Hull City Council Parking Policy & Operating Arrangements June 2014 Highways Safety and Transport Festival House 93 Jameson Street Hull HU1 3JJ Contents 1. Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 4 2. Background……………………………………………………………….. 5 3. Issues and Challenges…………………………………………………… 7 4. Parking in the City Centre……………………………………………….. 9 4.1.On Street parking……………………………………………….. 9 4.2. Car Parks……………………………………………………...... 10 4.3. Tower Street car park………………………………………….. 11 4.4. Car park accessibility, design ………………………………… 11 4.5. Baseline for future parking provision given loss of car park on redevelopment………………………………………………………………… 11 4.6. Publicity…………………………………………………………… 12 4.7. Coach and Large Vehicle Parking…………………………….. 13 4.8. Event Parking……………………………………………………. 13 4.9. Business User Parking…………………………………………. 13 4.10. Electric Vehicle Parking……………………………………….. 13 5. Parking in All Areas Outside of the City Centre………………………… 14 5.1 Controlled Parking Zones……………………………………….. 14 5.2 Business permits…………………………………………………. 15 5.3 Waivers……………………………………………………………. 15 5.4 Requests for New Zones, Parking Surveys and Consultation. 16 6. Assistance to those with Restricted Mobility……………………………. 16 7. Parking and Development………………………………………………… 17 8. Parking in Bus Lanes……………………………………………………… 18 9. School Run Parking……………………………………………………….. 18 10. Fees and Charges……………………………………………………….. 19 11. Management and Enforcement…………………………………………. 21 11.1. Overview………………………………………………………… 21 11.2. Parking Enforcement…………………………………………… 21 11.3. Grace Periods…………………………………………………… 22 11.4. Beats……………………………………………………………… 22 11.5. Foot Patrols……………………………………………………… 22 11.6. Mobile Patrols………………………………………………….... 22 11.7. Rapid Response………………………………………………… 23 11.8. Match Days and Special Events………………………………. 23 11.9. Other Specific Areas and Sites………………………………… 23 11.10. Beat Review……………………………………………………. 23 11.11. Adjudication and Discretion…………………………………… 23 11.12. Cancellations…………………………………………………… 24 12. Income v Expenditure…………………………………………………….. 24 Appendix 1 PCN Timetable…………………………………………………… 25 Appendix 2 Parking Enforcement……………………………………………. 26 2 Overview This policy and operating arrangements set out how the Council will manage parking in the city for the next five years. As the city develops during this busy period when visitor numbers rise during the UK City of Culture in 2017 and work commences on the A63 Castle Street upgrade spanning the life of this document; how parking is managed is critical. The policy recognises a number of principles and sets out a number of key points which underpin planning for the future as the city pulls out of the recession and the local economy grows through the UK City of Culture events. It recognises the need that for businesses to thrive they must be accessible but also recognises there has to be a balance whereby parking in the city centre is controlled so that parking spaces are not taken up by commuters. The most effective means of doing is through the use of a transparent charging policy which recognises the cost of alternative, more sustainable transport as a benchmark for calculating the tariff. The car is of ever increasing significance to residents within the city, its visitors and commuters, certain streets and strategic routes suffer from congestion, which is an issue that can be influenced by parking provision and regulation. Consequently the management of residential and city centre parking is an important function of the City Council. The Council’s role with regard to on-street car parking remains one of managing and enforcing of all on-street parking restrictions and operating a number of off street car parks. However, it extends beyond that to ensuring that this is undertaken in a transparent manner and that the prosperity of the city is not compromised by its policies and this role is guided by the following strategic principles: 1. For the city to function it is essential that people, goods and services can be transported efficiently. 2. Economically, the city must attract businesses and people to do business with them. This applies not only to private vehicles but also to goods and passenger vehicles. 3. Choice is important to everyone, either where we choose to shop or do business and how we travel to that particular destination. When motorists are exercising their choice to park in a controlled parking zone they have available to them a choice of payment methods. 4. Parking restrictions are in most instances put in place for the reasons of the safety of drivers and pedestrians, prevention of commuter parking in residential areas and to ensure the Council complies with its duty to ensure the expeditious movement of traffic, with enforcement focusing on preventing indiscriminate parking. 3 At the same time, the policy is intended to help achieve other objectives of the council, such as: Improving journey times Sustaining and enhancing the vitality of town centres and contributing to a reduction in carbon emissions 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 Manage on street parking at all Primary Schools 1 Introduction The parking policy sets out how the City Council will provide and administer parking provision throughout the city until 2019. Its scope includes the provision, management, and enforcement of parking along with defining links to Planning and The City Plan along with other local plans and initiatives. Its development takes account of national and local planning, transport and parking regulations, policies, and guidance; the supply, demand and management of parking, perceptions; issues raised, and it anticipates future changes, such as in technology. The present approach recognises the characteristics of the city, encourages acceptable standards of off-street parking provision, and parking in certain places, whilst prohibiting it in others to limit obstruction and congestion caused by parked vehicles. This is consistent with statute and practices advanced by national and local policies and regulations that complement the general promotion of accessible and sustainable transport options through the Local Development Plan and associated Area Action Plans, the Local Transport Plan, Transport Asset Management Plan, the City Plan, and design guidance. With Government policy advocating fair and reasonable parking strategies, greater flexibility over parking management and its provisions, and significant amendments to elements of local authority parking policy, it is considered necessary to review the present approach. Furthermore, challenges are apparent and emerging within the City; Hull being compact and densely populated, and growing in terms of population and car ownership. Additionally, there have been considerable changes within the City Centre with redevelopment of some car parks, new parking places provided by a number of organisations, and the establishment of park and ride. Safe, secure and accessible parking are key attributes for an attractive and viable city, and for its future promotion to help create a good environment and support events like the 2017 UK City of Culture. Whilst the availability of parking affects the level of car use and congestion, it is not possible to supply all with parking places; space is finite and the appropriate provision, efficient 4 management, control and enforcement are critical to the operation of the City to meet the pressures on, and the demand for use of, the limited amount of parking space available. Thus, there is need for a revised policy that sets out the approach, addresses the challenges and meets the opportunities offered by policy and technological changes. 2 Background The arrangements for parking in the City are developed and influenced through a mixture of national and local rules, guidance and regulations encapsulated in the adopted 2008 Parking Policy for the City which recognises the City Council’s obligations under the: 2004 Traffic Management Act to control the parking of vehicles on the highway and to ensure the expeditious movement of traffic through the Network Management Duty. 2006 Planning Policy Statement 3 Housing requirements for local planning authorities to develop residential parking policies taking account of expected levels of car ownership, the promotion of good design and the need to use land efficiently. 2007 Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions Other planning and transportation policies setting the context and requiring the greater use of public transport, cycling and walking and sustainable transport outcomes. Since then the parking policy has been developing, notably since 2011 to: Meet the Government’s announcements to “end the war on motorists” and improve centres which include the removal of national limits on residential parking, the setting of more flexible parking standards having regard for local circumstances without trying to control car ownership, and to make decisions on parking to benefit the community. Align with planning policy to address newer guidance following cancellation and streamlining of previous documents , such as: . the 2011 Transport White paper Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon – Making sustainable Local Transport Happen, to promote park and ride to reduce the need for parking in city centres, minimum and maximum levels of parking places and parking places for electric and car club vehicles. 2012 National Planning Policy Framework that requires the authority