ashfield district council car parking strategy …...4.3 charging policy there is a current policy...

ASHFIELD DISTRICT COUNCIL

CAR PARKING STRATEGY 2016-2021

Version Number Date Issued

Original 1st April 2016

Revised Due 1st April 2021

Ashfield District Council Parking Strategy

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Key Objectives Background and Context Corporate Plan

3. Notts Parking Partnership

Enforcement Penalty Charge Notice Processing

4. Off Street Parking

Parking Facilities Parking Length of Stay Designation Charging Policy Usage Data Parking Permits (Season Tickets) Disabled Parking/Blue badges Maintenance and Inspection

5. On Street Parking

Enforcement Management Dispensations Residents Parking Permits/Blue Badge Issue

6. Governance

Operational Management Strategic Management

7. Town centres

Hucknall Sutton in Ashfield

Kirkby in Ashfield Rural areas (Jacksdale/Selston/Underwood)

8. Action Plan

Useful Links

9. Appendices


1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Ashfield District Council owns or operates a number of ‘off-street’ surface car parks within the district. These car park assets are managed and maintained by the Council, which includes enforcement of the parking restrictions at each site. The majority of these assets are situated within the three town centres of Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

1.2 In addition through membership of the Nottingham Parking Partnership, the Council manages enforcement of ‘on-street’ traffic regulation orders within the Ashfield district on behalf of Notts County Council.

1.3 The overarching priority for the Council’s car park service is to aim to manage the sites to generate sufficient surplus income to cover the costs of both day to day repairs and for longer term programmed maintenance of the assets. This would reduce the need to borrow money to fund future major works, such as resurfacing, lighting and replacement ticket machines.

1.4 Parking availability and control is important for a variety of reasons:

To reduce congestion and improve traffic flow and road safety

To provide unhindered access for public transport and emergency vehicles

For people with mobility difficulties to access services more easily

For town centres and the local economy, to encourage visitors and shoppers

For residents, to park near their homes

For businesses who need parking for employees and access for loading

To reduce carbon emissions by encouraging ‘green’ and sustainable travel

1.4 Effective management of parking should endeavour to balance these potentially conflicting demands. The purpose of this strategy is to set out a strategic framework to manage parking resources to achieve the above aims.

1.5 There are a number of alternative providers of off street parking facilities throughout

the district and this provision has been taken into account within the strategy to ensure a holistic approach to meet the Council’s key objectives.


2. KEY OBJECTIVES

2.1 This strategy outlines aims and objectives to reflect current parking requirements and pressures in the district. It also considers options to address proposed future changes to available parking capacity.

2.2 Progress towards this is set out in the 5 key strategic objectives listed below

Objective Deliverables

1. To provide good quality facilities in key locations within the district

To provide safe, secure, well maintained car parks

To continue to provide pay and display car parks in town centres

Monthly inspection of each site

Periodic review of parking tariffs and charging structures to reflect local parking need and cost recovery

To provide responsive maintenance to rectify reported faults promptly

To establish a planned maintenance regime

2. To support the vitality and regeneration of town centres

To provide an adequate mix of long and short stay parking within town centres

To address parking issues specific to individual town centre locations

To encourage increased turnover of vehicles in town centres to encourage shoppers

To provide an adequate number of long stay spaces for town centre workers

To provide an adequate number of spaces for people with mobility difficulties close to town centre amenities

3. To manage enforcement in a fair and consistent manner

Effective management of enforcement contractor

To provide clear signage regarding restrictions and charges in off street car parks

To encourage driver compliance

To promptly notify Nottingham County Council of all maintenance required to on street signage or lines

4. To work with the county highways authority to manage on street parking effectively

To improve traffic flow and reduce congestion

To support the movement of public transport and emergency vehicles

To address specific on street parking issues in liaison with Nottingham County Council

5. To plan for changes affecting demand and supply for parking facilities

To address known future or proposed changes to parking provision, both on and off street.

To consider opportunities for further or alternative parking sites as part of any ongoing town centre development plans


2.3 Background and Context

This parking strategy actively supports the aims and objectives of a number of existing wider plans, policies and strategies. Parking availability is an important factor in determining how people travel. Parking availability also influences the vitality and viability of town centres and the attractiveness of residential areas. Poor parking can be a problem for residents and businesses and can be a barrier to accessibility for other motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and emergency vehicles. There is a wide range of national, regional and local policy that is relevant to parking, promoting the vitality and viability of town centres, assisting residents and businesses and seeking to minimise the impact on Climate Change. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) places an emphasis on ensuring the vitality of town centres. • Planning policies should be positive, promote competitive town centre

environments and set out policies for the management and growth of centres over the plan period.

