Car park fees for 2024-25
Recommendations
(a) Cabinet
to agree the car parking fees for the financial year 2024-25.
In addition, if cabinet amends
the fees and charges that require a change in the car parking fees
or order, to:
(b)
authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic to prepare a Notice of
Variation under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for publishing
in the local newspaper and all affected car parks. (Or
authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic to prepare and publish a
draft order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984)
and
(c)
authorise the Head of Development and Corporate Landlord to oversee
necessary communications and consultations and report back to
Cabinet.
|
Purpose of Report
1. This
report provides information to help the Cabinet decide if it
chooses to amend the car park fees and charges in South Oxfordshire
District Council car parks.
2. Reviewing
the car park fees and charges each year is in line with the
council’s car park policy as updated in 2022.
Corporate Objectives
3. The
provision and pricing of car parks contributes to the delivery of
the objectives of the South Oxfordshire Corporate Plan 2020/24,
wherein strategic objective six seeks to deliver the achievement of
“investment and innovation that rebuilds our financial
viability” – this leads us to setting fees which cover
the full cost of providing the car park service.
4.
Reviewing how much we charge for car park fees also supports our
Corporate Plan objective three, “action on the climate
emergency” Transport, including fossil fuel vehicles, makes
up the largest share of the UK’s carbon emissions. Using
mediums such as car park fees can have the ability to influence
changes in transport behaviour, and support a move towards
alternative, sustainable modes of transport such as active travel
like walking, public transport and cycling.
Background
5. The
car park policy as agreed by cabinet in August 2022 included
guidance from the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA) which
states that local authority parking enforcement should be
self-financing, and we should aim for our parking income to at
least meet the cost of managing and running our car parks.
6. The
current fees and charges and the price of parking permits (and the
previous years’ fees) are shown in Appendix 1 and a
comparison of fees in other neighbouring car parks is shown in
Appendix 2.
7. In
February 2022, cabinet agreed to amend the fees and charges for
2022/23 which were implemented on 4 April 2022. In summary
these were:
a.
Increase fees (for up to two hours and above) by 40p with some
exceptions at Riverside car park, Wallingford, Southfields, Henley
and Goldsmiths Lane car park, Wallingford.
b.
Extend the parking charge period from 9am to 5pm to 8am to 6pm
Monday to Saturday (Sunday remains 10am to 5pm). Not
including Goldsmiths Lane car park, Wallingford.
c.
Season tickets to be specific to each car park and removal of
weekly season tickets.
8. Last
year, in December 2022, the cabinet agreed for a further increase
of all fees and permits by 10 per cent (rounded up). These
were implemented on 4 April 2023 which officers estimated would
increase income by £70,000 per year. At the end of the
first six months of the year, an early indication is that this
estimate will be achieved.
9. The
level of car park penalty charges is set by legislation which
changed on 1 November 2022 when we introduced civil parking
enforcement (CPE). In addition, there are now two
‘levels’ (for example ‘minor’ infractions
such as overstaying your time set at £50 reduced to £35
if paid within 14 days and some are higher for example if you park
in a disabled bay without displaying a blue badge, set at £70
reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days). All charges are
increased if the penalty charge remains unpaid after 28 days and
the council issues a charge certificate and then there are further
increase if the case is registered as a debt.
10. The purpose of having
car park orders under Section 32 of the 1984 Road Traffic
Regulations Act (RTRA) is for ‘relieving or preventing
congestion of traffic’. The council meets this
requirement by having off-street car parks which are accessible and
well used which means that people do not park on the highway which
may cause traffic to be held up. Under the new civil parking
regulations, the council has no legal powers to set parking fees at
a higher level than that needed to achieve this.
11.Table 1
below estimates how the net cost of car parks including ancillary
services, will change over a five-year period up to 2026/27 if no
changes are made. Reviewing the income and expenditure over
the medium term allows cabinet to take a view of how income and
expenditure are likely to change and see whether the account is
predicted to run at a loss or with a surplus.
12.The actual
turnout for 2022/23 shows a small deficit in the car park account
of £8,790. The increase in fees in April 2023 is
estimated to provide a surplus income at the end of 2023/24 of
£144,858.
13.In the
medium term, the account will still be in surplus in 2026/27 by
£6,371.
Options for fees and charges
14. Based on the current usage and estimated income
and expenditure shown in Table 1, there is sufficient surplus to
not make any changes to the car park fees.
