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REPORT OF
THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
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TO THE ASSISTANT MAYOR FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING
ONTHE12THNOVEMBER2013.
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TITLE:Review of Parking Charges, Salford.
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
The following action is recommended:
1 Monton Car Park - That there be no change tothe charging policy on this car park.
2 Cleminson Street car park.
i) That charges on Cleminson Street car park be reduced, introducing new rates following the first 30 minutes of free parking of £1.50 for up to 2 ½ hours and a daily rate over 2 ½ hours of £2.50.
Hourly Regime / Charges (£)0 – ½ hour
½ – 2 ½ hours
Over 2 ½ hours / Free
1.50
2.50
ii) That contract parking charges be reduced in line with other Salford car parks, i.e. to £360 + VAT per annum.
3 Stott Lane (Salford Royal East) car park.
i) That the minimum charging period of 1 hour on the car park be removed and substituted by aminimum charging period of three hours.
ii) That the maximum charging period be extended to apply between six hours and twenty- four hours as illustrated:
Hourly Regime / Charges (£)0 – 3 hours
3 – 4 hours
4 – 6 hours
6 - 24 hours / 2.00
3.00
4.00
6.00
4 Eccles Car Parks.
i) That parking charges on all Eccles surface level car parks be harmonised to apply as illustrated:
Hourly Regime / Charges (£)0 – ½ hour
½ - 2 ½ hours
Over 2 ½ hours / Free
1.50
3.50
ii) That a request from Salford Community Leisure Limited to reduce the charging hours on Irwell Place car park from between 0800 and 1800 hours to apply between 0900 and 1530 hours Monday to Saturday be refused.
5Potential additional on and off street pay and display sites – That further consideration be given to introducing more chargeable parking sites following consultation with the Traffic Management Unit taking into account local requirements, demand and justification. Any recommendations resulting from this exercise will be made subject of a future report.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:Parking charges were introduced in Salford during the early 1990s on some of the Council’s off-street car parks. The charges remained static over a number of years with small increases being applied throughout the City on an irregular basis, the last being in 2011 when pay and display parking was also introduced on a formerly free car park in Monton. This proved to be controversial amongst the residents and traders in Monton and following representations made to the Council about the charges and other parking issues, some changes were made to the parking restrictions and methods of enforcement. This report examines the history behind the introduction of parking charges in Salford, the current position and recommendations for future charging policy taking into account financial information and charging policies of neighbouring Councils.
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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: None
(Available for public inspection)
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KEY DECISION: Yes
DETAILS:
1. Background
1.1 Salford City Council provide a number of off street car parks throughout the Citywhich were managed by the Directorates and departments such as Housing, Education and Leisure, Community Health and Social Care, Children’s Services for example.
1.2 Of these, some forty fell under the responsibility of the former Development Services Directorate, which are known as ‘Highways’ car parks and Urban Vision PartnershipLimited now undertake their management in terms of maintenance and where appropriate, enforcement, underthe provisions of the Traffic Management Act, 2004 on behalf of the Council.
1.3Charges were introduced on a small number of these car parks in 1990and others were added in 1997 but these were restricted to Salford Shopping City, Eccles Town Centre and Swinton Town Centre.
1.4Two tariff structures operated on the car parks according to location, seemingly a higher rate being charged on those car parks located closer to shopping facilities.
1.5 Typical charges in operation at the time, applied between 0800 and 1800 hours, Monday to Saturday and were as follows;
Tariff structure ‘A’ : / 0 to 2 hours2 to 4 hours
4 to 6 hours
Over 6 hours / £0.40p
£0.80p
£1.50p
£5.00p
Tariff structure ’B’ : / 0 to 2 hours
Over 2 hours / £0.40p
£1.00p
1.6 Parking charges remained at these levels until February, 2000, when the basic rate on all the car parks was increased by 10p from 40p to 50p.
1.7 The time limit for the lowest parking rate was extended by one hour from two to three hours on Eccles car parks, which,as explained in a press release at that time quoting Councillor Ben Wallsworth, Lead Member for Development Services, was ‘to help shoppers’.
1.8 Parking charges have since been increased on three occasions, firstly in 2003,then 2007 and finally 2011 when the extra basic hour on Eccles car parks was removed, although the two tier tariff remained.
1.9 A concession was introduced in April 2012 which, in effect, reduced chargesby allowing free parking for the first half hour of use on all the Council’s Pay and Display car parks.
1.10Over the last twenty-three years, some car parks have been sold,such as Salford Shopping City, Swinton and Walkden precincts and others, such as Partington Street, Monton, Corporation Road and Barton Lane Eccles, Cleminson Street and Worsley Court House have been or are soon to be developed as Pay and Display facilities.
1.11 One major addition to the portfolio was the former Salford Royal Hospital Visitor’s car park in Stott Lane following termination of the lease agreement with the Council. Since October, 2012, this car park has been operated by the Council as a pay and display car park offering hospital visitor parking facilities,supplementing those within the hospital grounds. Charges reflected those applied to the hospital on site car parks.
