Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/070

Contact: Owen Jenkins, Service Manager for Highways, Transport & Waste Tel: (01865) 323304

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy (Commercial) (CMDE4).

The report considers objections to formal consultations on proposals to introduce new parking bays for Car Club vehicles in All Saints Road and Sandfield Road in Headington and in Salter Close, South Oxford.  The principle of providing specific parking bays for Car Club vehicles was agreed at the meeting of the Transport Decisions Committee in November 2009 and the new LTP4 states that the County Council will “work with local research and development partners to scope, design, test, and implement a family of vehicle hire and ride sharing technologies focused on bike hire, car share, car clubs and other on-demand vehicle services”

Currently there are 15 vehicles from two separate Car Clubs in operation from on-street bays across Oxford with others based in private off-street areas. The redevelopment of the former Barns Road Community Centre in Cowley includes the provision of two Car Club bays and the opportunity has been taken to use some of the funding provided for these to introduce additional bays in locations requested by one of the current Car Clubs.

The Cabinet Member for Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposals as advertised.

The principle of providing specific parking bays for Car Club vehicles had been agreed at the meeting of the former Transport Decisions Committee in November 2009 with currently 15 vehicles from two separate Car Clubs in operation from on-street bays across Oxford with others based in private off-street areas.

Redevelopment of the former Barns Road Community Centre in Cowley included the provision of two Car Club bays and the opportunity had been taken to use some of the funding provided to introduce additional bays in locations as requested by one of the current Car Clubs. The Cabinet Member for Environment considered (CMDE4) a report setting out representations received to formal consultation on proposals to introduce new parking bays for Car Club vehicles in All Saints Road and Sandfield Road in Headington and in Salter Close, South Oxford.

Mr Busby spoke against the specific proposal for All Saints Road which was right outside his property. Although not opposed to this sort of initiative he questioned the integrity of a proposal which seemed to benefit only the interests of a private company. In that respect he felt the consultation had misled the public by suggesting that this was a car club and was therefore flawed. There was a social impact even from the removal of one parking space particularly where on-street parking was already stretched with pavements blocked by parked cars. He understood that alternative arrangements could be available at 2 large pubs both close to All Saints Road both of which had with largely underused car parks and who had indicated a willingness to make some of that space available.

Mr Tole confirmed that the principle now well established currently offered 15 spaces and that this was the third scheme in the City although the first proposed for Headington. The proposal to remove one space from the general pool had been in response to a specific request and consultation had been carried out in exactly the same way as for other proposed changes to the highway. The scheme in All Saints Road was in an area considered to be under less pressure.  The consultation had made clear that the space would no longer be available to the public but would specifically be for the use of the car club for which the County Council charged. That was not the same as for disabled parking bays which could be used by any blue badge holder. If the space was never used then it would be removed and returned to the general pool.  It was well established that car clubs had a beneficial effect on car useage and helped reduce car ownership.

Responding to the Cabinet Member he confirmed that he had not been aware of the potential for alternative parking as referred to by Mr Busby but could see no reason why the All Saints and Sandfield Road Car Clubs should not consult with the owners of those properties. Responding to a further query raised by Mr Busby he confirmed that every care had been taken to ensure that car clubs were bona fide organisations.

Noting the support of the local member with regard to the proposals for Salters Close and having regard to the information set out in the report and the representations both received and made at the meeting the Cabinet Member confirmed his decision as follows:

to approve the proposals as advertised for Salters Close but defer implementation of proposals for Sandfield Road and All Saints Road, Headington in order to explore further the commercial option to provide off-street parking at alternative sites before any further consideration was given to the on-street option

Signed………………………………..

Cabinet Member for Environment

Date of signing………………………