Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 19 (17 July 2018), the Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety presented a report on the progress of the first phase of the Council’s Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) project as well as plans for the second phase and other proposed changes to current arrangements.

The Cabinet Member referred to the key objectives of the Council’s CPZ project, which focused on improving road safety particularly around schools, reduced traffic congestion, improved parking for residents and businesses, improved air quality and better access for pedestrians, and advised that further analysis work was being undertaken to assess the impact of the measures implemented in the first phase (Project 1).  Those results would inform the roll-out of the second phase, CPZ Project 2, which was planned for Spring 2023 and would encompass a further nine areas of the Borough, primarily those neighbouring the CPZ areas in Project 1.

The Cabinet Member also spoke on the plans to implement lessons learned and feedback from local residents, businesses and schools during Project 1.  Those proposals included an enhanced consultation and engagement process, a reduction in CPZ and Council car park charges for school and Council-employed staff, and revisions to the Dropped Kerb Policy to allow residents with a dropped kerb installed to obtain a permit allowing them to park free-of-charge outside their property.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that those driving fully-electric vehicles and many hybrid models would continue to be exempt from parking charges and further incentives were being considered to encourage people to drive cleaner vehicles in support of the Council’s net zero and air quality priorities.

In response to issues raised, the Cabinet Member confirmed that further resources were being put into the back-office support service to ensure that additional demand for permit requests could be met.  He also reiterated that the enhanced consultation and engagement arrangements would include social media campaigns as well as more traditional means to ensure that all affected residents were fully aware of proposals and had access to the service.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the update provided with regards to CPZ Project 1, as set out in section 2.1 of the report;

(ii)  Approve the delivery of the new CPZ Project 2 from Spring 2023 following the completion of Project 1, as set out in section 2.2 of the report;

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Operational Director, Enforcement and Community Safety, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, to determine the timetable for implementation of Project 2;

(iv)  Agree the enhanced consultation and engagement arrangements in relation to CPZ schemes, as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report;

(v)  Agree the amended terms of use and pricing structure for school permits and LBBD staff permits; as set out in paragraph 2.4 of the report; and

(vi)  Agree the introduction of a specific permit to enable residents to park across their dropped kerb within a CPZ; as set out in paragraph 2.5 of the report.