• Local authorities should seek to improve the quality of parking in town

centres so that it is convenient, safe and secure, including appropriate provision for motorcycles. They should set appropriate parking charges that do not undermine the vitality of town centres. Parking enforcement should be proportionate.

There is a difficult balance to be struck between providing and restricting car parking space to meet what can be conflicting priorities. This strategy must be read alongside the Nottingham Local Transport Plan, The Ashfield Local Plan, and individual Town Centre Masterplans, to provide the wider picture on how a balance can be achieved between environmental protection, economic growth, accessibility, health improvement and social inclusion, whilst providing sufficient income to cover costs of maintenance and operation of car park sites.


2.4 Corporate Plan This strategy supports a number of the Council’s corporate priorities, in particular:

Key areas of work ECONOMIC REGENERATION

Improve transport, connectivity and digital infrastructure. Ensure the area offers an attractive and balanced range of good quality office, commercial and industrial premises/ sites.

To provide an adequate mix of long and short stay parking within town centres

To address parking issues specific to individual town centre locations

To encourage increased turnover of vehicles in town centres to encourage shoppers

To provide an adequate number of long stay spaces for town centre workers

To provide an adequate number of spaces for people with mobility difficulties close to town centre amenities

PLACE AND COMMUNITIES

Create a greener Ashfield, reducing the impact of what we do on the environment, minimising waste and recycling more

To minimise circulating traffic by an appropriate balance on and off street parking provision.

To reduce circulating traffic and queuing traffic through ease of access to parking provision

ORGANISATIONAL IMPROVEMENT

Implement a financial strategy that prioritises income generation balanced with efficiencies to sustain the Council’s finances and protect services to residents. Ensure best use of our assets, exploring and supporting the development of the ‘one public estate’ approach for shared assets across partner agencies

Periodic review of parking tariffs

Periodic review of service contracts

Regular analysis of usage and income data

To provide clear signage regarding restrictions and charges in off street car parks

To encourage driver compliance

To promptly notify Nottingham County Council of all maintenance required to on street signage or lines.

Monthly inspection of each site

Periodic review of parking tariffs and charging structures to reflect local parking demand

To provide responsive maintenance to rectify reported faults promptly

To establish a planned maintenance regime


3. NOTTS PARKING PARTNERSHIP

3.1 Ashfield District Council is a member of the Notts Parking Partnership (NPP) which comprises Nottinghamshire County Council and all seven district and borough councils within Nottinghamshire, and was formed to ensure consistency and fairness in operating parking enforcement across the County.

3.2 Enforcement

Through membership of the Partnership the Council is also part of a shared procurement contract for Parking Enforcement Services. The partnership currently employs NSL Services Limited to supply Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO’s) to enforce parking restrictions across the county. Through the CEO’s the Council manages enforcement both in its own off-street car parks and on-street on behalf of the County Council. This consists of allocating daily patrol 'beats', issuing daily parking dispensations (permits), informing Enforcement Officers about reported parking issues and resolving formal appeals. The Council has established the Ashfield District Council (Civil Enforcement Off-Street Parking Places) Order 2016 through which it operates, manages and enforces its car parks.

3.3 Penalty Charge Notice Processing The Partnership also operates a Central Processing Unit (CPU), run by the County Council, which undertakes all administration relating to Penalty Charge Notices ensuring a fair and consistent approach across the Nottinghamshire area.

4. OFF STREET PARKING 4.1 Parking Facilities

The council owns or operates a total of 17 Nr public off street car parks providing a total of 1172 Nr spaces. At present the Council levies charges on 10 Nr car parks through pay and display. Details of the council’s car parks and their capacity are shown in Appendix 1. The table below provides a summary of car park provision across the district by town/village:

Town Number of Car Parks

Pay and Display spaces

Free spaces

Disabled Spaces

Total Spaces

Hucknall 3 381 0 24 405

Kirkby in Ashfield 5 159 83

14 256

Sutton in Ashfield (includes Huthwaite)

8 165 285 27 477

Jacksdale 1 0 32 2 34

Total 17 705 400 67 1172


4.2 Parking Length of Stay Designation

The designation of the car park is designed to encourage particular users and to reflect local variations in the demand for parking. The shoppers and short stay car parks are intended to have a higher number of users per day encouraging custom for local shops and businesses. Long stay car parks are intended for users who need to remain in the area for longer periods, usually because they either live or work in the area.

