ITEM CMDT4
CABINET MEMBER FOR TRANSPORT – 27 NOVEMBER 2008
SOUTH OXFORD CONTROLLED PARKING ZONE REVIEW 2007/08
Report by Head of Transport
Introduction
1. On 18 July 2006 Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet considered a report on the introduction of Charges for Residents’ and Residents’ Visitors’ Permits. That meeting also resolved to instruct officers to review the South Oxford Controlled Parking Zone and this report is a consequence of that review.
Background
2. A Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) has been in existence in South Oxford for over 20 years and was last reviewed almost eight years ago. This culminated in the current Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which came into force in 2000.
3. This review proposes to consolidate changes to some of the existing residents’ parking and waiting controls which were identified and supported by those residents who have responded during the preliminary informal consultation.
4. The main aims of the CPZ remain to:
· Tackle congestion by removing parking places available to commuters who park in the area, either near to their work or to access other forms of transport for onward travel; · Deliver accessibility by protecting junctions and narrow streets from inappropriately parked vehicles; · Prioritise the remaining parking places for residents or short term visitors to businesses and residents in the area.
The Review Process (including an Informal Consultation)
5. OFFICERS reviewed the existing parking arrangements by carrying out daytime and night-time parking surveys, on site measurements and an informal consultation which sought residents’ views on the existing scheme by distributing questionnaires to all properties within the existing zone. Copies of the letter and questionnaire can be found in background Document A, which is available in the Members’ Resource Centre.
6. The Questionnaire and covering letter asked the recipients how the existing CPZ could be improved and asked for an opinion on the following issues;
(i) The times of day that Permit Holders Only Parking Places are reserved for permit holders; (ii) Whether or not Permit Holders should be exempt from the 2 hour time limit in some of the 2 hour parking places with the zone; (iii) Whether the existing permit restraint should be reduced from the present two permits per household to one.
7. Following the informal consultation, a meeting was held with local members from both Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council to discus the results and find out any additional information that would be useful to the review process.
8. From the results of the informal consultation it was clear that the Permit Holders’ Only Parking should remain in force at all times, 83% of those that responded favoured this option. Similarly there was support for making Permit Holders exempt from the 2 hour time limit in the 2 hour parking places that were proposed (59% favoured this option while only 13% were against).
9. The situation regarding permit restraint was not as clear with opinion evenly divided. However, since the response rate was low (less than 20%) it was felt that there was not enough support to include any change to this in the formal proposals.
Formal Proposals
10. The previous review had done much to maximise the amount of on-street parking. However, some extra spaces could be created by rearranging some of the existing restrictions and improving the parking layout.
11. Additionally, an amount of extra parking could be made available for use by residents and their visitors in White House Road through the use of shared-use limited waiting parking bays where residents or their visitors will be exempted from the time limit restrictions provided there is a valid parking permit correctly displayed in the vehicle.
12. Overall the proposals provide for approximately 460 parking spaces accessible to permit holders for all day parking, an increase of 46. There have been instances when a few residents are not able to meet the requirements to become eligible for a parking permit. A number of parking places have been introduced to allow some parking provision where such applicants may be able to leave their vehicle parked for any period up to 24 hours at a time to assist them in finding somewhere to park their vehicles within the zone.
13. Night-time traffic surveys indicated that the maximum residential on street parking demand is approximately 390 and this suggests that the demand is well within the zone’s proposed capacity. It is accepted that a few residents might still not be able to park in their own street, but will be able to find somewhere else to park in the zone.
14. A more detailed description of the proposals is contained within Annex 1 (download as .doc file).
Formal Consultation Process (29 August 2008 – 26 September 2008)
15. Approximately 750 consultation packs were delivered to every property within the existing South Oxford CPZ. These packs contained a covering letter, an extract of the plan showing the proposed parking controls and other relevant documents which were listed in the covering letter. Information was also sent to 39 formal consultees and placed on deposit for public inspection, at the Central Library, County Hall and Speedwell House. These documents can be found in background Document B, which is also available in the Members’ Resource Centre.
