Issue - decisions

RESOLVED

That the feedback to the Road Space Audit consultation document as amended in section 6.1 of the agenda report be provided.

[Note The amendments made to section 6.1 are denoted in bold below:

6.1   The Audit has been considered by relevant officers of Chichester District Council.  Officers recommend that the Council provides the following feedback to WSCC:

6.1.1     The findings of the report are consistent with the objectives within the approved Vision for Chichester.

6.1.2     The report suggests potential closure of some of the key car parks within the city. Any closure is for the district council to determine if appropriate and the district council wish to make it totally clear that there are no current plans for closure of car parks in the city (with the exception of Basin Road car park which is being considered as a result of the Southern Gateway Project). 

6.1.3     Off Street car park income is the revenue source for assisting with covering costs of car park provision and any surplus is used to support other Council services.  Should there be a reduction in the number of off-street parking places there would be a significant reduction in the income generated which would not be acceptable in the foreseeable future.

6.1.4     The continuation of a phased extension to the Controlled Parking Zone could be welcomed, subject to sufficient resources and significant consultation and consideration of the impact on the public.

6.1.5     The impact of performance pricing in on-street bays and how this relates to off-street car parks has not been fully considered and will require a full assessment to understand demand, capacity and effect on income.

6.1.6     There may be concerns from residents regarding the increase of commuter parking in residential streets.  It is clear that access for residents and deliveries must be preserved and this must be carefully communicated to those affected.

6.1.7     The full impact of the proposals on the retail sector has not been considered at this stage and this will require careful assessment to understand the potential loss of any retailers as a result which could be significant on footfall.  If any of the proposals were accepted a full consultation with the retail sector should be undertaken.

6.1.8     The demands for parking provision from the larger employers and organisations in the city will require consideration as part of any on-street and off-street parking provision.

6.1.9     The opportunity to use under-utilised road space for coach and lorry parking could be investigated and implemented if practicable.  If successful this would release the existing coach/lorry park for more appropriate use to support the local economy.

6.1.10  The report proposes a change to the process undertaken to allow commuters to park on-street. Operational costs, time and policy associated with introducing amendments to on-street permits have not been considered at this stage, and will require further assessment and understanding.  

6.1.11  The implications of the result of the A27 project must be considered, particularly in relation to the ‘to, not through’ element of the proposals.

6.1.12  The implications of the to, not through proposal on north/south trips needs to be understood

6.1.13  Chichester has three Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).  The impact on the air quality of the measures and schemes described in the Road Space Audit is unclear to those specific areas although the principle of reducing vehicles in the city centre will potentially reduce car emissions, which is strongly supported and sits well with the Air Quality Action Plan and the Chichester Vision.

6.1.14  Encouraging non-car modes of transport such as walking and cycling, particularly by building this into day-today activities, will help to encourage behavioural change into the fabric of a place and make such modal choice the default.

6.1.15  Car Clubs warrant a mention with regard to road space.  Further roll-out of the car club through Traffic Regulation Order bays in the residential areas could reduce residential demand through a collaborative consumption/resource sharing approach to accessing a car.

6.1.16  The document has significant emphasis on fostering an environment which makes walking and cycling the obvious choice for local journeys. Whilst we are strongly supportive of this approach and there is mention of making provision for those who are less able or unable to walk or cycle perhaps this theme should be developed further  such that the Audit and any future action plan is more inclusive in that regard. 

6.1.16 By considering the whole place, both on and off-street now and in the future, the Road Space Audit may be used to determine parking management plans that balance the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.  In doing so it is anticipated that revised parking plans can be created that do not simply move a problem from one place to another.  The Road Space Audit is an enabling / advisory document proposing a set of principles to assist with planning and managing parking in the city, complementing existing statutory plans and emerging studies in respect of transport infrastructure, parking policy and spatial planning.]