THIS REPORT RELATES STIRLING COUNCIL TO ITEM 4 ON THE AGENDA REGULATORY FUNCTIONS PANEL ENVIRONMENT SERVICES 3 September 2008 NOT EXEMPT PROPOSED CONTROLLED PARKING ZONE - DUNBLANE 1 SUMMARY 1.1 Stirling Council’s Parking Strategy, approved in August 2005, identified Dunblane as the second priority, after Stirling City Centre, for the development of a local strategy to tackle the town’s parking problems. Local organisations have also contacted the Council in recent years, requesting that action be taken to resolve the parking situation and the problems these have created for the community of Dunblane. 1.2 Following representation from the local community, a Parking Working Group was set up in 2005. Representatives from local organisations and the four Councillors, who represent Dunblane, were invited to join the group. The Working Group has been successful in identifying the areas of concerns, areas where parking provision can be improved or increased, and the potential controls that are required to manage parking in the core town centre. 1.3 The Parking Working Group developed a parking strategy for Dunblane. This strategy proposes a range of interventions and initiatives, aimed at providing a balance of parking within Dunblane, for all users, whilst supporting the economic vibrancy of the town. Appendix 2 contains a copy of the Dunblane Parking Strategy. 1.4 A key element of the strategy is the introduction of a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) for the core centre of Dunblane. This CPZ enables the provision of parking to be controlled, permitting all-day parking on the periphery of the zone, with short-term parking in the centre. This approach improves access for all of the community, and increases availability of spaces, enabling spaces to be allocated for residential parking, disabled persons, taxi’s and loading. 1.5 The CPZ proposed for Dunblane includes the provision of pay and display parking and the introduction of a residents parking permit scheme. Section 3.16 of this report details these proposals. 1.6 Whilst this paper focuses on the introduction of the CPZ in Dunblane, some elements of the parking strategy have already been implemented, with others are currently being progressed. Paragraph 3.12 of this paper details these elements. 1.7 Two Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) are required to be made to enable the CPZ to be implemented: One order will cover the on-street parking controls, and the other the off-street controls in public car parks. 1.8 Seventeen objections have been received to the proposed introduction of the CPZ (or elements of it) and the Panel are asked to consider and decide on these objections. 2 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 The panel note the content of the Dunblane Parking Strategy and the range of interventions identified to address parking problems in Dunblane. 2.2 That the Panel agrees to the introduction of a Controlled Parking Zone for Dunblane, and approves the associated Traffic Regulation Orders. 2.3 Instructs officers to continue to negotiate with Network Rail to resolve the contested claim about the parking areas on Stirling and Station Roads (currently publicly adopted roads but on land owned by Network Rail) and its effect on Railway Legislation. 3 CONSIDERATIONS Background 3.1 Dunblane is an established commuter town, with very good rail links to Central Scotland. ScotRail have advised us that Dunblane now has the highest train usage per head of population in Scotland. 3.2 Dunblane has a vibrant town centre offering a variety of shops, restaurants, businesses and social activities, providing essential services to the community of Dunblane. 3.3 However, the level of all day parking in the centre of the town, and the limited parking management, is creating problems for residents, business, shoppers and visitors to Dunblane. 3.4 Although there are parking restrictions in some areas of the town centre, the majority of streets are unrestricted, permitting all day parking. 3.5 The problem with unrestricted, free parking close to an important Railway Station like Dunblane is that it attracts all day parking so much that such vehicles occupy most of the parking spaces to the detriment of residents, local businesses, the Community Market and Tesco’s. The proposed CPZ strategy addresses these issues. Council’s Parking Strategy 3.6 The Council established a council-wide Parking Strategy with the intention of addressing parking and access issues in the towns and villages across the area. The Parking Strategy recognises that parking problems in individual communities will be different and recommends that a parking strategy should be established for each community to address the specific issues in that community rather than having a one size fits all policy. The Parking Strategy is included in Appendix 1. 3.7 The strategy prioritised the main towns and villages, with Dunblane ranking second on the list after Stirling City Centre. This prioritisation recognises the issues in Dunblane and the need to resolve these to the benefit of the community in Dunblane. 