Epsom & Ewell Borough Parking Strategy

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and Surrey County Council June 2012 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

The Parking Strategy Task Group of the Epsom & Ewell Local Committee

Members

Councillor Neil Dallen County Councillor Chris Frost Councillor Julie Morris Councillor Jean Smith County Councillor Colin Taylor County Councillor David Wood

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following Officers for their significant contribution to the work of the Task Group. In alphabetical order, they are:

Steve Clavey, Senior Engineer Steve Davies, Director of Operations PC John Fruen, Casualty Reduction Officer Karol Jakubczyk, Planning Policy Manager Nicola Morris, Community Partnership and Committee Officer Robin Muir, Borough Council Parking Manager Lynda Tarling, Local Committee & Partnership Officer

Chris Frost/Task Group Chairman June 2012

1 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Contents:

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

2. The Parking Strategy

3. Parking Issues and Solutions

4. Implementation and Monitoring

Annex 1: Policy Context

2 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Executive Summary

The Epsom & Ewell Parking Strategy seeks to identify the main parking problems that face the Borough and the solutions that will be introduced to resolve them. The Strategy builds upon the Surrey Parking Strategy, which sets broad objectives for the whole of the County. Critically, it will provide a level of local detail that will explain the factors that make the Borough’s parking problems and solutions different from those found elsewhere in Surrey.

The Strategy identifies the following:

Key Issues

The Borough is unlike other parts of Surrey. Its mix of uses, its high level of accessibility, the high level of car ownership, the presence of historic areas of streets with little or no off-street parking provision and the proximity to Greater London and other destinations result in a unique set of parking related issues. The Borough is not a homogenous area and as a consequence the Strategy will apply in different ways to different parts of the Borough. Epsom Town Centre and the residential and employment areas that surround it experience high levels of parking demand. The high level of free parking provision, both on and off-street, within the Town Centre and surrounding areas has led to conflict between residents, shoppers, commuters and local businesses. The Council recognises that it must carefully balance the parking needs of local residents against the continued vitality and viability of the Town Centre. The availability of free, particularly on-street, parking provision has led to the under- utilisation of public off-street parking provision. Evidence shows that the availability of free parking has encouraged visitors to the Town Centre to make shorter and more frequent trips. These inefficient travel patterns contribute to congestion, traffic volumes and increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Other evidence shows that illegal parking at key points within the Town Centre is a major cause of congestion and travel delay. As a direct consequence there has been an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. Future developments, for example for housing and employment uses, must provide an appropriate level of parking provision.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

1. Introduction

The Borough Council is the lead authority on parking matters in Epsom & Ewell. It manages and enforces both public off-street and on-street (the latter on behalf of the County Council) provision across the Borough. As the local planning authority, the Council is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate level of parking provision is maintained to meet future growth, both through its long term planning role and its development management function. The Council also has a key role in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change1, which influences the management of car park provision.

Meeting car parking demand is a significant issue for much of the South East of England. An accessible highway network, perceived inefficiencies in the public transport network, high levels of car ownership and affluent residents have resulted in a very mobile population. Accommodating such mobility has become a problem not only for highway management (in terms of traffic congestion and volumes) but also in terms of providing appropriate parking provision to meet demand at residential, shopping and employment centres.

Demand for parking provision is only one part of the issue. Evidence shows that inefficient travel patterns and car usage are a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions, which contributes to climate change. Parking provision, management and enforcement can be used alongside other measures to encourage more sustainable travel and car use.

The Council acknowledges that there is a fine balance to be made (in terms of parking charges) to ensure that the continued economic vitality and viability of Borough is maintained.

The Borough is unlike other parts of Surrey being mainly urban (about 58% of the land area) in nature. This area is enclosed by the Metropolitan Green Belt (about 42%), which serves to contain the existing urban area. Although the urban area is mostly comprised of residential areas and uses, there are numerous other uses that contribute to the Borough’s unique character. These include – town and local shopping centre uses (such as shops and community facilities), employment areas (such as offices, storage and small scale manufacturing facilities), education uses, healthcare facilities (including specialised institutional accommodation), public and private open spaces (such as country parks, woodland, golf courses and recreation grounds), and the Race Course. The Borough is highly accessible, with good public transport links provided by local bus services (albeit mainly during the daytime on weekdays) and direct inter-urban rail links to Greater London and other neighbouring centres (such as Dorking, Guildford and Sutton) but only very indirect rail connections to other relevant potential destinations. Fundamentally, the Borough, and in particular Epsom Town Centre, is

1 Particularly, in relation to its role in helping achieve the carbon dioxide reduction objectives set out within the Climate Change Act 2008.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy highly accessible by private motor car. This factor is amplified by levels of car ownership and usage that are significantly higher than the national average.

This combination of circumstances has resulted in a car parking environment that is markedly different from that found across the rest of Surrey. The Strategy will build upon the Surrey-wide Parking Strategy. It will set out the Council’s aims and objectives relating to parking, the distinctive parking issues that affect the Borough and the solutions that will be used to improve the current situation.

The Strategy will be used by the Council to guide the management and enforcement of all public parking provision, including on-street provision, which we manage and enforce on Surrey County Council’s behalf. It will also, in conjunction with planning policy documents contained within the Epsom & Ewell Local Development Framework (LDF), be used to influence the scale and management of additional parking provision required from future development proposals.