15.However,
there are some changes cabinet may wish to consider to improve the
car parks operations and encourage parking outside of the town
centres. These are summarised in Table 2 below:
Table 2. Summary of options
|
Option
|
Description
|
Estimated change in revenue (pa)
|
Communications campaign recommended?
|
Can be dealt with by a Notice of
Variation?
|
|
A
|
No change
|
£0
|
No
|
N/A
|
|
B
|
Provide permits for
residents local to Church Road, Wheatley at a cost of £70
pa
|
De minimis
|
No as applies only to local residents
|
No, requires new Order (and seek to cover cost from OCC)
|
|
C
|
A new simplified parking structure
|
+ £100,000
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
D
|
Remove half price permits for electric vehicles
|
De minimis
|
No
|
Yes
|
Option A
– No Changes
16. Make no change to the
fees. No change in income.
Option B
- Wheatley permits
17.Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) is due to consult on
implementing on-street parking restrictions on Church Road in
Wheatley to reduce congestion close to the district council car
park entrance and bus stops. OCC has requested allowing local
residents of properties in Church Road to use the car park at all
times (it currently has a limited waiting of four hours Monday to
Sunday 8am to 6pm). The exact numbers are still to be agreed
but will be less than ten.
18.Church
Road car park has 24 bays and usage figures show car park is only
half full most of the day on average.
19.This would
require a local parking permit scheme as below:
-
permits would only be for residents’ own vehicles, with one
permit issued per property (six/seven properties tbc)
-
cost of £70 per year replicates the price charged in Oxford by
OCC. Elsewhere in South Oxfordshire there are higher prices
for OCC resident permits, Henley is £110 pa and Wallingford is
£100 pa.
-
there are no current permits issued in Wheatley so this will
require an addition to the car park schedule. As this is an
introduction of something new, it is the Legal Services view that
this cannot be dealt with by way of a variation order. We are
of the view that a new order will need to be made, however if this
is the only option that is to be introduced, or if no other options
to be introduced require a new order, then a new order is made for
this car park alone which would save advertising costs although the
same process of making a new order would need to be
followed.
-
if agreed officers would advertise permits for all of the
‘free’ car parks (Benson, Culham lock and Chinnor) so
this can be considered in the future.
-
the permits would be issued by the council’s parking
contractor, Saba and enforced as part of regular inspections.
-
officers will finalise the arrangements and numbers with OCC and
look to recover all costs.
Option C
- A new simplified charging structure
20.A
simplified charging structure aims to make the purchase of tickets
and the transactions at the machines quicker, simpler and easier to
understand for customers. In addition, any Notices or
advertisements of the parking fees would be easier to understand
and cheaper to produce.
21.In the
long stay car parks, the fees are fixed for up to one, two, five
and ten hours. Without an ‘up to three hours’
option, visitors would have the choice of a relatively short stay
for only £2.00 or to select the option of paying just one
pound more and staying for up to five hours.
22.The medium
stay charges in Goring and Edinburgh Drive car park in Didcot are
set in order to be competitive with nearby train station car
parks.
23.Table 3
and table 4 show current and proposed car park fees. Appendix 1
provides a full list of current charges with changes in previous
years.
Table 3. Current car parking fees
|
Location/
Postcode
|
1
Hours
|
2
Hours
|
3
Hours
|
5
Hours
|
10
Hours
|
Operational
|
|
|
Days
|
Times
|
|
|
Didcot
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh
Drive - OX11 7LT
|
Free
|
1.80
|
2.40
|
2.80
|
6.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Goring
on Thames
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goring
- RG8 9HB
|
Free
|
1.60
|
|
2.80
|
6.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Henley
On Thames
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kings
Road - RG9 2DQ
|
Free
|
1.80
|
2.40
|
|
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Greys
Road - RG9 2AA
|
Free
|
1.80
|
2.40
|
|
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Southfields
- RG9 1BJ
|
|
|
|
3.20
|
4.40
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Wallingford
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cattlemarket
- OX10 0AU
|
Free
|
1.80
|
|
2.80
|
3.30
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Goldsmiths
Lane - OX10 0DN
|
Free
|
Free
|
1.80
|
|
3.60
|
Mon
- Fri
|
9 -
5
|
|
|
Sat
|
9 -
2
|
|
|
Thames
Street - OX10 0HD
|
Free
|
1.80
|
|
2.80
|
3.30
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Castle
Street - OX10
8DL
|
|
|
|
|
2.50
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
St
Georges - OX10 8HJ
|
|
|
|
|
2.50
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Riverside
- OX10 0BU
|
1.10
|
|
|
|
2.20
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Riverside
High Season
|
1.10
|
|
2.20
|
|
3.30
|
As
Above
|
As
Above
|
|
|
Riverside
Out Of Season
|
Free