3.8 The key aims of the Council’s Parking Strategy are: - • Support social and economic activities throughout the Stirling Council area. • Integrate parking with other transport initiatives to provide a holistic response to the transport needs of our communities. • Encourage the use of more public transport and other sustainable means of travel to enhance accessibility. • Support an improved car park maintenance and modernisation programme. 3.9 All of the above apply in the developed Dunblane Strategy and the interventions that have been identified in it. However, as is the case in most of our large towns, the individual aims conflict with each other as there are not enough parking facilities available to satisfy each of the competing demands. In these circumstances, the strategy aims to address the specific local issues in a balanced manner with no single sector taking precedence. Dunblane Parking Working Group 3.10 The Dunblane Parking Working Group was set up to consider parking issues in Dunblane, comprising representatives from the Community Council, Civic Society, Development Trust, Community Market, Tesco, a High Street Trader as well as local Stirling Council Councillors and Roads Service employees. Representatives from Transport Scotland and First ScotRail have now joined the Group. The minutes of the Group are circulated to the local MP and MSP. 3.11 The first task for the group was to establish a parking strategy, specific to the needs of the Dunblane community. Appendix 2 details this strategy. 3.12 The Parking Working Group first focused on providing additional parking facilities to cater for demands for all day parking. These were provided on the B8033 dual carriageway but the spaces were quickly occupied indicating a need for further action. Dunblane Parking Strategy 3.13 The strategy addresses carbon emission reduction policies by proposing the introduction of parking charges at certain locations to encourage local people who can use sustainable means of transport to do so and provides free all day parking for others to facilitate the use of the train at Dunblane and avoid unnecessary car journeys beyond Dunblane. 3.14 The strategy also proposes short term parking controls to assist town centre shops and businesses and measures to assist local residents to park in Dunblane. 3.15 Implementation is in four main parts, incorporating short, medium and long- term interventions. • Improvements to existing, or the creation of additional facilities for all day parking. • Additional parking has been provided on the B8033 through Dunblane, which is very popular with commuters using the railway station. • The layout of Millrow Car Park is being reviewed, and it has been identified that this car park may be suitable for expansion. However, this project is only in the very early stages and will require further discussions with the community before any plans can be confirmed. • The layout of the Haining Car Park is being reviewed, and alternative parking for coaches in a more suitable location within Dunblane is being sought to improve the capacity of the car park. • The management and control of parking in the core town centre to cater for needs of community and provide short-term parking is proposed. • The introduction of the Controlled Parking Zone for the core town centre is proposed as detailed in this paper. • Investigate with Transport Scotland and ScotRail, potential capacity improvements at Bridge of Allan Railway Station to release commuter pressures on Dunblane. • After discussions with Transport Scotland, it has been identified that additional capacity may be achievable at Bridge of Allan Railway Station, and a feasibility study is underway. • Previous feasibility studies have discounted possible increases to the capacity of Springfield Terrace car park to provide all day commuter parking. This was due to limited benefit, excessive costs, access issues, visual impact, and the impact of additional traffic on the immediate road network. • Investigation of improvements to bus services within the town to improve links to train timetables and remove the need for short car journeys within Dunblane. • In the short term, this will involve complimentary measures to promote and assist alternative means of accessing the station by walking, cycling, bus or car sharing. Longer term will include measures such as: - • Improving and promoting pedestrian routes. • Improving and promoting cycle routes • Improving cycle parking. • Promotion of car sharing. • Co-ordination of bus service timetables with rail timetables. • Promoting the opportunity to access the station and town by bus. Dunblane Controlled Parking Zone 3.16 The Controlled Parking Zone, proposes the provision of the following elements, and a plan illustrating this is shown in Appendix 3.: • Residents parking on the west side of Springfield Terrace. • A 2 hour waiting restriction on the upper level of the Springfield Terrace Car Park to enable shoppers to park to get to the Tesco Supermarket and other town centre businesses.