Agenda item

Further to Minute 51 (18 October 2016), the Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety presented a report on a range of measures aimed at reducing air pollution in the Borough through a safer, fairer, consistent and transparent parking service, in line with the principles of the Council’s Parking Strategy 2016 - 2021.

The Cabinet Member commented that the rapidly changing nature of the Borough meant that issues of traffic congestion, pressures on parking for residents, accessibility for businesses and, in particular, safety around schools were growing concerns for the local community.  The London Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy also highlighted the major impact that air quality and pollution was having on people’s health in the capital. 

In response to those issues, the Cabinet Member referred to the 11 specific proposals that were detailed in the report.  The proposals included a revised charging structure for residents’ parking permits in controlled parking zones (CPZs) as well as an additional charge for diesel vehicles that did not meet the Euro 6d emission standard, further restrictions on heavy goods vehicles, changes to staff and other permit charging arrangements, new parking enforcement measures around the Borough’s schools, a Borough-wide review of CPZs and the development of a footway parking policy.

Cabinet Members spoke in support of the range of measures and especially the arrangements to improve safety and air quality around schools.  With regard to the proposed phased expansion of CPZs to cover all the Borough’s 63 schools, the Cabinet Member confirmed that the current plans were fluid and she invited her colleagues to contact her if it was felt that any of the projects in the later phases of the programme should be brought forward.

Other points that were raised during the discussions included:

·  The projected additional income that would be generated as a result of the proposals, although it was acknowledged that the behavioural change that would hopefully stem from more effective publicity and enforcement would reduce the number of fines issued;

·  Further discussions were to take place regarding virtual permits for visitor parking and Members would be kept informed; and

·  That the new measures would help to enhance the Borough’s reputation as “the green capital of the capital”.

The Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the revised banding structure and charges for resident parking permits in CPZs based on vehicle CO2 emissions as follows, to be effective from 1 September 2018:

(ii)  Agree that the charge for permits for those with three of more vehicles per household be increased by 25% for the third vehicle, 50% for the fourth vehicle and 75% for the fifth or subsequent vehicles, based on the CO2 emission banding and subject to the permit charge for a third vehicle in any household being at a minimum level of £45 regardless of the emission level;

(iii)  Agree that an additional charge of £50 from 1 September 2018, rising to £75 from 1 April 2019, be applied to all resident and business parking permits for diesel vehicles that do not meet Euro 6d emission standards;

(iv)  Agree the parking and access restrictions on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and large transport vehicles, as detailed in paragraphs 3.20 to 3.23 of the report;

(v)  Agree to discontinue the free permit arrangements for members of the Council’s Faith Forum with immediate effect;

(vi)  Agree to increase the charge for those using the staff parking fob system from £1.60 to £2.00 for a full day (pro-rata) with effect from 1 September 2018 and to £3.00 for a full day (pro-rata) with effect from 1 April 2019;

(vii)  Agree the inclusion of Pondfield Depot, Wantz Road, Dagenham in the schedule of sites subject to staff parking charges with effect from 1 September 2018;

(viii)  Agree that organisations confirmed as providing direct priority care work for Borough residents and other organisations directly delivering a service on behalf of the Council, including sub-contractors, be eligible for permits and parking charges in line with the scheme offered to Council staff until 31 December 2020 and at an additional charge of 20% from 1 January 2021;

(ix)  Agree the arrangements for the enforcement of parking around schools, as set out in paragraphs 3.51 to 3.54 of the report;

(x)  Agree the arrangements for a three-year, phased review of CPZs across the Borough, as detailed in paragraphs 3.56 to 3.59 of the report; and

(xi)  Note that a proposed Borough-wide policy regarding parking on footways shall be presented to the Cabinet early next year.