To review parking charges policy for council car parks in the borough.

Resolved:-

That approval be given to the realignment of parking charges to support the objectives of Climate Change Policy, Carbon Reduction, Air Quality, sustainable transport choices, balancing available parking with demand and to meet the cost of providing and maintaining car parks, parking related services and highway projects.

Approval was sought for the realignment of parking charges to support the objectives of Climate Change Policy, Carbon Reduction, Air Quality, sustainable transport choices, balancing available parking with demand and to meet the cost of providing and maintaining car parks, parking related services and highway projects.

The Vice-Chair of the Economy Skills Transport and Environment Scrutiny Board questioned how the recommendations would influence our climate change policy, carbon reduction, air quality and sustainable choices. The Sandwell Climate Change Strategy reports that the second highest source on greenhouse gas emissions was Road Transport at 29.5%, only narrowly beaten by Residential Property at 30.5%. The Sandwell Climate Change Strategy consequently included an Action Plan for Transport with a key focus on a transition to the more widespread use of sustainable travel choices and less dependence on the use of single occupancy private cars powered by fossil fuels.

In response, the Cabinet Member for the Environment Services stated that the proposed parking charges applied to the car parks in town centres that attracted larger numbers of cars associated with town centre workers as well as shoppers and visitors. Town centres have good sustainable transport links, via Bus, Metro and Train, also active travel opportunities via cycle lanes and pedestrian routes. In addition, commuters and workers often have colleagues that provide an opportunity for car sharing. Commuters often fill parking spaces before shoppers arrive impacting on the convenience of town centres and hence trade.

The proposed scales of parking charge have been set at levels to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging and incentivising the following,

• Greater use of sustainable travel options as a less costly option than commuting by car

• Similarly, a greater use of active travel also providing the associated health benefits

• More use of car sharing opportunities for low cost commuting

• A 50% reduction in season ticket prices for zero emission vehicles

• More working from home through greater season ticket choices that are discounted for less use per week

• Improved air quality in town centres through less peak time car use

The Vice-Chair also asked why the parking charges did not apply to Sandwell Valley. The Cabinet Member for Environment Services explained that Sandwell Valley parking charges would be benchmarked and considered separately as part of a strategic review of the attraction.

A further question on whether the charges were competitive was raised by the Vice-Chair. The Cabinet Member for the Environment Services stated that the proposed season ticket prices had been set to incentivise the climate change and health benefits outlined above. The consequent reduction in commuter parking would also free up spaces for town centre shoppers and visitors helping to benefit trade and commerce. The comparisons with the Black Country indicated that season tickets were most competitive if drivers park for one, two or three nominated days per week. If divers choose to park four or five days of the week, season tickets were at the upper end of the range in the Black Country. Hourly rates for shoppers and visitors were more aligned with average levels in the Black Country.

Reason for Decision

The purpose of this report was to review Sandwell Parking Policy to ensure that Sandwell Council could continue to provide suitable, adequate, safe and well-maintained public parking to secure the following objectives:

· To support the response the response to the Climate Change Emergency by reducing congestion in and around our town centres and reducing carbon emissions.

· To facilitate more working from home, walking and cycling for short journeys and journeys to work.

· To secure the health benefits associated with more active transport choices and improved air quality.

· To free up more parking spaces on town centre car parks for short stay shoppers and visitors who contribute to the local economy.

· To fund the post pandemic costs of the parking service, the provision, operation, maintenance enforcement of car parks, Highway Maintenance and traffic management on the network.

Alternative Options Considered

To leave parking charges unchanged would miss the opportunity to support the strategic response to the declared Climate Change Emergency, would miss the opportunity to make the most of changes in travel behaviour as experienced during the pandemic, would fail to address the existing supply and demand problems, would miss the opportunity to mitigate against the expected exacerbation of demand and associated impacts on safety, the environment, trade for small businesses and local economy and would fail to take the opportunity to encourage working from home and modal shift in transport choice.

Highway Services would require subsidising with additional revenue funding as income would no longer be sufficient to fund the costs. Highway Services provided the maintenance, operation and enforcement of car parks, enforcement on street, including around hospitals and schools gate

parking, meeting request for new traffic regulation orders, resident parking schemes and other costs permitted by the legislation.

Agreed:-

(1) that approval be given to the realignment of parking charges to support the objectives of Climate Change Policy, Carbon Reduction, Air Quality, sustainable transport choices, balancing available parking with demand and to meet the cost of providing and maintaining car parks, parking related services and highway projects.

(2) that future reviews of the appropriate documents that make up the Sandwell Local Plan consider the appropriate level of parking provision in centres for the future taking into account the level of redevelopment planned and implemented since the last review, climate change policy and facilitating modal shift through parking management.

(3) that approval be given to authorise the Director Borough Economy to implement the revised scales of parking charges set out in the recommendations subject to statutory public consultation for the changes to Traffic Regulation Orders.

