2020/21 Hylands Estate Parking Consultation Report and Proposals

Foreword

We announced in our Budget in February that we would begin charging for parking at Hylands later in 2021. There are three good reasons for this:

1. It has become apparent to us that there are many people from outside of Chelmsford who travel regularly to the park but pay nothing towards it. This is not surprising as nearly all country parks charge for parking. It would be fairer if non- residents made a contribution. 2. As parking is not regulated at all in the park, at peak times many cars are parked on verges, damaging the grass and causing a hazard to pedestrians and other traffic. 3. Covid-19 has created a large shortfall to the City Council’s finances, much of which will be permanent.

Chelmsford Borough Council bought Hylands in 1966. It is a fantastic asset that Chelmsford is rightly proud of, and it’s vital we maintain it to a very high standard. But that costs the City Council around £½ million every year, even after taking account of the money earned from weddings and other events. Where should the Council find that £½ million?

Also, in 2019-20, the Council lost £17 million of expected income. Much of that will recover over time, but there will be an ongoing shortfall of perhaps £2 million. It’s not fair that Chelmsford residents should be asked to make up that shortfall, possibly by cutting services such as bin collections, when Hylands is enjoyed by so many non-residents who currently pay nothing towards its upkeep.

The Council expects the charges to take effect from 20 September and have been shaped by the consultation carried out earlier this year. This document reports back on that consultation, setting out the questions and responses, and explains how we now propose to operate the charges.

The next stage is the formal consultation when we apply for regulatory approval to introduce the charges.

Introduction

Between 16 February and March 16, 2021, Chelmsford City Council invited users of Hylands Estate to take part in its parking consultation, which focused on proposed charges at the estate’s three car parks.

This summary report is split into two parts:

• Details about the proposed scheme This includes information on initial suggestions put to respondents about how the scheme might work, feedback from the consultation, and the proposals which are now being put forward. These proposals will now form part of a Traffic Regulation Order and will be subject to approval by the Council’s Regulatory Committee. If approved, it is proposed to implement this scheme from 20 September 2021.

• A summary of the consultation responses This section includes an analysis of the survey together with an assessment of the most common responses to open questions.

The proposed scheme

The Council agreed to implement parking charges at Hylands Estate on 24 February. The purpose of this consultation was not to determine whether charges should be levied at Hylands, but how the scheme should best operate. The consultation has provided the Council with useful insights which have helped to shape the final proposals.

The main elements of the scheme that will go ahead from 20 September, subject to obtaining regulatory approval this summer, are as follows:

Daily charging rates

Initial proposal An all-day parking charge (rather than hourly parking charges) was proposed as part of the consultation. It was proposed that visitors who do not pay council tax in the Chelmsford City Council area would pay £5 to park at Hylands. It was also proposed that residents of the Chelmsford City Council area would be entitled to a discount of 40%, which would reduce their all-day charge to £3. Parking charges would apply between 9am and 6pm at all three of the estate’s car parks. Drivers visiting Hylands before and after these times would not be charged.

Consultation feedback Answers to some questions were particularly relevant in setting an appropriate daily charging rate. These included answers to the following questions:

• Respondents were asked in Question 15 how much time they typically spent at Hylands Estate during a visit. 63.5% of those who took part in the consultation said that they usually spent between one to two hours at the estate. The next most common group (26.87%) of visitors spent two to four hours at the estate. 7.97% said that they visited for 30 minutes to an hour. 2

• Another question (Q.7) asked how often respondents visited the estate. The largest group (32.10%) said that they travelled to Hylands monthly. 26.93% said they visited a few times a year and 24.78% said they came to the estate weekly.

• Question 5 asked if those completing the survey were Chelmsford residents. 77.41% said they paid council tax in the Chelmsford City Council area.

Final proposal

In reaching a final recommendation about daily charges for the estate’s car parks, careful consideration was given to both the data from responses to these questions and suggestions made by residents.

Some respondents expressed a wish for much lower parking charges than those which apply elsewhere in the city, with flat all-day charges of £1, and an hourly rate of 50p both suggested. However, these rates would not be effective in generating the income required of this scheme.

There was also an appraisal of whether hourly charges might be a better option for residents driving to the estate. Rates set at other Essex country parks were considered for comparison. 91.76% of those who responded to the consultation said that they normally spent more than an hour at Hylands Estate. Visitors parking at similar local country parks can expect to pay a minimum of around £3 if they stay for more than an hour. Therefore, flat whole-day charges of £3 for Chelmsford residents and £5 for non-residents were judged to be better value than hourly parking rates for the majority of resident visits to the estate.

