said that some of the anomalies could not be ironed at this stage without traffic regulation orders. He said that the longer-term goal was better alignment across the smaller destinations.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that a key aim of the strategy was to close a significant gap in the council’s finances. He said that there were very few options open to the authority, and raising car parking charges was one way to protect the financial sustainability of the council.

The Head of Operations explained that the council was seeking to streamline or align some of the car parking charges. She said that the council was seeking to redesignate the car parks and add a rationale as to why some areas had different prices. Members were advised that Buntingford, Sawbridgeworth and Stanstead Abbotts were lower priced compared to the destination car parks.

Councillor Nicholls commented on the important part that the consultation process had played in the pricing strategy for the car parks in Buntingford. She was pleased to note the continuation of the current 90 minutes free parking in Buntingford. She said that there was no train station or adequate bus services meaning that there was a greater reliance on car journeys in Buntingford.

Councillor Andrews suggested the car park referred to as the library car park, be renamed Burgage Lane. The Parking Services Manager said that the name could be changed if software was reprogrammed, however there would be associated costs. Councillor Andrews commented on the possibility of confusion for the public or visitors.

Councillor Clements referred to behavioural changes and an overreliance on pricing rather than alternatives to influencing parking habits. He commented on improvements to Northgate End Car Park in respect of doors and lighting. He mentioned feedback from residents that the car park was closed from midnight to 6 am and complaints regarding the road surface outside the front of the car park.

Councillor Clements said that some residents had mentioned the need for a greater provision of bike spaces. He said that some residents had said that routes and access into towns by bike could be quite difficult. He expressed a concern regarding the review of the provision of 30 minutes of free parking and noted that some feedback had indicated that was a valued option.

The Executive Member said that the opening hours at Northgate End was a good challenge and the council wanted to make that asset work as hard as it can. He referred to planning constraints in the form of conditions regarding the opening hours of the car park.

Councillor Clements stressed the importance of the work of Hertfordshire County Council and Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) regarding the provision of alternative routes.

The Executive Member talked about the challenge posed by behaviour change and referred to the LCWIP in terms of work to remove some of the physical and attitudinal obstacles to behaviour change. He talked about looking at the 20 mph zones and tilting the balance in favour of pedestrians whilst not penalising other road users.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that the matter of 30 free minutes parking had been the subject of research papers proving that it absolutely was essential or that if it was taken away people spent more time and therefore more money in town centres. He said that this matter would be subject to further consultation as part of the parking strategy. 

Councillor Carter acknowledged the challenges of balancing factors such as driving behaviour change, fair parking charges and cleaner air. She mentioned the ageing parking machines which sometimes did not work, and said that she was not sure that everyone was ready to use the parking payment app.

Councillor Carter asked for some clarification regarding the arrangement for parents using Old London Car Park for collecting children from Simon Balle School. She said that 30 minutes free parking for that purpose was not enough.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability acknowledged that the parking machines were far from perfect. He mentioned the costs procuring and maintaining the machines, and he said that there were also costs regarding the electronic handling of money which the council did not pass onto the customer in some instances.

The Executive Member mentioned the low take up of the use of Old London Road Car Park for school pick up. He talked about reengaging with schools in respect of active travel plans and making sure that these plans were substantial and were implemented.

Councillor Horner said that there was a lot of things in the strategy document that he would support at a strategic level. He said that an increase in charges, as proposed at the higher level than the new standard linear tariff, to encourage short stay parking did not work so well in Elm Road Car Park as it did in Apton Road and Basbow Lane, as Elm Road did not have any short stay car parking at present. The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability agreed to review the proposed pricing.

Councillor Horner mentioned resident’s parking zones (RPZs), as he had noted that there was a commitment in the strategy document for a review. He asked about the timescale for this review, and whether the idea was to make the RPZ process easier than it was at present.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability acknowledged that there were inconsistencies with RPZs. He said that an overriding ambition was to make sure that the Northgate End Car Park was viable. He said that he recognised the anomaly of the Elm Road Car Park. He talked about the strategic use and impact of the Crown Terrace Car Park in terms of air quality initiatives.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability talked about the criteria for RPZs, and whether this needed challenging. He talked about opening up the ability for RPZs to form part of the parking strategy. The Head of Operations said that she had a piece or work to take forward in respect of a review of RPZs, and this would be reported to the Executive on 11 February 2025.

Councillor Williams talked about the equity and fairness between the car parking charge tariff regime in place at Kibes Lane in Ware when compared to shopping centre car parks such as Jackson Square in Bishop’s Stortford.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that the strategic review of car park usage should include consideration and discussion of how the council could best serve residents in terms of how car parks were being used. Councillor Swainston pointed out that the Jackson Square Car Park served as a lot more than just a car park for the attached shopping centre.

Councillor Woollcombe commented on the need to simplify the operation of the car parking payment machines. He said that the car parks were a great asset for the council, and that he would like to know whether any consideration had been given to selling the car parks to raise revenue.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that the parking machines did need to be reviewed, and that maybe there did need to be a strategic view to be taken on the provision of the parking payment machines.

Members continued to discuss and debate the matter of RPZs and talked about high street prosperity, retaining control of the car parks, active travel and air quality, emissions, EV charging points and possible pedestrianisation initiatives with a particular reference to Bishop’s Stortford. The possibility of a charge for blue badges used in car parks was also mentioned with these still being free for use on street.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability commented on future proofing and referred to the expansion of Stansted Airport. Members also briefly discussed the matter of car clubs.

The Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability said that formal car clubs often-required capital investment. He talked about a less formal arrangement such as neighbours agreeing to share cars.

Councillor Nicholls proposed, and Councillor Carter seconded, a motion that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee have considered and commented on the parking strategy prior to the strategy document being presenting to the Executive and Council, and that the Committee had commented on the proposed changes effective from April 2025 for consideration by the Executive, as described in paragraph 2 “proposals”.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) Overview and Scrutiny Committee have considered and commented on the parking strategy prior to the strategy document being presenting to the Executive and Council; and

(B)        Overview and Scrutiny Committee commented on the proposed changes effective from April 2025 for consideration by the Executive as described in paragraph 2 “proposals”.