The Council will ensure that new developments provide an appropriate level of on-site parking provision, which will meet the needs of that development without having an adverse impact upon existing residents or highway safety. Where possible the Council will identify the amount of new off-street parking that will need to be provided by a new development as part of the site allocation process. On smaller development sites, or on those that come forward as ‘windfalls’ the Council will apply parking standards that reflect local conditions and objectives. The Council is preparing new parking standards that will form part of the Delivery Development Plan Document.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

2. The Parking Strategy

The overarching aims and objectives of the Strategy are:

Provide a framework within which the Borough Council and County Council can work together to agree an appropriate set of measures that meet the needs of residents and businesses.

To facilitate the introduction of new Borough–wide parking standards for new developments

To encourage more sustainable travel patterns that positively contribute towards carbon dioxide reduction, reducing traffic congestion and traffic volumes

Meet the Borough Council’s Plan ‘E’ objectives

Resolve the conflict between the needs of residents’ domestic parking, town centre business parking, and parking for shoppers and commuters

Identify parking solutions that balance usage and revenue, and maximise the usage of existing public parking provision

The Parking Strategy sits alongside other important local and national strategies, plans and policies. The Strategy should be read in conjunction with these other documents, as its overarching aims and objectives are cross-cutting. Details of these other key policy documents are set out under Annex 1.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

The Overall Vision

The Borough will become a place where the parking needs of residents, shoppers, businesses, commuters and other visitors are balanced to avoid

conflict.

The Council will lead on parking matters across the Borough. In order to achieve the Strategy’s objectives it will work in close cooperation with the Highway Authority and other key partners2.

Resolving the parking issues that affect Epsom Town Centre and its surrounding residential areas will be the main focus of the Strategy. The Strategy will create a parking environment that meets the needs of local residents who live either within the Town Centre or in the surrounding residential areas. By making it more difficult to park, commuters, shoppers and others who currently park for free to in these areas will be forced to either use public transport, or to make better use of public off-street parking. This approach will demonstrate the advantages of adopting more sustainable travel patterns or using their cars more efficiently.

The Strategy will ensure that there is sufficient parking provision across the Town Centre and elsewhere – in terms of public and private spaces, and on and off-street provision. Revenue generated from the increased use of its car parks will be used by the Council to maintain the quality of services it provides to the Borough’s residents and businesses. The Strategy will incorporate an off-street parking charge and management regime that carefully balances the continued economic prosperity of the Town Centre, the demand from residents, businesses and shoppers, and the need to deal with the side-effects of climate change.

The Strategy will seek to introduce new parking enforcement measures that deal with those illegal parking activities that contribute towards increased traffic congestion at key points in the Town Centre. The Council will seek to work with shop owners and businesses to ensure that these measures do not have a longer term adverse impact upon trade. The Strategy will also seek to eliminate the need for bus lay-over bays along High Street (east).

Beyond Epsom Town Centre, the Borough faces different but equally challenging parking problems. Where possible the Strategy seeks to identify the specific locations and land uses that form the focus of these problems. The Strategy will ensure that

2 For example other public sector organisations (including the police), local businesses, retailers, higher education providers and residents.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy there is sufficient parking provision across the rest of the Borough – in terms of public and private spaces, and on and off-street provision. The Council will work closely with the relevant residents, businesses, institutions and organizations to provide appropriate long-term solutions that meet specific parking needs and remove conflict.

The Strategy will inform planning decisions to ensure that future development proposals provide an appropriate3 level of off-street parking provision to meet the needs of those developments. The Strategy will seek to prevent situations where new developments result in on-street parking demand outstripping availability. The Strategy’s over-riding objective is that new development proposals have either a positive or neutral impact on parking availability and that they do not make things worse.

3 In this case, an appropriate level of parking provision will take account of the scale of development being proposed, existing levels of accessibility, existing on-street capacity and the type, nature and mix of uses surrounding the development.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

3. Parking Issues and Solutions

Epsom Town Centre

The Council recognizes the importance of a lively, vibrant and viable Town Centre to residents, workers, businesses and visitors to the Borough. Maintaining the vitality and attractiveness of the Town Centre is the key to delivering sustainable development and maintaining and improving the quality of life of the Borough’s residents. The importance of the Town Centre to the Borough is reflected in the Sustainable Community Strategy and Core Strategy’s visions for the Town Centre.

Plan E, an Area Action Plan for Epsom Town Centre, provides further detail as to how the Vision for Epsom Town Centre will be delivered through the planning and development process. There is a strong and direct link between Plan E and the Parking Strategy. In particular, Plan E states that:

“It is important that the approach to parking provision in the Town Centre is clearly informed to help balance competing aims and demands, such as town centre vitality and viability, accessibility, impact on adjoining residential areas, sustainability and revenue. The approach to address this will be to prepare and implement a parking strategy for the Town Centre.”

The following are the specific parking issues that affect the Town Centre.

Commuter & visitor parking: In order to address the conflict between residential and visitor parking we would seek to identify Residents’ Permit Schemes (RPSs), which would restrict the ability of visitors to park within the residential areas surrounding the Town Centre. These RPSs would remove the ability of visitors to the Town Centre to park on the street for free within these residential areas. The RPSs would enclose the Town Centre and would be of sufficient depth to ensure that the existing problem is not displaced to other residential areas further away from the Town Centre boundary. We would use on-street enforcement powers to ensure that these RPSs are maintained. Residents would be consulted before any such schemes are introduced.

If the Town Centre is to remain an economically vibrant and viable place for people to shop, work and visit we need to ensure that there is either appropriate parking provision to meet their needs or that they can choose alternative forms of transport to travel into Epsom.