|
Free
|
Free
|
Free
|
Free
|
Mon
- Sun
|
|
|
|
Thame
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cattlemarket
- OX9 3FD
|
Free
|
1.80
|
|
2.80
|
3.30
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
Southern
Road - OX9 2EE
|
Free
|
1.80
|
2.40
|
|
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 4. A proposed simplified car park pricing structure
|
Location/
Postcode
|
1
Hours
|
2
Hours
|
3
Hours
|
5
Hours
|
**10
Hours
|
Operational
|
|
|
|
Days
|
Times
|
|
|
|
Didcot
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh
Drive - OX11 7LT
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
4.00
|
6.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Goring
on Thames
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goring
- RG8 9HB
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
4.00
|
5.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Henley
On Thames
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kings
Road - RG9 2DQ
|
Free
|
2.00
|
3.00
|
|
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Greys
Road - RG9 2AA
|
Free
|
2.00
|
3.00
|
|
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Southfields
- RG9 1BJ
|
|
|
|
4.00
|
5.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Wallingford
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cattlemarket
- OX10 0AU
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
3.00
|
4.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8
– 6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
– 5
|
|
|
|
*Goldsmiths
Lane - OX10 0DN
|
Free
|
£2.00
(free)
|
(£1.80)
|
3.00
|
4.00
(£3.60)
|
Mon
- Fri
|
9 -
5
|
|
|
|
Sat
|
9 -
2
|
|
|
|
Thames
Street - OX10 0HD
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
3.00
|
4.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Castle
Street - OX10
8DL
|
|
|
|
|
3.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
St
Georges - OX10 8HJ
|
|
|
|
|
3.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Riverside
- OX10 0BU
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
|
4.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Riverside
High Season
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
3.00
|
4.00
|
As
Above
|
As
Above
|
|
|
|
Riverside
Out Of Season
|
Free
|
Free
|
|
Free
|
Free
|
Mon
- Sun
|
|
|
|
|
Thame
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cattlemarket
- OX9 3FD
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
3.00
|
4.00
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
Southern
Road - OX9 2EE
|
Free
|
2.00
|
|
|
|
Mon
- Sat
|
8 -
6
|
|
|
|
Sun
|
10
- 5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Goldsmiths Lane car park, Wallingford (current fees in brackets)
is currently part owned by South Oxfordshire District Council,
Wallingford Town Council and a private developer. The council
manages the whole car park and collects the income which is
distributed according to area once a management fee is
deducted. Officers are currently in negotiation with the town
council aiming to bring Goldsmiths Lane car park in line with other
South car parks and specifically to match the fees and charging at
Cattlemarket car park, Wallingford. If negotiations are not
successful, the fees will stay as they are currently.
**Officers recommend a review of the charges for up to 10 hours
each year for the next two years with a view to increasing them to
bring them in line across all carparks.
Option D
– To remove the offer of half price permits for electric
vehicles (EVs)
24.The take
up of half price permits for EVs is low with only six half price
permits sold out of a total of 85 from the 1 April to 31 October
2023.
25.There is
some confusion reported by Saba (who manage and issue the permits
on behalf of the council) on whether hybrid vehicles are included
and self-charging electric vehicles. The offer of half price
permits does not appear to be a sufficient incentive to encourage
take up. Officers consider this incentive should be put on
hold and reviewed annually.
26. Research undertaken by
the Institute of Place Management on behalf of the High Streets
Taskforce list car parking as one of 237 'Vital and Viable' factors
that influence the success of high streets. This research (last
updated in November 2021) lists car parking as the 45th most
influential factor. (Car parking for the purpose of the study
refers to the number or availability of parking spaces, parking
costs, maximum parking duration, the location of parking spaces,
and the diversity of parking supply).
27. Seen alongside 236
other influential factors, it should be understood that although
parking is regarded as highly influential, it should not be viewed
in isolation as a factor that will dictate the success of the high
street economy.
28. In the view of
Economic Development, Option A, that continues to offer a free hour
of parking in all car parks (Note: except in Goldsmiths Lane,
Wallingford where it is two hours) and keeping fees at current
rates provides continues support to the high street
businesses It is our understanding that car parking numbers
have not declined following the change from two free hours to one
free hour in recent years and we can reasonably conclude that
footfall from our car parks has not been affected.
29. Option B –
Wheatley permits – no significant implications.