(4) that the Cabinet Member for Environment be authorised to consider and determine any unresolved objections in relation to Traffic Regulation Order concerning parking charges, arising from the statutory public consultation; and that they be delegated to make any adjustments to the proposals as part of their determination.

(5) that the proposed scales of charges in this report are not applied to Sandwell Valley car parks.

(6) that for all other off-street car parking, the scale of charges outside West Bromwich be reset from the start of 2023 including a new low cost 30 minute charge to assist small businesses with the scale of charges then to increase at the start of each year until the start of 2027 as follows :-

Up to No. of Hours	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027
30 mins	20p	30p	40p	50p	50p
1 hr	50p	60p	70p	70p	70p
2 hrs	£1.00	£1.10	£1.20	£1.20	£1.20
3 hrs	£1.50	£1.60	£1.70	£1.70	£1.70
4 hrs	£2.00	£2.10	£2.20	£2.30	£2.40
Day	£4.00	£4.50	£5.00	£5.50	£6.00

(7) that for off-street car parking, the scale of charges within West Bromwich be reset at the start of 2023 including a new low cost 30 minute charge to assist small businesses. The scale of charges then to increase at the start of each year until the start of 2027 as follows:-

Up to No. of Hours	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027
30 mins	40p	60p	80p	80p	80p
1 hr	£1.00	£1.20	£1.40	£1.60	£1.80
2 hrs	£2.00	£2.20	£2.40	£2.40	£2.40
3 hrs	£3.00	£3.20	£3.40	£3.40	£3.40
4 hrs	£4.00	£4.20	£4.40	£4.60	£4.80
Day	£8.00	£8.50	£9.00	£9.50	£10.00

(8) that parking shall be free of charge at the following times to assist small businesses.

· On Sundays,

· Overnight between the hours of 18.00 and 08.00.

· For Blue badge holders and

· For two Saturdays before Christmas

· Every Saturday for season ticket holders

(9) that short stay on-street parking charges will remain unchanged to assist small businesses.

(10) that, to support flexible working, encourage the use of sustainable transport alternatives and free up short stay parking to assist small businesses, the annual charges for long stay season tickets that operate on nominated days of the week be set as follows, on the basis of one season ticket per vehicle, also valid for use at Sandwell Valley car parks on the nominated days. West Bromwich long stay Season Tickets are valid for all Council long stay car parking on the nominated days.

Outside West Bromwich

No of Days per Wk	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027
1	£40	£45	£50	£55	£60
2	£100	£115	£125	£140	£155
3	£200	£225	£250	£275	£300
4	£300	£330	£350	£380	£410
5	£400	£450	£500	£550	£600

Within West Bromwich (also valid outside West Bromwich for the same nominated days)

No of Days per Wk	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027
1	£80	£90	£100	£110	£120
2	£200	£230	£250	£280	£310
3	£400	£450	£500	£550	£600
4	£600	£660	£700	£760	£820
5	£800	£900	£1000	£1100	£1200

(11) that to support Climate Change and air quality objectives the following concessionary reduction will apply.

· For all zero emission electric vehicles a 50% reduction in season ticket prices will apply

(12) that the monthly scales of season ticket charges will be levied at 10% of the annual scales of season ticket charges for car parks either within West Bromwich or outside west Bromwich as appropriate.

(13) that at the few locations where long stay on-street parking charges are necessary, charges will be set to correspond with the off-street scale of hourly parking charges.

(14) that the Off-Street Parking Places order is also updated with the following changes for public consultation.

· Remove Bull Street Multi Storey, West Bromwich and Morrisons car park and Market Place car park, Wednesbury.

· Include wording for paying by other means advertised where there is no functioning ticket machine, no refunds for season tickets and spaces marked for electric vehicle recharging to only be used when actively recharging a vehicle.

· Include West Bromwich Street and Causeway Green Road car parks in the main Off Street Order and revoke the two individual orders.

· Change the operating times for New Street Disabled car park, West Bromwich. At present it is Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm. New time 7 days a week at any time. This is to keep spaces available for blue badge holders in the evening.

· Include Roway Lane car park, Oldbury.

· Include wording so that bays marked for recharging electric vehicles, disabled badge holders and motorcycles operate at all times. This is to prevent others parking in these bays after 6pm.

(15) that, subject to public consultation and the consideration of objections, new traffic regulation orders are implemented around town centres to prevent the displacement of parking to the streets through the introduction of resident parking schemes supplemented by yellow and red line restrictions where appropriate.

(16) that the Director of Borough Economy be authorised to undertake the necessary public and statutory consultation required to introduce and amend the necessary Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s);

(17) that the Director – Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to undertake the necessary statutory procedures to bring the approved recommendations into effect.

(18) that the revised charges be implemented on completion of statutory processes for the changes to the scales of charges.

Agenda item

Review of Parking Charges Policy