Our evidence shows that there are currently upwards of 1000 on-street car parking spaces available in and around Epsom Town Centre, where the public can park. Many of these on-street spaces are located in the residential areas that surround the town centre and have little or no provision for off-street parking for residents. This has led to

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy conflict between the local residents who live in these residential areas and those visitors to the Town Centre who wish to park their cars free of charge. Local residents increasingly find that they cannot park their cars in the vicinity of their homes. At some locations the demand from visitors to the Town Centre can result in congestion and restrict access to residential properties for deliveries and servicing purposes.

Examples of known areas of parking conflict within Epsom Town Centre currently include:

Victoria Place Middle Lane Portland Place Clayton Road Providence Place

In order to address these conflicts we regularly enforce these areas on a rotational and demand basis.

Commuters, shoppers and other visitors will be encouraged to use public off-street provision. In order to make its public off-street parking attractive to long-stay visitors, the Council will ensure that charges are competitive and are in-line with the Strategy. The Council will also continue to offer a reduced charge to regular users. By doing this the Council will try to balance the different needs of residents, local businesses and retailers, commuters, shoppers and other visitors in order to help maintain the economic vitality and viability of Epsom Town Centre.

The demand for off-street parking spaces varies greatly according to the time of day, day of the week and the time of year. Seasonal sales in Town Centre shops, weather conditions, and cinema and theatre programmes also have an effect on demand. The availability of free on-street parking spaces also reduces the use at some car parks at certain times of the day.

The Ashley Centre car park operates at, or close to capacity at peak times on peak shopping days. In contrast, Depot Road and Upper High Street car parks can operate close to their capacity during the evening when popular films are being shown at the Town Centre cinema.

Measures to optimize the use of the Town Centre’s public off-street car parks already exist – such as the Variable Messaging System (VMS) and special rate for business users. These measures will continue to be used alongside the introduction of RPSs to encourage greater use of public off-street provision.

The Council will continue to work in partnership with the County Council, public transport operators and other key partners to ensure that the Town Centre remains a highly accessible location by bus and rail; thereby providing a viable alternative to the private motor car. By doing this the Council will seek to encourage visitors to consider

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy changing how they travel to and from the Town Centre. The Council will also encourage those visitors who currently drive to the Town Centre but live within walking distance4to consider either walking or cycling.

We are introducing RPSs in and around Epsom Town Centre; subject to consultation results support such proposals.

Town Centre parking capacity: We will ensure that public short-stay and long-stay provision is provided at the most appropriate locations in and around the Town Centre. Generally, this provision will continue to be met at the following existing car parks:

Council Managed Provision Ashley Centre: 797 spaces Hook Road: 628 spaces Town Hall: 77 spaces Hope Lodge: 67 spaces Upper High Street: 194 spaces Depot Road: 233 spaces Rainbow Centre/ New Plan House: 116 spaces West Hill: 12 spaces WS Atkins: 186 spaces (Saturday only)

NCP Managed Provision Ebbisham Centre: 130 spaces High Street: 80 spaces

The Council and County Council will seek to direct visitors and residents to the most appropriate parking sites for their needs, using the VMS and other methods to publicise available parking spaces. We will continue to provide access to Blue Badge holders to meet their special needs. This includes maintaining an appropriate number of dedicated and accessible parking spaces.

The Strategy highlights the need to maintain a sufficient supply of both public and private parking provision across the Town Centre. Plan E identifies a number of development sites across the Town Centre. These sites are allocated for a variety of uses. The Council and its partners will seek to encourage future residents and visitors to these sites to use more sustainable transport forms and optimize their use of existing off-street parking. Nevertheless, it is inevitable that the development of these sites will generate the need for additional off-street parking spaces. The Council will work closely with the County Council (as highway authority) and the development industry to ensure

4A recent Parking Survey (2010) produced in support of Plan E found that a significant number of people using Town Centre Car Parks lived within 2 miles of the Town Centre

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy that an appropriate level of parking is maintained to meet the needs generated by the planned for growth.

One of the allocated sites incorporates the existing public off-street car parks at Depot Road and Upper High Street. Although the Council is actively pursuing the regeneration of this site, redevelopment should not be achieved at the expense of public parking. In order to achieve this, development proposals for this site will maintain on-site public parking provision. We will require that a minimum of 450 spaces be retained for public use on this site to meet the long-term needs of the Town Centre. As the major landowner on this development site, the Council has considerable control over this matter. It is envisaged that the Council will maintain control of the management and enforcement of all parking across this site.

The Council is currently preparing a Planning Development Brief for this site. The Brief will set out how the site will be redeveloped, in accordance with Plan E Policy E14. Critically the Brief will identify where key uses will go within the site’s boundary. Retaining an appropriate level of public long-stay provision on site is a key objective for the Brief. It is anticipated that the Brief will be adopted by the Council during 2012.

Although we are confident that the above measures will help us maintain sufficient off- street car parking capacity in and around the Epsom Town Centre, there is a possibility that the Town Centre improvements will result in much higher levels of parking demand. We will continue to monitor the demand carefully and ensure that appropriate actions are taken to ensure that parking capacity is maintained. This may include the development of a new parking facility.

Encouraging more sustainable travel patterns and car usage: The Strategy will work alongside other policy documents and initiatives to demonstrate the advantages of more sustainable travel patterns and car usage in order to address the adverse impacts of climate change. For example, future development proposals will be required to consider the highly accessible nature of the Town Centre and introduce Travel Plans that encourage greater use of public transport, and cycling and walking.