A number of other important factors were also considered. A one-off daily charge was felt to be a simple approach, clear to all visitors irrespective of the length of their stay. An all-day charge would also encourage visitors to stay in the park longer which would alleviate some congestion caused by very short visits at busy times and would remove the need for visitors to extend tickets or rush back to avoid a penalty notice.

The timings of all-day parking charges were also reconsidered. Since reducing car park congestion is an important aspect of this proposal, it was felt that free parking before 9am and after 6pm should remain to encourage more visitors to use the car parks at the quietest times, particularly at weekends and bank holidays when the estate is busiest.

Finally, some respondents were concerned that daily parking charges might deter regular resident visits to Hylands Estate. A resident season ticket is also being proposed, which would allow those who frequently drive to the estate a more affordable option. These details can be found in the following section.

Recommendation for daily charges:

A standard all-day charge of £5.00, applicable every day between 09:00 and 18:00 hours in each of the estate’s three car parks and any other designated parking areas, is recommended. A Chelmsford resident discount of 40% on the standard daily charge will be available, reducing the price for residents to £3.

Season Ticket

Initial proposal The Hylands parking consultation proposed that residents paying council tax in the Chelmsford City Council area could have an option to buy a season ticket to further reduce the cost of parking at Hylands Estate. This option would most benefit regular visitors who drive to the estate. A proposed price was not included in the consultation.

Consultation feedback

Question 23 of the consultation asked respondents if an annual season ticket would be of interest, particularly for frequent Hylands car park users. 34.11% said this would be of interest to them.

There were a significant number of comments submitted suggesting that interest would depend on the price of a season ticket.

Those who said they were interested in a season ticket were also asked how they would prefer to pay for this (Q.24). 65.27% said they would like to pay annually, whereas 34.73% of this group would prefer a monthly Direct Debit option.

Some residents commented that daily charges would unfairly deter habitual visitors of Hylands Park from using it for regular exercise.

Final proposal A season ticket is a key part of these proposals for Chelmsford residents who regularly park at Hylands Estate. This is especially important for those who visit Hylands during the week for exercise, dog-walking, and to socialise with friends. Residents are most likely to use Hylands Estate in this way and so a residents’ season ticket option remains part of the final recommendations. This season ticket could be used between Monday and Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) to make lower-cost parking available for the park’s most frequent visitors. Weekends and Bank Holidays have not been included because this is when the estate’s car parks are most often full, and this will help to ease congestion. Although there is normally capacity between Monday-Friday, a season ticket does not guarantee a parking space.

Recommendation for resident season tickets • A weekday season ticket (excluding Bank Holidays) for Chelmsford residents at an annual cost of £60.00 a year. A monthly £5.00 Direct Debit option will also be available for those wishing to pay in this way. This will lower the price of parking to £1.25 a week for those residents who visit once a week or 25p a day for those who visit every weekday.

• It is proposed that a season ticket will be valid for one vehicle, with households eligible to add a second vehicle to their permit for an additional £18.00. A maximum of two vehicles will be allowed on one season ticket.

• At weekends, when the estate is busiest, the standard daily charges will apply (£3 for residents, £5 for non-residents).

• In future, a resident season ticket could evolve into a pass with visitor benefits and rewards.

Free Car parking

Initial proposal The consultation laid out plans for exemptions for certain groups. Free parking was proposed, for example, for residents receiving council tax support and Blue Badge holders.

Consultation feedback

The consultation (open questions) received some responses expressing concern that other groups, in addition to those already suggested, should not have to pay for parking. This included businesses and tenants based at The Stables, and Hylands volunteers.

Final proposal Ensuring that those on the lowest incomes and Blue Badge holders do not have to pay remains an important aspect of this scheme and it is proposed to extend this concession to other groups after considering feedback from the consultation.

Recommendations for exemptions • Blue Badge holders will be able to park in designated disabled parking bays free of charge. If no designated bays are available, parking will still be free in standard parking bays. The use of designated bays will be monitored, and more spaces will be made available, if required. • Residents receiving council tax support will be eligible to apply for a Hylands MiPermit which will allow them to park at the estate’s three car parks free of charge. • Organised groups using Hylands for activities directly associated with mental health or disability support will be able to park free of charge. • Volunteers, such as the Friends of Hylands House working in the bookshop, event volunteers and park volunteers will also park free of charge. • Hylands Estate tenants and catering concessions will not pay for parking. • Those already paying to hire Hylands House or the park will not have to pay any additional amount for parking.

Technology and implementation

Initial proposal The consultation proposed the use of MiPermit for parking charges at Hylands Estate. MiPermit is a cashless system accessed online or via an app and is already in use across other Chelmsford City Council car parks. Residents would be required to set up a MiPermit account in order to access their 40% daily charge discount. Payment would also be possible at card payment machines in the car parks, but discounted rates will only be available via MiPermit.

