Letter

Please find attached a revised copy of Paper B, to be considered at the above Committee. The amendments in bold have been requested by the Head of Highways.

To consider objections and representations to The Isle of Wight Council Parking Places Order No 1 2002, and make appropriate recommendations to the Executive based on my report to this Committee on 21^st January 2002.

At the meeting on 21^st January Members considered a report that set out proposed changes to the Parking Order and built on the demand management strategy encompassed in the Local Transport Plan. Before making recommendations to the Executive, Members wished to be appraised of the feedback from the public consultation on the changes proposed within the Parking Places Order. Recommendations are also required on the other strategic issues covered in the report.

Copies of all the representations that have been formally submitted are available for inspection in the Members’ Room or at the Highways and Transportation offices at Jubilee Stores. Some 217 letters of objection have been received together with a petition containing 3,900 signatures submitted by the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce. The main points raised are set out in Table A below.

Comment	Number
Opposition to new areas for on-street parking with charges	84
Increases in permit charges are excessive	69
Objections to any increases in parking charges	44
Against withdrawal of permits for named car parks	42
Opposed to introduction of charges in Appley Park, Ryde	16
Objects to changing long stay car parks to short stay	15
Proposals will have a negative effect on tourism	11
Opposed to charges applying seven days a week all the year round	11
Other specific comments	81

84 of the letters are opposed to the extension of on street parking with charges into town centre parking areas in Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin as well as two further areas in Newport. Table B shows the number of objections received for each of these areas. There is concern that charges will have a detrimental effect on small businesses in these areas and will encourage shoppers to use out of town stores where free parking is provided, or drive to Newport.

Town	Number
Shanklin	42
Ryde	41
Sandown	13
Newport	6
General	4

69 letters complain about the proposed reduction in discount offered on permits and consider that a rise of 225% is unjustified.

42 letters object to the proposed withdrawal of named car park permits that were offered at a further discount. Of these, 39 relate specifically to Quay Road, Ryde and have been submitted by hovercraft commuters.

44 letters raise a general objection to any increased charges. The majority of these are the same objectors who use Quay Road.

Their concerns are that at the time of day that they leave for work it is not viable to use public transport and they are left with no alternative but to use their car. Commuting costs are already considerable and a 300% rise in permit parking charges is totally unjustified. They feel they are being penalised for working on the mainland.

16 objectors oppose the introduction of charges in Appley Park, Ryde. Seven letters complaining that it should be designated long stay rather than restricting parking to 4 hours maximum have also been received.

15 letters of objection comment on the change in designation from long stay to short stay in certain car parks. Table C sets out the relative numbers specifically referring to parking areas.

Location	No. of comments
Chapel Street, Newport	7
Sea Street, Newport	6
Landguard Road, Shanklin	4
Vernon Meadow, Shanklin	4
Church Litten, Newport	2
Lugley Street, Newport	1
General comment	3

14 letters express concern that resistance to the proposed changes will result in more motorists seeking free on street parking in residential areas to the detriment of residents.

11 of the letters make specific reference to the negative effects they feel the proposed charges will have on tourism, whilst a further 11 object to charges being applied seven days per week all the year round.

“We, the undersigned, wish to express our outrage at the Isle of Wight Council’s proposals to increase car parking charges throughout the Island. The proposed charges will be a serious blow to the viability of small businesses on the Island”.

Charging in relation to parking is always an emotive issue and this year’s draft proposals are no exception. The proposed changes reflected the findings and recommendations of the Parking Study conducted on the Council’s behalf by Mott MacDonald, which took a strategic approach to parking policy on the Island. In developing that strategy, the Council has to find ways of applying it that do not seriously compromise other strategies and policies with which it may conflict whilst still meeting the statutory requirements of the Local Transport Plan.

With reference to the introduction of charges for on street parking in Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin there is clear concern that this will have an adverse effect on trade. Similar concerns were expressed when charges in Newport and on sea fronts were first proposed, however these have not manifested themselves. The time may not be right to introduce these at present however the principal as part of an island-wide parking strategy is considered sound and accords with the objectives of the statutory Local Transport Plan.

Parking with charges is primarily a traffic management tool although there is a public perception that this is purely a revenue raising exercise. The Council invites traders to consider a pilot scheme in which traders through the Chamber of Commerce and / or Business Associations are invited to work in partnership with the Council to manage paid parking areas in the form of scratch cards sold through local outlets and the surpluses directed to locally determined transport and environmental initiatives. Union Street, Ryde, Regent Street, Shanklin or High Street, Sandown might be suitable for such a pilot scheme.

As regards the additional areas proposed for Newport, these form logical extensions of the existing on street charging regimes and the relatively few objections specifically to these areas suggests a general acceptance of this, although it is not supported by the Chamber of Commerce.

The issue of charges made for permits has also drawn considerable comment. The concept of permits is that they offer convenience to regular users of parking areas throughout the Island but there are no sustainable reasons why these should be offered at a discount as there is very little, if any, saving to the Council in terms of the number of tickets issued or cash collection charges are more than offset by the cost of administering the permit system.