We will also seek to highlight the lifestyle benefits of walking and cycling as alternatives to travel by private motor car – particularly in terms of benefits to long term health and prevention of illness.

Where there is demand and an appropriate location is available, the Council will work in partnership with others to explore the potential for setting up local car clubs. This may take the form of clubs serving specific locations where demand is present, for example where there is a concentration of residential or business premises such as in Epsom Town Centre, or at an appropriate transport hub/ node such as Epsom Station. The Council’s role could be to help promote the use of the club and/ or to provide dedicated parking provision for club vehicles on a public off-street car park.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

The Council will also explore the potential to provide alternative fuel/ energy sources for new technology vehicles, such as the new generation of electric cars. This may take the form of public long stay parking bays that incorporate a fuel/ charging point. The provision of these new technologies will be dependent upon demand and long term financial viability. The Council will consider working with electricity/ fuel providers and the automotive industry to ensure that an appropriate level of provision is made to encourage increased use of such vehicles.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Illegal on-street parking along the A24: In order to address this issue we will increase the frequency of parking enforcement at these key locations – most notably, along Epsom High Street (east and west). Enforcement measures will include on-street ticketing and the potential use of CCTV for remote enforcement. We will work in partnership with the local highway authority to explore other measures at these key locations.

Illegal on-street parking is a significant cause of congestion, creating bottlenecks that impact on the wider Town Centre road network. There are areas in the Town Centre where this problem is particularly acute, for example along the High Street. The Council has very clear evidence of illegal parking is a very significant cause of congestion in the Town Centre, for example analysis of congestion demonstrates that illegal on-street parking along High Street (east) narrows the A24 from two to one operational carriageways. Typically, congestion is caused by motorists parking illegally for short periods of time whilst visiting shops and fast food restaurants along the High Street. Addressing this issue by keeping the High Street clear of parked vehicles at all times will help to keep the traffic flowing more freely and will provide a more cost effective impact on congestion than costly highway improvement schemes.

The Council will work with local business and retailers, providing information on the adverse economic impacts of illegal parking on the wider Town Centre. It is hoped that the involvement of retailers and businesses will ensure that the enforcement measures outlined above will address the issue without having an impact upon the town centre economy.

Although not technically an illegal parking issue, buses stopping or laying-over for extended periods of time at locations along High Street (east) can also contribute to congestion. We will continue to work with public transport operators to address this issue and ensure that bus stops, layover bays and taxi facilities are well located to meet needs and do not contribute to congestion.

Deliveries to commercial premises: We will continue to work with the local business community to try and minimize the disruption that on-street deliveries cause. Where necessary, parking orders will be reviewed to restrict deliveries to specific periods of the day. This measure will be applied in conjunction with the parking enforcement regime.

Most shops and businesses require some form of delivery and servicing arrangements in order to maintain their day-to-day function – whether delivering new items of stock or office equipment and consumables. In an ideal world such deliveries will be made via rear off-street service yards, which goods vehicles can access safely without obstructing the highway or conflicting with other vehicles for on-street parking spaces. Whilst some of Epsom’s shops and offices benefit from rear servicing arrangements, many others are reliant upon on-street deliveries. In some parts of the Town Centre, such as along

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

High Street (east) and Upper High Street these arrangements can contribute towards highway congestion (in much the same way as illegal parking).

Plan E seeks the exploration of new rear servicing arrangements, where they do not currently exist. In particular, Plan E identifies an opportunity of providing new rear servicing provision for shops and residential properties along the southern side of High Street (East) through the Town Hall Square car park. The Council is exploring a number of options that could deliver this improvement.

Other Shopping Centres

We will continue to work with Surrey County Council and the local business community to ensure that parking arrangements contribute towards the economic vitality and viability of the Borough’s other shopping centres is maintained and that they continue to attract people for shopping, employment and leisure uses.

We will also ensure that any changes to parking provision in Ewell Village contribute towards the improving air quality along the High Street.

Ewell Village: Ewell Village Centre is the second largest shopping area within the Borough. It provides a different shopping experience to Epsom with a greater number of independent shops, restaurants and cafes. The Village Centre is also home to a number of businesses (mainly office space) and a number of prominent community facilities, such as Bourne Hall Library and Museum, two primary schools and a secondary school. The Village has retained its historic townscape and road layout, which is characterized by narrow streets that are not entirely suited to modern vehicles or traffic volumes.

Consequently, there is an increasing conflict between providing on-street parking, both in the Village Centre and the immediate surrounding residential areas, and ensuring that through traffic can flow freely. Rising traffic volumes, coupled with the narrow canyon- like townscape have contributed to a fall in air quality, which has resulted in the designation of an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) along the High Street. This is particularly evident at peak times, when commuters and school-run traffic have a significant impact upon the problem. Because of the Village’s narrow streets, on-street parking (both legal and illegal) has also contributed to the decline in air quality by impeding the flow of through traffic.

The Council is the lead authority on local air quality issues and is working closely with the highway authority to examine solutions to this problem. This may involve the introduction of new on-street parking controls (double yellow lines) at locations where predominantly residential streets, such as West Street and Church Street, form a junction with the High Street. Another option being considered, seeks improvements to

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy the layout of the High Street. This option introduces new dedicated parking lay-bys and restrictions to on-street parking. The Council continues to enforce illegal on-street parking in order to help maintain the flow of traffic through the Village. The Borough and County Council will work together to ensure that local residents, retailers, businesses and regular visitors are engaged in identifying solutions to the air quality issue.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

There are a number of public and private off-street car parks located in and around Ewell Village Centre. These include the three public car parks that are controlled and managed by the Council at Bourne Hall, Dorset House and High Street. As with Epsom Town Centre, the Council will seek to appropriately balance off-street capacity and charges to ensure that Ewell Village remains both accessible to visitors and economically vibrant.