16. Street notices were placed in every road within the zone for the duration of the consultation period and the Public notice was also published in the Oxford Times.
17. In total 6 responses were received during the consultation; copies of these letters are available in the Members’ Resource Centre. Letter 1 mentions an obstruction to a dropped accessway caused by the present parking arrangement in Marlborough Road just opposite St. Matthew’s church. The footpath which leads from managed homes for the elderly in Salter Close runs from the close onto Marlborough Road to the east. The lowered kerb to allow easy access across the road for mobility scooter and wheelchair users and pushchairs alike is often obstructed by parked vehicles in an existing parking bay running right across the accessway. It is now proposed to terminate the parking bay at either end of the lowered kerb.
18. Letter 2 and letter 3 both express concern at the proposal to exclude numbers 21, 22 and 23 Chilswell Road from parking permit eligibility in accordance with a planning condition. After referral back to the original planning application it is clear that the reference to the exclusion of these properties from the parking permit scheme was not explicit. As a consequence it is recommended to allow these properties to continue with their full entitlement to residents’ and visitors’ parking permits.
19. Letter 4 mentions a new development at number 12 Western Road which the local planning authority has excluded from any permit entitlement under a planning condition. In order that this planning condition may be achieved it is now recommended to exclude all 5 flats at the new development called Tower House at 12 Western Road.
20. Letter 5 comments on the proposal affecting the parking layout in Buckingham Street. It supports the measure to introduce an additional parking place that would be created by moving the residents parking bay at the Western Road end of the street across to the west side of the road.
21. Letter 6 is from a resident of a flat at Marlborough Road which is excluded from entitlement to any parking permits by a planning condition. The letter expresses concern at the possible impact the change in the hours of availability of the bay nearest to the flat might have for non-permit holders. In particular, the proposal seeks to introduce an extended parking bay at the location in question, which would accommodate extra parking for permit holders and benefit those attending the church. The proposal seeks to introduce an element of all day parking in White House Road to assist those residents who might find themselves beyond the scope of the current scheme in terms of entitlement to parking permits.
Conclusion
22. From the 6 letters of public comment that were received, the only objection that arose was in connection with the exclusion of a property from parking permit entitlement for the residents’ parking scheme under a planning condition.
23. It should also be noted that the proposals do introduce a greater degree of flexibility for non-permit holders. This has been achieved by increasing the amount of permit parking places that are available for use by non-permit holders through the introduction of more ‘shared-use’ parking places and by introducing a 24-hour limited waiting parking control when compared with the present parking arrangement.
How the Project Supports LTP2 Objectives
24. These proposals are in line with the LTP objective of improving the street environment.
Financial Implications (including Revenue)
25. As per the Cabinet report of December 2006 which approved the implementation of charges for residents’ permits, the costs of approved amendments to South Oxford Controlled Parking Zone will be met from permit income. The cost of implementing this review is estimated to be around £20,000, which includes an allowance towards upgrading signs and lines to the current national standards.
RECOMMENDATIONS
26. The Cabinet Member for Transport is RECOMMENDED to authorise the making of the Oxfordshire County Council (South Oxford) (Controlled Parking Zone and Waiting Restrictions) Consolidation Order 200*subject to the following amendments to Schedule 4 of the Order:
(i) Chilswell Road: Removal of the advertised exclusion from entitlement to apply for residents’ and visitors’ parking permits proposed for nos. 21, 22 and 23 Chilswell Road.
(ii) Western Road: Exclusion of all the flats at Tower House, 12 Western Road from any entitlement to apply for residents’ and visitors’ parking permits in order to formalise the current practice.
STEVE HOWELL Head of Transport Environment & Economy
Background papers: Document A, containing covering letters associated with the formal consultation; Document B, containing documents placed on deposit for public inspection; Document C, containing letters of comment associated with the formal consultation.
All the above are located in the Member’s Resource Centre.
Contact Officer: Peter Egawhary, Tel 01865 815857
October 2008
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