Consultation feedback The consultation asked respondents questions about the MiPermit scheme. 5

• Question 20 asked whether those completing the survey had a MiPermit account. 70.36% said they do not currently have an account. • 52% said the reason for this was that they had not needed to use MiPermit or other parking apps before.

Final proposal Since MiPermit is widely used across council car parks and has been used successfully in Chelmsford for the last seven years, it is not proposed to alter the proposal to use this system at Hylands Estate. Responses to the consultation indicated that many residents do not yet use MiPermit, therefore support will be provided to assist visitors in setting this up.

Recommendations • The MiPermit system will be used for resident discounts and season tickets. • Residents must set up a MiPermit account and use this system to pay in order to receive their 40% discount. Accounts will be linked to a specific council tax number or another specified proof of residence. • There will be cashless payment machines for visitors to pay by card, but it won’t be possible to access discounted rates using this payment method. • Support for visitors will be available during the implementation of this scheme, including advice on site, by phone, online guides and videos.

1. Overview of consultation

Almost 7,000 completed responses were received during the four-week consultation which closed on 16 March 2021. All visitors to the park were eligible to take part, whether they lived in Chelmsford or further afield.

The survey aimed to provide some baseline behavioural data, enabling the Council to find out more about how and when people use the estate. It also allowed preferences for proposed car park charging options, such as season tickets for frequent park users, to be recorded.

The survey was promoted via an extensive range of channels, including:

• Local media via a press release. • Various organic and paid social media posts, through @ChelmsCouncil on Twitter and Facebook, reaching 78K individuals. • 3 x public email campaigns which directly emailed 24.4K unique individuals from different marketing opt in lists. • Features on The Gem – the Council’s staff e-newsletter reaching 0.8K unique individuals. • Providing information on our news and consultation web pages with survey link, reaching 1.6K unique individuals. • Emailing local parishes, with a downloadable hard copy of the survey, to assist in spreading the word. • Printed posters up around Hylands Estate, includinga QR code to allow direct online access to the survey via mobile phone. • Hard copies of the survey were available in The Stables, and on request.

Analysis of the traffic to the web pages showed significant referral rates from links in the Council’s Facebook posts on this consultation, showing the importance and effectiveness of social media at increasing the reach and awareness of this opportunity.

The high response rate provides confidence that the data shows a true representation of the responses; however as with all survey data, an element of caution should be applied due to bias and unavoidable sampling errors.

Postcode analysis was used to assess the geographical reach with 93% of the completed surveys provided postcodes that were usable (in correct format) for mapping purposes. Largest response rates from Moulsham & Central and Chelmer Village & Beaulieu Park wards, which are two of the most highly populated wards in the City of Chelmsford.

2. Headline Data Details of the responses are set out at Appendix 1, but below are some of the headlines.

2.1 Respondent Characteristics

• 57% by those aged under 55 • 66% by females (4,612) • 5% have an illness or disability that impacts on their use of the car park (372) • 77% are Chelmsford City residents (5,402)

2.2 Usage of Hylands Estate

• 32% visit monthly (2,240), 27% visit a few times a year (1,879) & 25% visit weekly (1,729) • 66% visit during both weekdays and weekends (4,589) • 95% visit during the day between 9am and 6pm (6,623) • 72% stayed for less than 2 hours (5,006) • 93% use their car to travel to Hylands (6,498) o Main car park used: 54% use Writtle Road (4,238), 23% use Stables/House (1,798) & 23% use London Road (1,765) o Reasons for not cycling or walking: 47% live too far away (4,649) & 20% find it inconvenient (1,931) • 91% visit with at least one other person (6,372) • Top 3 visit reasons are: 24% to walk through/enjoy the gardens (4,663), 15% to exercise (2,872) & 13% to walk dogs (2,445)

2.3 Usage of other parks and destinations

• Top 3 other parks/destinations are: 22% Maldon Promenade (3,834), 17% Danbury (2,936) & 15% Hanningfield Reservoir (2,576) • 70% stayed for 2 hours or less (4,122) at the car parks of other parks/destinations

2.4 Cashless car parking

• 70% do not currently have a MiPermit account (4,910) o The main reason for not having one is: 52% have not needed to use them before (3,276) • 34% are interested in getting a season ticket (2,303) • 65% would prefer to pay a single annual fee for any season tickets (1,477)

These questions allowed multiple responses, so the numbers shown are count mentions (NOT respondents)

3.0 Analysis of the literal data There were a significant number of responses to the open questions. Q19 and Q22 provided detail about the scheme itself and Q16 and Q25 focused on improvements to the park. All comments were reviewed but given the level of detail, it is not possible to provide

8 a response to all comments. Key words were used and helped to refine some of the responses set out in the following section.