1.12The current operational list of the Council’s pay and display car parks and charges,which apply Monday to Saturday between 0800 and 1800 hours (except where indicated otherwise) are as follows:
Car Park / Hourly Regime / Charges (£)Salford & Swinton Car Parks:
Hankinson Way and Church Street / 0 – ½ hour
½ – 2 ½ hours
Over 2 ½ hours / Free
1.50
3.50
Eccles Car Parks:
John William Street, Precinct and Apron / 0 – ½ hour
½ – 2 ½ hours
2 ½ – 4 ½ hours
Over 4 ½ hours / Free
1.50
2.50
4.50
Eccles Car Parks (cont):
Irwell Place, St Mary’s Road, Corporation Road,Barton Lane (due to open late 2013) & Partington Street, Monton. / 0 – ½ hour
½ hour – 2 ½ hours
Over 2 ½ hours / Free
1.50
3.50
Worsley Courthouse
(Mon – Fri, 0800 to 1800hrs) / 0 – ½ hour
½ hour – 2 ½ hours
Over 2 ½ hours / Free
1.50
3.50
Council Premises Visitor Car Parks.
Civic Centre
Turnpike House / 0 – ½ hour
½ - 2 ½ hours
Over 2 ½ hours / Free
1.50
3.50
Stott Lane
Salford Royal East (Operates 24 hours) / 0 – 1 hour
1 – 3 hours
3 – 4 hours
4 – 6 hours
6 – 8 hours and over / 1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
6.00
Cleminson Street
(Open between 0800 & 2000 hrs daily) / 0 – ½ hour
Hourly rate thereafter / Free
£1.00
Annual Contract Parking
(All car parks except Cleminson Street and Stott Lane)
Cleminson St.
Stott Lane (Hospital Staff permits) / 360 plus VAT
500 plus VAT
250 plus VAT
(No charge for Blue Badge holders on any of these car parks)
2 Parking Policy – Neighbouring Authorities.
2.1 As previously referred to, in light of the current financial climate and in an attempt to assist local businesses, a free half hour of parking was introduced on Salford Council’s pay and display car parks in April 2012. This is dependent upon motorists obtaining a free ticket from the pay and display machines on entering the car parks or buying a ticket, paying for any additional time they may require.
2.2 It is difficult to assess the effect this may have had for local traders without comment from them and although the time allowance is only thirty minutes, it does provide the opportunity for a motorist to make a short visit to the local bank, grocery shop or other such business without incurring a parking charge.
2.3 Although income from the off street facilities (illustrated below) will appear to show a potential increase in the 2012/13financial year compared with the previous year, this has been inflated by income received from the Stott Lane car park.Removing that car park from the equation would indicate there has in fact been a downturn in Salford’s parking income compared with the previous year which can be attributable to a number of factors such as fuel costs, the effects of the recession, changed motoring habits and the free half hour concession.
Financial Year / 2010/11 / 2011/12 / 2012/13Off Street Pay and Display Income / £278,859 / £349,120 / £389,597
2.4 The charges applied by neighbouring Authorities have been studied for comparison purposes and to establish whether any incentives are offered to motorists to encourage use of car parks.
2.5 It is immediately apparent that each Authority is different in respect of charging policies and these are reflected as follows;
Off Street Arrangements:
Authority / Tariffs / IncentivesBolton / Joint venture with NCP. Parking charges vary considerably between car parks and range from 90p for 1 hour up to £10.00 over 4 hours depending on location. / Free parking on multi-storeys Saturday and Sunday and after 1500 hours over Christmas period. No concessions on surface level car parks.
Bury / Range from 10p for ten minutes to £10.00p per day depending on location. Mid range tariffs to increase by 10p to £2.00p for two hours & to £5.00p over two hours. Flat rate of £1.00 to be introduced for Sunday parking. / None.
(Free 15 minutes on-street removed July, 2013)
Rochdale / Range from 50p per hour to £6.70p per day. / Free parking after 3.00pm and all day Saturday and Sunday.
Wigan / Range from £1.00p up to one hour to £6.50p over six hours / Some car parks have low all day charges on Saturdays ranging from £1.00p to £2.00p. Some have low daily rates during the week of between £1.00p and £2.00p.
Tameside / Varying charges ranging from 20p up to two hours, £1.00 for 1 hour to £3.50 for the day depending on location. Also evening and Sunday charges apply on some car parks. / Free after 3.00pm Thursday, Friday & Saturday on some car parks.
Authority / Tariffs / Incentives
Oldham / Joint venture with NSL. Fees vary widely according to location from 80p for 30 minutes to £8.00 maximum for the day. / First 2 hours were free until April 2013 now discontinued & replaced by 3 hours free, Saturday and Sunday. Free 30 minutes on some Pay and Display car parks.
Manchester / Joint venture partnership with NCP. Prices vary widely according to location from £1.00 for one hour up to £18.00 over 6 hours. / None
Stockport / Range from 30p for two hours to £7.50 per day depending on location. Three classifications of car parks and separate charging regimes. Some charges apply Sundays and Public Holidays. / None
Trafford / Range from 10p for one hour to £3.00 over four hours / Between 2009 and 2010, operated ‘Free after three’, Monday to Friday, now discontinued.
