Agenda item

Report by Corporate Director, Environment and Place

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the advertised proposals for the introduction of paid parking bays; permit parking areas; limited waiting bays; and “No Waiting at Anytime” amendments in Woodstock, subject to the following changes:

1.     The proposed free parking period within the 3 hour paid parking bays is extended from 30-minutes to 1 hour.

2.     The proposed max stay duration in the ultra-short stay bays is extended from 20-minutes to 30-minutes.

3.     The proposed 2 hour limited waiting bay on New Road is amended to a 3-hour limited waiting bay.

4.     A further assessment by officers is undertaken to consider the introduction of permits for visitors to Guest Houses, Hotels and Holiday Lets within the scheme. This will require further public consultation.

5.     A further assessment by officers is undertaken to consider the best use of the existing 2-hour bays on Park Lane. This will require further public consultation.

6.     To amend the schedule of permit eligibility to include 1-11 Oxford Street.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management, Councillor Gant, considered a report by the Corporate Director, Environment and Place, which recommended approval of the advertised proposals for the introduction of paid parking bays, permit parking areas, limited waiting bays, and no waiting at any time amendments in Woodstock, subject to the following changes –

(i)        The proposed free parking period within the 3-hour paid parking bays is extended from 30-minutes to 1 hour.

(ii)       The proposed max stay duration in the ultra-short stay bays is extended from 20-minutes to 30-minutes.

(iii)     The proposed 2-hour limited waiting bay on New Road is amended to a 3-hour limited waiting bay.

(iv)     A further assessment by officers is undertaken to consider the introduction of permits for visitors to Guest Houses, Hotels and Holiday Lets within the scheme. This would require further public consultation.

(v)      A further assessment by officers be undertaken to consider the best use of the existing 2-hour bays on Park Lane. This would require further public consultation.

(vi)     To amend the schedule of permit eligibility to include 1-11 Oxford Street.

Councillor Gant, having received a few representations on the proposals which he had taken into consideration ahead of today’s meeting, then heard several presentations by speakers present at the meeting both for and against the recommended proposals.

Having heard the speakers, and having taken into consideration the written representations, Councillor Gant made the following comments.

(a)  He noted that the officer’s report that was before the meeting today extended to over 300 pages including responses to an extensive consultation. Having read the report and the responses to the consultation, he thanked officers for their work in in preparing the report.

(b)  As there had been a significant response to the consultation, it was appropriate to address some of the issues that had been raised in response to the consultation, as follows –

(i)         That there was no such thing as “free parking”. The question was, who paid, that is, the user or the authority providing the parking space. It was his view that it was not unreasonable to tilt the balance such that it was the user who met the cost of using the space, as was the case with several local authorities.

(ii)        Whether a parking regime helped or hindered local businesses was a key issue and was addressed in Paragraph 20 of the report, which stated –

When considering options to manage on-street parking, there is often concern about the impact that this can have on the economy of town centres and that any increase in the types of control may discourage visitors to the town centre and reduce trade for businesses. However, there is no direct evidence that this is the case and careful kerbside management has proven to support parking for local retail centres in Oxfordshire including Abingdon, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames

(iii)      The results of poll undertaken by the District Council under the Parish and Community Meeting (Polls) Rules 1987[1], asking whether residents wanted free parking could not be relied upon as the question upon which the poll was based was a value laden, leading question.

(iv)      The purpose of consultation was to add to the evidence base which had to be interpreted and set alongside the priorities and ambitions of the local authority. Oxfordshire County Council had been clear in its ambitions and priorities regarding climate change and transport within the City of Oxford.

       [Councillor Gant then went through several points in the report relating to the consultation and the response of Council officers to that consultation , including persons buying property in Oxford knowing there was no specific provision for parking; persons attending church services; the introduction of parking permits; the effect of cycle permits; permits to accommodate hotels, guest houses and holiday lets (Paragraph 17 of the report); and the reference in the report to keeping the types of permits and the issuing of permits under review].

(v)       There were heritage standards regarding the suitability of street furniture in historic locations and these standards were taken into consideration in any recommendations made by officers. Furthermore, officers would be reminded about the requirement to take these standards into consideration when making recommendations.

(c)   In conclusion Councillor Gant stated that there was a consensus that the present system was not working, and that this included a lack of enforcement of the current traffic restrictions. Therefore, to do nothing was not an option. He then addressed the following points made by persons who had made representations on the proposals –

(i)         The introduction of 12 electric charging points did not reduce the capacity for parking per se, only a reduction in the parking available to non-electric vehicles.

(ii)        Decisions on parking proposals for Woodstock were not taken behind closed doors as evidenced by the public forum in which the present proposals were being considered.

(iii)      Officers would be instructed to keep the interests of the elderly and immobile under review regarding the current parking proposals.

(d)   There had been some responses to the consultation detailing personal circumstances and political points of view: it was not appropriate to respond specifically to these comments which had been noted as part of the consultation process.

(e)  Any scheme that was introduced would be monitored and kept under review.

In conclusion, Councillor Gant thanked officers for their work in putting together the report and the proposals that were before him, and to everyone who had contributed to the consultation and who had made representations on the proposals.

DECISION: To approve the recommendations and amendments set out in the report.

Signed: ………………………………………………………………………….

Dated: ……………………………………………………………………………