Top key word references (in order from most referenced)

Q16 – General Q19 – On how other Q25 – Hylands Q22 – Proposed feedback / concerns car parks operate Estate improvement Hylands parking about Hylands ideas scheme Estate • Dog • Free [parking] • Toilet • £5 [charge] • Café • Expensive • Dog • £3 [charge] • Toilet • App • Path • All day [charges] • Play [facilities] • Machine • Play [facilities] • Expensive • Exercise • Card Payment • Bins • £1 [charge] • Mental [health] • Queues • Trail • A lot • Paths • Contactless • Seating • Writtle • Cycle • Mobile [phone] • Benches • Bus [routes] • Bins • Accessible • Cycle • Hourly [charge]

2020/21 Hylands Car Parking Consultation – Response to most common literal feedback messages (April 2021)

Analysis of Key Messages in Literal Responses Theme Key Issues Raised Our Actions & Response Charging Concern that charges would stop low-income families and those We will provide free access to those on low incomes who with disabilities from visiting Hylands Estate. receive council tax support and also to Blue Badge holders. Details of how to apply for exemptions will be available on the Chelmsford City Council website. Charging There is no inclusion of hourly charges for those making short Hourly charges were considered, and rates set at other visits. Essex country parks were examined for comparison. 91.76% of those who responded to the consultation said that they normally spent more than an hour at Hylands Estate. Visitors parking at similar local country parks can expect to pay a minimum of around £3 if they stay for more than an hour. Therefore, flat whole-day charges of £3 for Chelmsford residents and £5 for non-residents were judged to be better value than hourly parking rates for the majority of resident visits to the estate.

Some respondents did express a wish for much lower parking charges than those which apply elsewhere in the city, such as flat all-day charges of £1. However, these rates would not be effective in generating the income required of this scheme Charging Why is there a difference in price for residents and non- Until now, visitors to Hylands Estate who live outside residents? Chelmsford haven’t had to pay anything towards the significant cost of maintaining the historic estate and its 574 acres of parkland. Chelmsford residents already contribute to the upkeep of Hylands Estate through their council tax, and this is why residents will receive a discounted daily rate along with the option for a season ticket which could reduce the price per visit even further.

Theme Key Issues Raised Our Actions & Response Charging I am interested in buying a season ticket - will it be affordable We propose to introduce a weekday season ticket for residents. and how will it work? This will allow free parking Monday to Friday (including Bank Holidays) at a cost of £60 per year (or £5 a month). If you are a resident who makes at least two trips to Hylands Estate by car each month during weekdays, then this is the cheapest option. Residents such as dog walkers, who drive to Hylands Estate every weekday, would pay around 25p per visit using this permit. A second car can be added to this permit for an additional £18, so households with two cars can share one permit and won’t need to pay for two separate season tickets.

Charging There should be no charge levied at Hylands. The Council has sought to explain the challenging budget position and that it has no option but to introduce charges at Hylands, bringing the park into line with most other country parks of this type. Existing Concern that accessible spaces for disabled users are too far There are 19 designated bays for Blue Badge holders which are infrastructure from entrances. wider than other spaces and closest to facilities such as The & policies Stables and the adventure playground. Under the new proposals, Blue Badge holders will also be able to park at no cost in any available bay if accessible spaces are full. Existing Lack of bins throughout the park (normal & dog litter) along We have recently installed new litter bins which have a covered infrastructure paths and high traffic areas. top and increased volume; at peak times, additional bins are & policies deployed in areas of high footfall. The capacity for litter and dog waste disposal is also monitored and the frequency of emptying is increased or decreased as demand fluctuates. Existing Requests for areas where no dogs are allowed for the safety of Some areas in Hylands Park are already dog-free zones, such infrastructure visitors, especially children. as the adventure playground and The Stables courtyard and & policies there are other areas where dogs must be kept on leads (e.g. in the pleasure gardens). We feel there is currently a good balance, but we are open to specific suggestions. Existing Concern about a lack of safe and clear cycle routes from key As part of this exercise, we will be providing more information on infrastructure areas in Chelmsford to the estate the safest ways of getting to Hylands Estate by bus, bike and on & policies foot.

