APPENDIX 1
BOROUGH OF POOLE
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP
REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ON
REVISION TO CAR PARK CHARGES FOR 2008/09
1. Purpose of Report and Policy Context
1.1 To present proposals for car park charges for 2008/09.
1.2 Car park charges have a significant influence on a number of Council strategies, namely:
i. Supporting the vibrancy of the town and districts
ii. Encouraging sensible use of the car
iii. Improving utilisation of Council owned assets
iv. The Council’s financial strategy for 2008/09
v. Tourism Strategy
1.3 The Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan aims to ensure that the resources of the Council are directed towards the Council’s priorities, providing an appropriate financial framework over a rolling three year period. As part of this framework, the Council’s 2008/09 Budget Strategy assumes that Service Units will generate an extra 2% on their fees and charges budgets, achieved through either additional activity or new charges. For Transportation Services this 2% increase amounts to £101,000.
2. Recommendations
2.1 It is recommended that the Portfolio Holder approves the charging structure for car parking for 2008/09 based on the proposals detailed in Appendix B.
3. Background
3.1 Current charges for 2007/08 are shown on Appendix A. Minor increases from the previous year (2006/07) were agreed for beach permits, town centre season tickets, Sunday charges, evening town centre charges and for shorter duration town centre car park charges.
4. Proposed Charges for 2008/09
4.1 Options for increases 2008/09 are shown as Appendix B. These have been developed in the light of:
· Those charges implemented as part of last year’s budget strategy.
· Commercial viability of town centre, district and beach sectors upon which parking charges have an impact.
· The continuing drive to simplify charges and structure.
· Supporting Transportation strategies.
4.2 Proposals put forward are forecast to raise approximately £161,500. The forecast £60,500 above the budget strategy will be used within the Economy Portfolio to offset significant pressures including:
· The introduction of a national 2008/09 Concessionary Fares scheme in April 2008.
· Transportation Services Unit efficiency savings of £171,000
· Pressures arising from Parking enforcement under TMA 2004 (report to this TAG ).
4.3 Increases have not been proposed for daily Town Centre rates, District car parks, and annual resident beach permits.
4.4 Preliminary consultation was undertaken with key stakeholders recently, consisting of :
· Town Centre Management
· Dolphin Shopping Centre Manager
· Head of Tourism
· Head of Leisure Services
Their response to these proposals are listed as Appendix C.
4.5 Further car parking income of £33,500 is anticipated in 2008/09 as a result of permit sales in Quay Visitors Multi-Storey associated with the Old Orchard development.
4.6 A recent suggestion has been made regarding offering the first half hour parking free in district car parks to encourage short term use. While this may on the face of it seem a good idea, there are practical difficulties in that for enforcement purposes a time marked ticket would need to be issued and there would be nothing to stop repeated “feeding” of the meter in this way to prolong the free stay. A better solution would be for the local shops to develop a money return offer on spending a certain amount, as has been used successfully in Broadstone and with the Co-op in Ashley Road. Free short term parking could work against other Unit objectives in trying to provide for alternative, more sustainable travel.
4.7 Concerns have also been expressed over the use of district car parks for a park and ride into the Town Centre. This primarily affects the Broadstone car parks and has recently been addressed by the implementation of a 4 hour limit.
4.8 Members of LEOG have been invited to this Group to participate in the consideration of these charges.
4.9 New charges once approved will be advertised in January 2008 to be in place for 1 April 2008.
Julian McLaughlin
Head of Transportation Services
Appendix A - Current Charges
Appendix B - Proposed revisions to car parking charges 2008/09
Appendix C - Comments from Stakeholders
Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact:
Steve Tite (01202 262100)
TAG081107T3I
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APPENDIX B
Options for Car Parking Charges 08/09
(charges shown are inclusive of VAT)
Item
/ No of Events / Current Charge / Proposed charge(Change) / Additional charges generated / Additional Income assuming a drop in use of 20% and - VAT /
Draft Recommendations
1. Boatlaunching with parking at Harbourside / 122 / £85 / £95(£10) / 1220 / 830 / Permit currently equivalent to 11.3 peak days, will be equivalent to 12.6.
Note charge also includes harbour dues.
Last increased 2002/03
2. Commuters Parking permits in Residents parking schemes
(County Gates, Civic Centre) / 134 / Quarterly
£40 / £45
(£5) / 670 / 456 / Current level since 2002/03
57 / Annually
£150 / £160
(£10) / 570 / 486 / Current level since 2002/03
3. Residents parking scheme permits / 1592 / £30 / £40
(£10) / 15920 / 10838 / Increase residents parking permits, no increase since 1989 (B’mouth currently charge £50)
4. Part time workers permits
( 5 hours parking ) / 4278 / £8.5 for 5
[£1.70 each ] / £10.0 for 5
[£2.00 each ] (£1.50) / 6417 / 4368 / Increase cost of Part Time workers permits.