Stoneleigh: Stoneleigh local shopping centre is the third largest retail area within the Borough. It serves as a valuable convenience shopping destination for a number of the Borough’s northern suburbs. The Broadway contains a vibrant mix of shops, restaurants, cafes, community facilities and Stoneleigh Broadway railway station. This shopping centre enjoys a high level of accessibility and has benefited from the ready availability of on- street parking provision.

The popularity of Stoneleigh Broadway railway station with commuters may contribute to future parking conflicts between residents and visitors. The Council will monitor reported parking infringements in and around the shopping centre and respond with appropriate solutions if necessary.

On-street Parking: Whilst the Council is the lead parking authority in the Borough, on-street parking controls are currently designed and implemented by Surrey County Council’s Parking Strategy and Implementation Team. On-street parking compliance is currently enforced by the Council on behalf of the County.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Residential Areas

The Hospital Cluster: Our Operations and Planning Departments will continue to work to ensure that future parking provision and road layouts have sufficient capacity to accommodate residents’ vehicles and still provide access for service and delivery vehicles.

On completed parts of the Hospital Cluster, we will work closely with the Community Development Trust and residents’ associations to monitor any parking conflicts. Subject to there being sufficient evidence and public consensus, we will consider introducing parking controls, such as residents’ parking schemes, to resolve parking conflicts.

Over the past fifteen years five former hospital sites; Horton, Long Grove, The Manor, St Ebba’s and West Park; have been progressively redeveloped to provide new housing. These historic former hospitals are all located within the Green Belt on the western side of the Borough.

As residents have moved into these new developments parking conflicts have emerged. Many residents have complained of there being not enough off-street parking. The domestic off-street garages built as part of the development are considered by many to be too small for modern vehicles and end up being used for storage – not used for the purpose that they were designed. The Green Belt parkland setting constrains the ability to provide any additional off-street parking. The original design of the development was prepared to maximum parking standards5, which were being applied at the time and were designed to discourage unsustainable travel patterns. In hindsight this has not been successful with many residents being multiple vehicle owners.

This has led to many residents parking their vehicles on the surrounding residential road network, which is currently not subject to any parking controls. The narrow and twisting residential streets of the Hospital Cluster developments were purposefully designed with pedestrian safety in mind. The high volume of residents’ parking on-street has resulted in these streets being further narrowed. As a consequence access through the Hospital Cluster can be problematic for delivery and service vehicles. This situation has also resulted in a significant lack of sufficient visitor parking.

5These maximum parking standards typically yielded 1.5 parking spaces per new dwelling.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Future housing developments: We will continue to seek an appropriate level of car parking provision for new housing developments through the planning process. This will be achieved through the preparation and application of parking standards that reflect the Borough’s unique parking demands.

The Council, as local planning authority, has always sought to ensure that new housing developments provide sufficient on-site parking provision to meet the needs of future occupiers. This is reflected in the Council’s local planning policies, which have required that new housing developments deliver either a maximum or minimum number of new parking spaces.

All decisions on the level of parking provision for new housing developments will be based on robust evidence of parking demand generated by the proposal and its impact upon the surrounding area.

The Council has recently decided to prepare new Borough-wide development related parking standards as a matter of urgency. These standards will reflect the unique conditions found in Epsom & Ewell and will take full account of the objectives of this Strategy. In particular, the standards will take account of existing levels of accessibility, the type and mix development, levels of local car ownership and an overall need to reduce the use of high-emission vehicles. The standards will also take account of key local factors including on-street parking availability and capacity, and the wider constraints to development.

It is anticipated that these new Borough-wide parking standards will be adopted by the Council during 2012. The process will include an opportunity for public consultation. The standards will eventually be formally adopted as part of the Council’s LDF.

Front-garden parking: In those cases where we have control, we will seek to ensure that proposals for front-garden parking have a neutral impact upon the character and appearance of the surrounding area, and that on-site sustainable urban drainage systems are incorporated into the proposals.

As car ownership has risen there has been an increasing trend for homeowners to convert their front gardens into off-street parking. This has had an impact upon the character and appearance of the Borough’s residential areas. It has also led to a reduction in on-street car park capacity, as many houses now have a dropped kerb, which tends to discourage people from parking outside of houses where they are not residents. The paving over of front gardens with impermeable surfaces has also placed greater pressure upon the Borough’s surface water drainage infrastructure, as rain flows directly into the drainage system rather than filtering through into the water table.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

In most cases6 the conversion of front gardens to off-street parking falls within permitted development rights and the Council has limited control over such developments under the planning system. However, there are circumstances, particularly in relation to proposals for large areas of front-garden parking when the Council does have control. Where such proposals result in negative impacts we will first seek to negotiate a solution. When this is not possible we will take appropriate enforcement action.

The County Council has a policy for new drop kerb accesses to the highway linked at the following link.

Illegal parking on footways and grass verges: In those areas of the Borough where footway and grass verge parking is a recurring problem we will work with the Highway Authority in considering the introduction of specific control measures. In particular, we will consider the introduction of footway and grass parking restriction zones, where such parking will be an enforceable offence. Such zones will be tightly defined and clearly sign-posted. We will consult with local residents prior to introducing such measures.