30. Option C - Guidance on
Parking Provision in Town and City Centres published in the study
“Re-Think! Parking on the High Street (2013) suggests that
the “value” of car parking is more important than the
cost. Value in this respect includes both the location and
proximity of parking to attractions. Relevant to South
Oxfordshire’s market towns, the report suggests that
“smaller locations, with relatively fewer attractions (retail
and otherwise) need to carefully consider their parking provision
and fees”.
31. Planning Policy have
commissioned a town centres and retail study to help inform the new
joint local plan. This report is in progress and will undertake a
health check of South’s market towns, while this study
won’t examine the impact of parking charges on the town
centres, information on accessibility and pedestrian flows will be
included within the final reports, detailing public transport and
active travel links to our town centres that could present an
opportunity for future marketing.
32.Option D
– remove half price permits for
‘plug-in’ EVs only – no significant
implications.
33. Current indications
are that leisure and hospitality service providers are occupying a
higher proportion of local town centre premises, that may indicate
longer parking stays are likely as the focus of the high street
changes from retail to more experience led occupancy.
Climate and ecological impact implications
34.Option A.
Continuing to offer a period of free parking of one hour may
encourage increased vehicle turnover in the town centres and impact
negatively on the air quality.
35.Options B,
Permits in
Church Road car park aim to support OCC in reducing congestion and
thereby reducing carbon emissions form idling vehicles.
36. Option C South
Oxfordshire District Council has agreed a target to work towards
being a carbon neutral council by 2025 and a carbon neutral
district by 2030. Increased fees may encourage people to
consider alternative more sustainable forms of transport like
public transport, walking or cycling.
37. A fee of £2.00 to
stay for up to two hours puts directly comparable with bus fares
which are set to be held at £2.00 per journey at least until
the end of 2024.
38. In 2021, the council introduced a reduced
permit for EV vehicles. The uptake of these permits in 2022 is less
than ten vehicles out of a total number of active permits of
104. The uptake in 2023 is still low.
39.Option D
Maintaining reduced price permits for EVs shows positive commitment
from the council towards a shift to electric vehicles, which are an
important part of the journey to net-zero. However, it is
acknowledged that the financial saving from this permit is unlikely
to be a key motivator for residents changing to an EV. Going
forwards, reduced priced permits for EVs could be reviewed
annually.
40.Surplus
income from car park revenue could be used to improve cycle
infrastructure and storage to further encourage alternative,
sustainable modes of transport.
Financial Implications
41.Refer to
summary table (paragraph 15) for estimated changes in total fee
income for each option in paragraphs 16 to 25.
42.Option
A. Any surplus income is ring fenced and will need to be used
in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Section
55, for specific improvements to the car parks, highway, public
open spaces or recreational facilities.
43.Options B.
Income from issuing six permits to residents in Wheatley is
£420. Officers will be looking to OCC for any costs
associated with implementing the change.
44.Option
C. Income from simplified parking structure is estimated at
£100,000 based on current ticket sales and any surplus will
need to be used in accordance with legislation.
45.Option
D. The change in income from removing the half price permits
for EVs is de minimis as the take up is so low.
46.Any
council decision that has financial implications must be made with
the knowledge of the council’s overarching financial
position. For South, the position reflected in the council’s
medium-term financial plan (MTFP) as reported to full Council in
February 2023 showed that it is due to receive £644,000 less
in revenue funding than it plans to spend in 2023/24 (with the
balance coming from reserves), with this budget gap expected to
continue in future years. However, there is great uncertainty
over this caused by a lack of clarity from
government.
47.The future funding gap is predicted to increase to over
£8.5 million by 2027/28, based on current cautious officer
estimates of future funding levels. Whilst it is anticipated
that overall funding for the council will remain relatively
unchanged in 2024/25, the lack of certainty on future local
government funding from 2025/26 onwards means the level of funding,
and the resulting estimated funding gap, could be significantly
different from current officer estimates in either a positive or
negative way. Every financial decision, particularly those
involving long-term funding commitments (i.e., those beyond
2024/25), needs to be cognisant of the potential for significant
funding gaps in future years.
48.Under CPE
the car park account should be clear and transparent and published
to show the council is not making excess surplus income.
49.In line
with legislation under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 para 55
(2), at the end of the financial year any deficit in the (car park)
account shall be made good out of the general fund.
50.Any surplus income generated from these increases will need to
be used in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
Section 55 specific definitions (Highways, car parks, free public
open spaces and recreational facilities).
51. Changes to the schedule can be made by placing Notices in the
car parks and by advertising in local newspapers at a cost of
£5,000 per Notice which can be met from existing car park
budgets. A change to the Order will require advertising a
draft Schedule to allow for feedback from the public and a further
Notice for the making of the new Order.