However, I recognise objector’s concerns that the increase in charges is a significant rise and to reduce the impact of this, I recommend that whilst the principal of offering permits at a discount of 25% over the daily cost (based on use 5 days per week for 45 weeks of the year) is accepted, a one off discount equivalent to half the proposed increase is given on permits issued before 31^st March 2003. The suggested charges are set out in Table D below:

Permit Type	Existing	Proposed	Discounted Rate
12 month	N/A	£450	£325
6 month	£105	£225	£165
3 month	£60	£115	£87
1 month	£30	£40	£35

Likewise, in demand management terms, there are no sound reasons why any further discount for nominated car parks should be retained.

The proposed re-introduction of charges in Appley Park has again attracted a degree of opposition. One view is that this is a logical extension of the charges already in operation on the rest of the Canoe Lake / North Walk area, however in strategic terms it is the only free car park where the introduction of charges has been proposed. It could be considered inequitable to introduce such charges whilst they are not being considered for other free car parks in areas such as Wootton Bridge, Carisbrooke and Seaview. I therefore recommend that charges are not introduced in Appley Park at the present time, but the strategic policy of retaining free car parks at these locations is further investigated.

The principal of giving preference to short term parking in town centre car parks nearest the shops and locations where the public require access is a sound one. The Mott MacDonald report identifies that apart from Cowes, there is no real shortage of long-term parking spaces, albeit in the peripheral car parks. There is a concern that parking will be displaced into residential roads, however it is intended to address this by the more extensive use of residents parking schemes if Members are minded to approve the new policy outlined in the report to the meeting of 21^st January. Members may wish to consider providing additional public long-term parking in Newport by allowing public use all or part of the newly extended parking area in Sea Street to the rear of County Hall. Some work would have to be undertaken to overcome security issues.

Concerns were also expressed about the negative effects these proposals could have on tourism, especially in limiting the maximum stay on sea fronts to 4 hours and introducing charges from 8am onwards. I feel concessions could be made in these areas and would recommend the retention of the 4 to 8 hour charging band in these areas at the existing charge of £4, and that charges are not introduced until 10am. The areas concerned are:

Lane End, Bembridge	Culver Parade, Sandown	Esplanade, Ventnor
Canoe Lake Road, Ryde	Esplanade, Sandown	Eastern Esplanade, Ventnor
Esplanade, Ryde	Yaverland, Sandown	The Parade, Cowes
North Walk, Ryde	Esplanade, Shanklin	The Common, Yarmouth

The original proposals to introduce charges all the year round were partly to address the somewhat confusing situation at present where there are twelve different charging classifications throughout the Island, but also to reflect the extended tourist season and the growing importance of Sunday as a trading opportunity. However, in response to the public consultation I now recommend that the charging periods set out in the car park order for 2002 be retained as existing but charges to be made at the amended rates proposed.

The report to the January meeting also covered issues of Car Park condition; provision of disabled bays; ticket machines; signage; policy on residents’ parking; and re-investment of car park income. Members are asked to recommend to the Executive the changes outlined in the report as well as those that have been covered by the Parking Places Order.

The suggested changes to residents’ parking will need to be the subject of further consultation when the appropriate orders are advertised, however Members may wish to give some further thought as to the level of charges for permits, and whether the special status afforded to Yarmouth can be sustained.

Estimates of the anticipated increase in revenue resulting from the proposed changes to the Parking Places Order were conservatively put at £200,000 in a full financial year after additional expenditure. The recommended changes to the Order will significantly affect that, however it should be stressed that the purpose of the changes were for strategic reasons and not to solely to raise revenue. My estimate of the effect will be to reduce the increase in income to around £60,000.

The January report raised the issue of more clearly linking car park revenue with highway and transportation related projects. Members are reminded that much of the income is used to alleviate pressures elsewhere in the highways and transportation budget, notably the provision of concessionary fares schemes for qualifying individuals and the transport infrastructure on the Island.

That Members recommend to the Executive that they adopt the proposals in the January report, subject to the following amendments that have arisen following consultation on the Parking Places Order.

That objections to the principal of on street parking with charges in town centre areas is noted, and that no action is taken to introduce such charges in Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin at the present time.

That the potential for an experimental pilot scheme utilizing pre-paid scratch cards for on street parking be investigated with the Chamber of Commerce and / or Business Associations for a town centre charging zone in Ryde, Sandown, and / or Shanklin.

That 12 month annual parking permits be re-introduced and the cost be linked to the daily charge for parking in long stay car parks.

That discounts for permits are offered for this year as set out in Table D above.

That no action is taken to introduce charges in Appley Park at the present time, but the justification for retaining free car parks at certain locations as part of an Island-wide parking strategy be reviewed.

That the parking places set out in Table E above have their hours of operation amended to 10am to 6pm daily, and that the charging band of £4 for 4-8 hour stays be retained.

That the charging periods set out as existing in the car parking order 2002 be retained at the revised charges set out as proposed.