In areas of high parking demand, motorists sometimes resort to parking their vehicles either entirely, or in part7 on footways and/ or grass verges. Whilst in some instances kerb-parking may improve access along the adjoining highway by providing more room for vehicles to pass on-street parked vehicles, it can also cause a hazard to people using the footway8. In particular, inconsiderate parking on footways can create a barrier to partially-sighted or physically impaired pedestrians. It can also serve to restrict access to houses, which is a significant area of concern for local residents.

The following are examples of locations where illegal parking on footways and grass verges can cause problems:

Meadow View The Longmead area Epsom Road Langley Vale

The Council will take parking enforcement action where footway and grass verge parking creates a physical obstacle to pedestrian movements. The Council will also take such measures in those instances where it raises safety issues to the adjoining highway.

6The potential exceptions being where the parking space is comprised of an impermeable surface area greater than 5sqm, involves a listed buildings, is within a conservation area and areas where householder permitted development rights have been removed by the introduction of an Article 4 (2) direction. 7This is also known as kerb parking. 8For example, this can include parents with young children and visually impaired people who may be forced off the footway onto the road.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Epsom and Ewell and Surrey County Council will work together to control footway and verge parking in the Borough. New regulations to control this type of parking have been issued by the Department for Transport recently. These state that where verge or footway parking is considered to be safe it can be formalised with a Traffic Order. Footway or verge strengthening works are likely to be required in these circumstances.

Where footway or verge parking is considered to be unsafe or obstructive or causes damage to verges we will consider preventing it through restrictions in the form of a traffic order or with the use of posts or bollards

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Other Areas of Parking Demand/ Conflict

Major employment sites: We will continue to monitor the level of commuter parking displacement into residential areas adjoining major employment sites. In those areas where evidence demonstrates a significant level of conflict between residents and commuters, we will consider the introduction of appropriate measures, such as RPSs. In some parts of the Borough, such measures may form part of the Council’s wider parking strategy relating to Epsom Town Centre, which is set out above.

The Borough is home to a wide variety of different employment sites. These range from small scale businesses through to international companies. Whilst many employees, such as those working for businesses located in Epsom Town Centre, take advantage of the Borough’s good public transport links, others are more dependent upon the motor car for their journey to work. This has contributed to the demand for both on-site parking at business premises and commuter parking displacement into surrounding residential areas.

In order to address these issues the Council (as local planning authority) will continue to work with the Highway Authority and local businesses to ensure that appropriate on-site parking provision is available at both existing and proposed business premises. We will also ensure that appropriate travel plan arrangements are implemented, which optimize employee travel to work by other forms of transport9. Where appropriate, business travel plans can also incorporate car sharing schemes and flexible working arrangements.

School run parking: We will continue to work with the local education authority and individual education institutes to address this issue for the benefit of the Borough’s local communities and in the interests of carbon reduction. We will continue to promote measures that encourage more sustainable travel patterns through its role as local planning authority, such as the County Council’s Travel Plan Resource.

We will also deploy enforcement and management regimes that actively discourage car travel to school where such activity is likely to generate parking conflict. The provision of specialised school-run short-stay (pay and display) on or off-street parking provision at those locations where parking conflicts are identified and where it could be physically accommodated will also be explored.

School run parking is a significant contributor to peak-time congestion that causes conflict between residents, local businesses, commuters and the parents conducting the

9Specifically by public transport, cycling and walking.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy school-run. Unsustainable travel choices made during the school run, particularly un- linked trips, also generate carbon dioxide which can, in certain locations, impact upon air quality, such as in Ewell Village.

Examples of locations were school-run parking causes conflicts include:

Ewell Castle School, Church Street, Ewell Ewell Grove, West Street, Ewell Glynn School, Ewell Pound Lane Wallace Fields

Whilst some schools have deployed measures to encourage more sustainable travel choices among parents, students and staff these have not always been successful. These conflicts are also present at higher and further education facilities such as the University of the Creative Arts.

The Borough’s railway stations: We will continue to work with the rail service operators to ensure that the railway stations function as genuine transport hubs, with good connections between the rail services and public transport, cycling and pedestrian routes. Where necessary, the Council will work with the highway authority to introduce appropriate parking restrictions on neighbouring residential streets in order to discourage rail users from parking their motor vehicles on residential streets.

The four railway stations10 located across the Borough are very popular with commuters and other travellers. All of these stations are either within or sited close to major residential areas. With the exception of Ewell West station, which has its own dedicated off-street (pay and display) provision, the Borough’s stations have limited on-site parking provision. As a consequence, rail users who travel to the Borough’s stations by private motor car either park in public car parks (such as Hook Road in Epsom) or park for free in adjoining residential streets. As with other similar examples (see Epsom Town Centre and other shopping centres) this can generate conflict between local residents and rail users/ commuters.

10These four are Epsom, Ewell East, Ewell West and Stoneleigh railway stations, with a fifth station, Worcester Park, siting just outside the Borough boundary but being immediately adjacent to the Epsom & Ewell residential suburb of the same name.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Epsom Hospital: We will work with relevant public healthcare providers, the Highway Authority and local residents to ensure that an appropriate level of on-site parking is maintained within the Hospital site. We will encourage the public healthcare provider to maintain an appropriate on-site parking management and charging regime that itself encourages staff and visitors to the Hospital to make sustainable travel choices. Such provision will function alongside public transport improvements and travel plan arrangements that seek to control the demand for on-site parking.