Theme Key Issues Raised Our Actions & Response Existing Safety and security concerns over the existing cycle storage All car parking areas, including cycle parking areas, are will infrastructure facility and whether this provision will be increased. becovered with CCTV as part of this scheme. Additional cycle & policies parking was provided in the Writtle Road car park, equipped with hoop-type bike storage which allows bikes to be easily secured. We will monitor use of the cycle parking and add capacity when it is needed. Existing Lack of public transport links (bus access near/directly to the We are aware of this issue and will continue to work to improve infrastructure estate) means fewer suitable alternatives to using a car. public transport options to and from Hylands Estate. & policies Unfortunately, the City Council has no control over local transport. There is a bus service to Writtle, providing a shorter walk to the park and there will be greater emphasis on promoting this service in the short term. Parking Concerns over how to use the MiPermit system for parking and The MiPermit system is used in all Chelmsford City Council car technology contactless card payment at machines on site. parks. The council’s car parks have been cashless for some time, with the option to pay by card at a machine on site, via a smartphone app, or to pre-book a parking session online from home via a MiPermit account. Residents will be able to park without setting up a MiPermit account as they will be able to pay by card at payment machines at Hylands Estate, but the only way to receive the resident’s discount will be through the MiPermit system. Paying in advance or via a smartphone also means you won’t have to queue for a machine, which could take longer during busy periods. There will be help at Hylands Estate when the system is first introduced for anyone having problems registering for their discount and clear instructions will also be displayed in the estate’s 3 car parks in the weeks before and while this system is introduced. A printable guide and a video explainer will also be available. Parking If I don’t have a smartphone, does it mean I can’t get a resident You won’t need a smartphone to get a discount, but you will technology discount? need to register for a MiPermit account. This can be done online at home (or on your behalf by a friend or relative) by creating a MiPermit account. You can then pay the discounted price by pre-booking your parking session before your trip.

Theme Key Issues Raised Our Actions & Response Parking Why won’t there be a payment-on-exit system which calculates Having a daily charge and season ticket options means that technology your charge? payment on exit isn’t needed. Residents won’t have to pay more than £3 per day – which is the equivalent price of 2 hours’ worth of parking in similar estates and country parks elsewhere. Café & Concerns that the café and other tenants and market traders will Tenants at The Stables will receive free passes for staff, and we Stables be negatively impacted by charges (e.g. fewer people coming will continue to work with these stakeholders to support them. and/or people less willing to spend extra money) Impact on Writtle resident concerns, in particular that people will start We are aware of existing parking and traffic problems in local areas parking in Paradise Road to avoid being charged. Paradise Road and understand the concern that these may be worsened. We are currently engaging with Writtle Parish Council about this. Reinvestment We received thousands of suggestions about priorities for Some suggested improvements (such as the recent into the reinvestment in Hylands Estate as part of this consultation. Key refurbishment of the public toilets next to the adventure park/estate themes included the following: playground) are already completed or under way as part of the • Better toilet provision and longer opening hours. existing programme of work for Hylands Estate. • More facilities for under-7s and those with accessibility We are grateful to everyone who took time to include needs. suggestions and priorities for investment in Hylands Park and • Introduction of family-friendly play trails. we will be exploring which of these ideas can be added to this • More seating and picnic benches throughout the park list in due course. and more provision for seating for those with mobility issues. • The introduction of more (and better) hard-surfaced paths throughout the estate, suitable for walking, wheelchairs, and pushchairs all year round. • Continued restoration or development of the park, such as the walled garden • Improvements to café facilities, including more seating, shaded areas, and better provision for dogs.

2020/21 Hylands Car Parking Consultation – APPENDIX

What age group do you belong to?

What is your gender?

Do you have an illness or disability that impacts on your use of the car park at Hylands?

Do you currently hold a valid Blue Badge? (only those who said ‘yes’ to Q3)

Are you a Chelmsford resident?

On average, how often do you visit?

On which days do you tend to visit?

At which time of day do you tend to visit?

What is your most frequent mode of travel to Hylands Estate?

#This was a multiple response question so data had to be analysed using a different method. Therefore, total counts represents the number of times selected rather than individual respondents.

# Which car park(s) do you normally use?

# What are your reasons for not walking or cycling to Hylands?

Who do you normally come to Hylands Estate with?

# What are the main reasons that you visit Hylands Estate?

How much time do you normally spend when visiting Hylands Estate?

# Which other country parks or destinations do you use in Essex?

When you visit these parks or destinations, how long do you normally choose to stay for using their car park?

Do you currently have a MiPermit account that you use for paying at car parks?

# Is there a reason for not using MiPermit (or any other car parking apps) for online payment?

If you use Hylands Parks frequently, an annual season ticket may significantly reduce your parking costs. Would this be of interest to you?

How would you prefer to pay for a season ticket?