3 Parking in Monton - Background
3.1Parking in the Monton area has been a cause of controversy for a number of years due mainly to the fact that in common with many other residential areas built in the Victorian era, the roads and properties were constructed many years before motor vehicles became an everyday feature of modern life. Vehicle ownership has continued to increase over recent years, it not being uncommon for many households in Monton to own two or more cars, the owners competing for limited road space in terms of parking.
3.2 The main issues relate to the side streets branching off from the commercial area of Monton Road. These are subject to a daytime parking restriction introduced in the early 1970s operating from 0900 hours to1800 hoursweekdays and from 0900 hours to 12 noon on Saturdays. Although the reasons for its introduction are unclear, it would presumably be to prevent office/shop workers and customers parking outside residential properties.
3.3 To counter the effects of this restriction on residents, a ‘Dispensation Scheme’ operating in these side streets was introduced at the same time allowing parking during the restricted hours for bona fide residents displaying permits issued by the Council free of charge.
3.4 This type of scheme, although functioning reasonably well, is somewhat outdated and would not be introduced in this format as a modern scheme. In that respect, it cannot be amended or modified in its current form and any revision would require the introduction of a completely new scheme devised in line with the modern criteria for ‘Residents Parking Schemes’. Such schemes, in line with Council Policy, require that residents pay an annual fee for permits.
3.5 Parking is restricted on Monton Road itself except for some limited provision in marked bays but off-street parking with one hundred spaces is provided on a Council owned car park accessed from Partington Street off Monton Road.
3.6Free parking was provided on the car park until charges were introduced in October, 2011 although approval was actually granted to do this in 2002. However,this was not implemented at the time due to a number of factors.
3.7 Prior to and following the introduction of charges in 2011, there was much concern expressed by residents and traders in Monton about the situation and the possible consequences for the future of the area. It was also considered that parking enforcement in the area by the Council’s contractor was unreasonably harsh.
3.8 It is believed that some displacement may have taken place from the car park into side streets not covered by the dispensation scheme such as Algernon Street and Belmont Road.
3.9 Visitor parking in these streets was also an issue before the charges were introduced and could well have been exacerbated by the introduction of car park charges but any remedy in terms of priority parking would require further investigation.
3.10 Contract parking is available for regular users of the car park at £360 plus VAT per annum which equates to £8.31 per week as opposed to the daily rate of £3.50.
3.11 The opening of a new supermarket and an accompanying goods vehicle loading bay in Monton Road, installed as part of the planning consent for the store in 2011, created other parking issues on the main road and also in the neighbouring side streets compounding the issues.
4. Parking in Monton - Changes
4.1 Following representations made by concerned parties in Monton to Elected Members about the parking situation, a series of meetings were convened with Members, Council Officers and Monton Traders.
4.2 Site visits were undertaken to observe the problems in Monton Road and the surrounding area and taking the views of all parties into account including residents and traders, the following changes were undertaken.
- Peak hour restrictions in the limited time parking bays were removed under the provisions of an experimental Traffic Regulation Order. These restrictions were considered no longer relevant following the construction of traffic calming features in the form of footway build-outs and enforcement was suspended in September 2012.
- Clearer signing was erected in a dual purpose taxi bay advising motorists of parking availability during the day.
- Additional signing was placed on the pay and display machines in the car park advising motorists to obtain a free ticket for their first half hour of parking.
- Civil Enforcement Officer patrolling was reduced by re-allocating the beat area to a pedal cycle patrol covering a far larger area resulting in less attentionbeing given to Monton. This has reduced the visible presence of patrols in the area and the potential for conflict with motorists.
5 Potential Effects of removing charges.
5.1 The re-introduction of free parking on the Monton car park has been suggested which would resolve many of the issues raised by residents and traders.
5.2 This move, whilst proving popular in the Monton area, could prompt calls for similar action to be taken in other areas of the City, such as Eccles and Worsley, where parking charges have previously been a cause for concern.
5.3 Whilst income from the car park is not extremely high, it is nevertheless substantial under the circumstances and since charges were introduced in October, 2011, the Council has received some £78,000 (excluding VAT) in pay and display fees and contract payments.
6.0 Cleminson Street Car Park
6.1This car park was until recently, only available for lease holders and contract permit holders mainly working at the nearby Magistrates Courts in Bexley Square and was administered by Urban Vision Property Services.
6.2 Access was only available to motorists holding a key for the barrier but following the closure of the Courts, it became apparent that a large number of unauthorised keys were in circulation allowing free use by commuter motorists who appeared to be parking there and walking into workplaces in the surrounding area or Manchester.
6.3 As part of the Trinity area parking study, it was decided to utilise the car park as a Pay and Display facility opening only between 0800 and 2000 hours daily.
6.4 The car park became available for public use in May, 2013 with charges set at £1.00 per hour following a free period of 30 minutes.