We will continue to monitor the level of parking displacement into residential areas adjoining the Hospital. Where evidence demonstrates a significant level of conflict between residents and Hospital users, we will consider the introduction of appropriate measures, such as residents’ parking schemes following public consultation. Such measures may form part of the Council’s wider parking strategy relating to Epsom Town Centre, which is set out above.

Epsom Hospital provides a wide variety of healthcare services, including accident & emergency, for not only people living in Epsom & Ewell but also for residents in the neighbouring London Boroughs and Surrey Districts. Whilst public transport links to the Hospital site are good11, the nature of the healthcare uses mean that many patients, employees and visitors prefer the convenience of travelling by private car. As a consequence a large part of the Hospital site is dedicated to parking, with over 400 spaces provided on-site for staff and visitors. The Hospital operates a pay & display charging and management regime. This may present a barrier to the future provision of new healthcare services on the site. As with other significant travel generating uses across the Borough, the Hospital is unable to meet all of its parking needs on-site. This and the cost of pay & display, results in parking being displaced into adjoining residential areas.

11The Hospital is very well served by bus services. There is also a bus shuttle and taxi service from Epsom Railway Station, which is less than 1km distant from the site.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Epsom Downs Racecourse: We will continue to work closely with the Racecourse and the Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators to ensure that an appropriate level of temporary parking provision is provided during race events, particularly to address the high demand generated by the Epsom Derby and Oaks events. We will work with our partners to ensure that such temporary parking provision does not damage the sensitive wildlife habitats present on the Downs. We will also work to ensure that race day parking is not displaced onto the surrounding highway, particularly onto residential streets.

The Epsom Downs Racecourse is an internationally famous sporting venue located on the Epsom & Walton Downs. It attracts a significant number of visitors most notably during the Epsom Derby and Oaks races, which are styled as being two of the nation’s biggest days out. Unsurprisingly, this gives rise to considerable parking demand at the Racecourse during the annual Derby Festival.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

4. Implementation

The following matrix identifies the different actions and measures that the Council, the County Council and other partners will take in order to implement the Parking Strategy. The matrix identifies who will be responsible for implementing each action, the costs of implementing the measure (where known), the anticipated timetable and risks and contingencies.

Action/ Measure Lead authority Cost Timetable Risks and Contingencies and other partners Epsom Town Centre Introducing, EEBC and On-going Lack of support from residents – to be managing and SCC addressed by setting the benefits to enforcing residents of RPSs. Residents’ Permit Schemes (RPS) Public car park EEBC Currently No significant risks identified. improvements being implemented. Maintaining EEBC, SCC On-going parking capacity and through monitoring development and review of industry provision Encouraging more EEBC and Through the On-going sustainable travel SCC Planning Policy patterns and car and Planning usage Development Management process – minimal financial cost

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Introduce remote EEBC, SCC CCTV parking and Surrey enforcement at key Police Town Centre locations Facilitating EEBC and Town Hall Square Medium – Ability to identify sufficient funds for improved shop/ SCC improvements long term implementation – seek to identify funds from business delivery new developments and servicing Potential land ownership issues – continue to arrangements work with land owners to overcome possible problems. Alternatively exercise some flexibility to allow some on-street servicing/ access at locations where impacts can be managed. Other Shopping Areas Implement Ewell EEBC and Village AQMA SCC parking related improvement measures Monitor and EEBC and Officer time On-going respond to parking SCC (Local conflicts in Committee) residential areas immediately adjoining major local centres

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Residential Areas Monitor parking EEBC, Officer time On-going issues across the Community Hospital Cluster Development relating to: Trust and 1. On-street residents’ parking capacity associations 2. Access for service and delivery vehicles Adopt new parking EEBC Officer time for December Insufficient funds to deliver parking standards standards for evidence 2011 – ahead of the Delivery DPD – continue to development as gathering and Spring 2013 prepare standards in-house, concentrating part of the Delivery policy on preparing robust evidence that addresses Development Plan the Borough’s specific areas of parking Document (DPD) conflict. Potential for challenge from the development industry – ensure that standards are based on robust evidence. Front garden EEBC – as Through the On-going Challenge from residents through the parking local planning Planning Policy planning appeal process – ensure that authority and Planning enforcement action is proportionate and Development based on evidence. Management/ enforcement process – minimal financial cost

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Illegal parking on EEBC and 1. As On-going Challenge from residents opposed to such footways and SCC (local circumstances measures – ensure that all residents in grass verges: committee) dictate – set affected areas are informed and understand 1. Introduce up costs the reason behind the Council’s actions. footway and/ or unknown. grass verge 2. As parking circumstances restriction zones dictate 2. Strengthening or 3. As required/ replacing verges part of normal 3. Enforcement parking 4. Prosecution enforcement regime = minimal cost 4. As required/ part of normal parking enforcement regime = minimal cost

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Other Areas of Parking Demand/ Conflict Managing on-street EEBC and 1. As On-going in residential areas SCC circumstances adjacent to dictate employment sites, 2. As required/ Epsom Hospital part of normal and railway parking stations: enforcement 1. Introducing, regime = managing and minimal cost enforcing Residents’ Permit Schemes (RPS) 2. Enforcement Promoting SCC and Minimal costs On-going sustainable travel EEBC –through plans to schools the planning process Introducing, EEBC and As circumstances On-going managing and SCC dictate – enforcing enforcement part Residents’ Permit of normal regime. Schemes (RPS) or other parking restrictions at school sites

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Managing parking EEBC, Epsom Annual No significant risks identified. provision at major Racecourse race events and Downs (Epsom Downs Conservators Racecourse)