Normal Town centre charges are £6.50 for an over 4hr stay. Some users often display 2 scratch cards thus parking all day for £3.40 which compares to £6.50 in the MSCP.
5.Increase charge for 7 day Town Centre season tickets and remove 5 day tickets / 154 / 5 day Quarterly
£190 / Replaced with 7 day quarterly permit) £200 / Remove to simplify permit, increase cost by £10 to £200
138 / 5 Day Annual
£690 / Replaced with 7 day annual permit) £740 / Remove to simplify permit, increase cost by £50 to £740
142 +154 = 296 / 6/7 day Quarterly
£200 / £200 / 1540 / 1048 / Increase number due to removal of 5 day permit
41 +138 = 179 / 6/7 Day Annual
£740 / £740 / 8280 / 5637 / Increase in number due to removal of 5 day permit
6. Current beaches:
· Low Season October to March
· Mid Season April, May, June and September
· High Season July, August
Proposed:
· Low Season October to April
· High Season May to September / May June and September – change from mid to high season - £102985 increase in income
July and August – decrease in higher stay charges -£30378 loss in revenue
Existing mid Exist high Prop high
Upto 1 hr £1.00 £1.50 £1.50
Upto 2 hrs £2.00 £3.00 £3.00 Upto 4 hrs £3.50 £6.00 £5.00
All day £6.50 £10.00 £8.00
Evening £1.00 £1.50 £1.50 / 72,607
(102985- 30378) / 61788 / This would :
· align our winter/summer periods with the promenade cycle bylaw and dog walking bylaw
· reduce all day charge during the high season which may encourage more all day parking at the beaches.
· Two period concept same as Bournemouth
· Simplify and reduce costs of administering price changes
7. Beaches winter tariff (October to April) / 146575
53090
5194 / Upto 2 hr ,50p
Over 2hr, £1
Eve, 50p / £1 anytime
April – change from mid to low season - £761 loss in revenue / 75,884 / 51662 / · Simplified winter beach parking charges.
· April to be become winter season
· Still represents good value as Bournemouth charge an hourly rate during the winter period
8. Annual Non-Residents Beach Permits / 51 / £165 / £170
(£5) / 255 / 174 / Increase cost of Annual Non-Residents Beach permit.
9. Include Harbourside 2 and baiter on-street winter tariff (1st October-31st March) in Harbourside 1 tariff / 8132
5326
(13458) / Upto 2 hours 70p
Upto 4 hours
£1.30 / Upto 1 hr 70p
7425
Upto 2 hr £1.3
4050
Upto 3 hr £2.1
1350
Upto 4 hr £3
405
Over 4 £6.5
270
(13458) / 4553 / 3106 / Bring Harbourside 2, and Baiter on-street inline with Harbourside 1 during the winter (October-March) period. Remove 4 hr maximum stay during the day as it will no longer be needed as the charge will be consistent with the town centre parking charges.
10. Evening charge in all Town Centre Car Parks (includes Harbourside and Baiter on street) / 103587 / Eve, 70p / Eve, £1
(30p) / 31076 / 21155 / Increase eve (6pm to 8am) charge by 30p in all surface and MSCP where evening charge is 70p
Forecast Income from Charges = £161,548
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APPENDIX C
Comments from Stakeholders
1. Poole Tourism Management Board and Head of Tourism
· overall agreement to a rationalisation of the tiered pricing structure to just 2 ie High Season and Low Season..... and the dates were felt right for these as well.
· the current pricing was high and asked that any rises be kept to a minimum... and those charges proposed did not have any objections to them.
· This being on the basis that there was no increase on the charges last year and the emphasis this year being on maintaining the same charges in the town centre car-parks.
· Recognize the need to achieve an increase in revenue.
· Request that the evening charge be introduced from 6.00pm as this would tie in with evening charges in town centre as well ( this is in fact the case )
· May/September times when light levels are less the current evening times gives less opportunity to use the beach.
· no objection or comments to bringing Harbourside 2 and on-street in line with Harbourside 1/town centre charges in the Winter
· no objection to the proposed increase to £1 evening charge in Town Centre car parks.
2. Town Centre Manager
· In favour of proposals
3. Dolphin Shopping Centre
· As increases do not really directly affect shoppers, considers these proposals to be not unreasonable.
4. Head of Leisure Services
· Portfolio Holder concern over under 2 hrs winter charges increased from 50p to £1
· Manager request for reduced rate 6 monthly permits for beach staff
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