52. If a simplified charging system is
adopted, future amendments to the car park fees will be easier to
manage and at less cost as the advert in the newspaper would be
reduced.
Legal Implications
53. A Notice Of Variation under the regulation
covers tariff changes only and the Notice requires you to state
what the charges are now and what the charges are going to be when
the Notice comes into force. It is designed purely to allow
for tariffs to be increased on a yearly basis without the need for
going through the full making of an Order.
54.Any change
other than a tariff change falls outside a Notice of
Variation. These should not be dealt with by a Notice of
Variation, because it is not a change to an existing tariff but
rather the introduction of an additional charge. This would
include the case when there is no charge.
54. Option A no change to the current
Order.
55.Option B is in
relation to residents permits for Church Road Car Park in Wheatley
has arisen because Oxfordshire County Council intend to carry out
some on-street parking enforcement and six properties have been
identified along Church Road where residents currently are able to
park on-street outside of their houses. OCC has
“requested allowing residents of these six properties to use
the Church Road car park”.
In the current
order, there is no provision for permits to be purchased for this
car park and there is also no charge for parking for a maximum stay
of four hours. Latest usage surveys show there is capacity
for such permits to be issued without having a negative impact on
other users of the car park. Under Part II paragraph 3(6) it
states that “Insofar as a vehicle is parked in a parking
place for which a parking permit has been provided by the Council,
the driver of that vehicle shall immediately display a valid permit
for the duration that the vehicle is parked in that parking place
under the terms of the parking permit” and so if the permit
wasn’t correctly used that would result in enforcement action
being taken. Therefore, the existence of such permits will
need to be referred to in the schedule attached to the
council’s car parking order to allow for enforcement measures
to be relied upon and as this is an introduction of something new
it is the Legal Services view that this cannot be dealt with by way
of a variation order.
Officers consider
that a new order will need to be made, however if this is the only
option that is to be introduced, or if no other options to be
introduced requires a new order, then a new order is made for this
car park alone which would save advertising costs although the same
process of making a new order would need to be followed and
therefore officer time is unlikely to be drastically
reduced.
56. Option C
a new simplified parking structure. As this option is
solely making tariff changes to the charges already payable then
that can be dealt with by way of a variation order.
57. Option D is to
remove half price permits for ‘plug in’ electric
vehicles can be done by Notice.
Communications
Implications
55. Any of the options agree will have an impact on
users of the car park. Given the current economic climate, the need
to be transparent and to provide background information to reasons
for the changes, officers recommend a communications campaign to
inform stakeholders.
56.The
outcome of any changes to be clearly communicated to the public by
social media and on the council website
and officer time will be required in promoting and updating the
changes.
Equality and Diversity
57.The
council continues to offer parking at no charge for users
displaying a ‘blue badge’ although the maximum stay is
still enforceable (in Kings Road and Greys Road car parks in Henley
and Southern Road car parks in Thame the maximum stay is three
hours during the charging period).
58.The
council aims to meet the national standard of at least five percent
of car park bays as extra wide bays dedicated to blue badge
users.
Risks
59.Option
A. By continuing to offer a period of free parking the
Council could be criticised for not taking the opportunity to
actively tackle climate issues by discouraging customers traveling
by car.
60.Option
B. The offer of parking permits in the off-street car park
will be limited to those houses directly affected by the new
on-street parking restrictions. Usage figures show occupancy
as half full most days. As the permit does not reserve a space,
this is similar to the current parking on-street but the risk is
that residents who have paid for a permit will not find a
space.
61. Initially the permits will be limited to the residents
identified by OCC. The council may receive requests from other
residents for permits and this can be considered on an annual
basis.
62.Option
C. A simplified fee structure of fees to the nearest pound
will increase some of the fees but rounded to the nearest pound
will make coin paid transactions quicker and easier for users.
63.Option D.
Small risk of negative public perception by removing these permits
as they show support for a greener mode of travel.
Conclusion
64. The
car park account shows a relatively healthy surplus in the medium
term and so there is no policy requirement to make any changes to
car park fees.
65.The report
has set out a range of options for Cabinet to consider in
paragraphs 16 to 25. In setting the fees and charges for the
financial year 2024-25, the options provide a range of
interventions and there are implications to be considered.
There is a balance to be struck between the revenue position, and
the economic and climate implications of the options proposed.
Background Papers
·
Car park policy 2022
·
Car park usage survey September 2023