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

Annex 1: Policy Context

Surrey Parking Strategy The Council submits that these aims and objectives reflect the unique local parking environment found across Epsom & Ewell. Nevertheless, these six objectives must be considered alongside those found in the strategic-level Surrey County Council Parking Strategy, which is:

“…designed to help shape, manage and deliver the County Council’s vision for parking: “Helping people meet their parking needs”

The proposed objectives of the Parking Strategy are:

• Reduce congestion caused by parked vehicles • Make best use of the parking space available • Enforce parking regulations fairly and efficiently • Provide appropriate parking where needed

To achieve these objectives and realise the vision for parking, work will be channelled through three main policy strands:

• Existing capacity – manage on street parking space to ensure optimum use • Enforcement – fair and cost effective processes to reduce inappropriate parking • Parking provision – new developments to have appropriate levels for their function and location

At the same time, the strategy is intended to help achieve other objectives, such as improving journey times, sustaining and enhancing the vitality of town centres and contributing to a reduction in carbon emissions. Partnership working with boroughs and district councils will be particularly important in this field, given their role in the administration of civil parking enforcement and off street car parks. Boroughs and districts also work with the county council in their capacity as local planning authorities to develop standards for new development, which can affect parking provision and travel choices.”

Other Key Documents The Epsom & Ewell Parking Strategy does not exist in isolation, as demonstrated by the link between it and the Surrey Parking Strategy. At the local level there are links between the Strategy and the following documents:

Epsom & Ewell Corporate Plan 2012 – 2016: which sets out the Council’s ambition "to make Epsom & Ewell an excellent place to live and visit".

The Parking Strategy will seek to meet the following key priorities:

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

o Promoting the economic vitality of Epsom & Ewell – by ensuring that there is sufficient car parking capacity across the Borough to meet the needs of residents, businesses, retailers and visitors. o Enhancing the visual appearance of the local environment– by encouraging sustainable travel patterns and directing parking to public long stay provision. o Promoting sustainability and tackling issues of climate change – by encouraging sustainable patterns; such as increased linked trips, more efficient private car usage and through modal shift to walking, cycling and public transport – particularly for short trips. o Quality of life – by addressing parking conflicts that current arise between residents and visitors to the Borough. o Safer and stronger communities – by maintaining our commitment to make Council operated public car parks safe places.

Epsom & Ewell Sustainable Community Strategy 2011 – 2022: The Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) identifies the provision of appropriate levels of residential and town centre parking as a key issue for our residents. It also identifies residents’ concerns towards highway congestion and high volumes of traffic. The Parking Strategy will help to deliver the SCS objectives for:

o Employment and economic development – by ensuring that the parking needs of economic and employment centres, particularly Epsom Town Centre, are met. The main objective is to ensure that the Parking Strategy positively contributes towards sustaining the Borough’s economic vitality and viability and ensuring that it remains a competitive destination. o Education and training – by supporting the Borough’s various education institutes whilst carefully balancing their parking needs against those of our residents. o Transport – encouraging sustainable travel patterns that help reduce congestion and result in a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

Epsom & Ewell Local Development Framework:

As the Local Planning Authority, the Council is tasked with preparing and producing local planning policy, which is used to guide and determine development proposals. The Local Development Framework (LDF) lies at the heart of the process. The LDF serves as the delivery mechanism for Epsom & Ewell’s SCS.

It comprises a number of statutory Local Development Documents (LDDs), which together with other documents form the local development plan for the Borough. Key documents within the Epsom & Ewell LDF include:

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council June 2012 Borough Parking Strategy

o Core Strategy - It identifies the key issues and the social, economic and environmental objectives for the future development of the Borough up to 2022, and a strategy to achieve them. It sets out 16 core policies that seek to deliver sustainable development and create sustainable communities. Notably, it includes core policies that relate to sustainability within new developments, supporting Epsom Town Centre and other local centres, and managing transport and travel demand12 o Plan E Epsom Town Centre Area Action Plan (AAP) –This AAP builds upon the visions for Epsom Town Centre contained in the Borough’s original Community Strategy. It also adds further detail to the Core Strategy’s policy for the Town Centre. The AAP includes a number of planning policies that are relevant to the Parking Strategy – most notably in relation to Town Centre parking, illegal parking, shop servicing provision and site specific policies relating to existing and future public long-stay provision. o Delivery Development Plan Document (DPD) – This DPD is currently under production. When completed it will contain site specific allocation policies for the rest of the Borough (outside of Epsom Town Centre) to meet future residential, employment, community and shopping needs. It will also contain general purpose development management policies, which will replace similar existing policies in the old local plan (see below). The Council will use these new policies to determine future development proposals. Significantly, this DPD is likely to include local parking standards for new development. o Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) – The Council intends to publish a small number of these SPDs to provide additional detail to the policies contained within the documents set out above. The Council has already published a SPD in relation to Developer Contributions. The Council is in the process of preparing a site specific development brief SPD for a strategic opportunity development site initially identified within the Plan E AAP. This is an important document, as the redevelopment of the site will encompass the re-provision of public long-stay parking provision. There will be a direct link between the SPD and the Parking Strategy. o Saved Local Plan May 2000 – This is the former local plan for the Borough. It is gradually being replaced by the new planning policies contained within the documents set out above. However in the interim, the Council has chosen to ‘save’ some of the plan’s general purpose planning policies to help determine development proposals.

12These are Core Strategy Policies CS6, CS12 and CS16 respectively.