The car parks are designated as follows; the table below provides a summary of car park designations across the district:

4.3 Charging Policy There is a current policy of uniform charging across the district. Traditionally charging has been applied consistently across all of the council’s pay and display car parks and is based upon a standard hourly rate, with discounts for longer stays. In November 2015 the Council introduced a ‘free first hour’ tariff band throughout its on street car parks stock. The aim of this tariff change is to encourage short stay visitors in support of businesses and shops within the Town Centres. This change to the parking tariff structure will be reviewed after a one year period to ensure it is achieving its purpose of increasing footfall within the Town Centres whilst being financially sustainable. The level of charges is reviewed regularly to ensure that sufficient income is raised to cover expenses for safe and effective operation. Ongoing costs for car park management include National Non-domestic Rates, water rates, electricity supply charges, street cleansing, grounds maintenance and general repairs/maintenance. Costs also include the enforcement contractor service and the administrative costs of processing PCN payments and claims.

Town Shoppers - stay limited to 2 hours maximum

Short Stay - stay limited to 4 hours maximum

Long Stay - no restriction on length of stay

Total Spaces

% Spaces per area/town

Hucknall 1 1 1 405 34%

Kirkby in Ashfield

2 0 3 256 22%

Sutton in Ashfield and Huthwaite

0 2 6 477 41%

Jacksdale 0 0 1 34 3%

Total 3 3 9 1172

% Spaces by tariff designation

12% 36% 52%


In addition to these operational costs, sufficient income needs to be generated to cover future major maintenance projects such as resurfacing, remarking and replacement of equipment such as lighting and ticket machines.

4.4 Usage Data

The table below shows the numbers of tickets sold within each town in all tariff bands, together with the number of P&D spaces, additional information provides an indication of the level of turnover per space.

Ticket Sales by

Town 2014-15

Number of

Tickets

Number of

Spaces

Percentage of Tickets

Percentage of Spaces

Cars per day per space

Hucknall 290,632 381 58% 54% 2.48

Kirkby 100,624 159 20% 23% 2.06

Sutton 109,202 165 22% 23% 2.16

The graph below shows the split between tickets sold in each tariff band over all car parks.

290,632100,624

109,202

Ticket Sales 2014/15

Hucknall

Kirkby

Sutton54%

23%

23%

Distribution of parking spaces between towns

Hucknall 381

Kirkby 159

Sutton 165

7%

46%

27%

17%

3%

Ticket sales by tariff band

Free

1 Hour

2 Hours

4 Hours

All day


4.5 Parking Permits (Season Tickets)

Parking Permits are available on long stay car parks. These offer a significant saving to regular users of these car parks but do not guarantee the availability of a parking space. They are available for either 3 months or a full year and are vehicle and car park specific.

4.6 Disabled Parking/Blue badges

A number of spaces are marked within each car park for the exclusive free use of vehicles displaying a valid disabled persons blue badge. The Authority allows free parking with no waiting time restriction, in any space, in all of its off-street car parks. This policy is reviewed periodically when the terms and conditions of the parking order are considered. The issue and management of Blue Badges is a County Council function.

4.7 Maintenance and Inspection The Council regularly inspects all its public car parks and a revenue budget is maintained to undertake any minor repairs or improvements identified by the inspections. A capital budget will be established for more major works, such as resurfacing, replacement lighting or the construction of new or alternative car park sites.

5. ON STREET PARKING

5.1 Enforcement Management Ashfield District Council manages the operation of on-street parking enforcement on behalf of Notts County Council through the partnership enforcement contractor, NSL Limited. This includes the allocation of daily patrol 'beats', issuing short duration parking dispensations (permits), dealing with reported parking issues and resolving formal appeals. Nottinghamshire County Council, as the highways authority, retains responsibility for the installation and maintenance of Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) which include lines, signs and the establishment and cancellation of Special Parking Areas and Residents Parking Areas.

5.2 Dispensations

There are occasions when, in order to operate, businesses will need to park vehicles within areas restricted by on street Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO). To enable this to happen, for a limited time period (maximum 14 days) and if it is considered safe to do so, the local Parking Manager can issue a Parking Dispensation. These are vehicle, date and location specific and allow a vehicle to park in contravention of the


TRO at the requested location in order for the necessary works to be carried out. Dispensations are currently issued free of charge, this policy is under regular review.

5.3 Residents Parking Permits/Blue Badge Issue Longer stay dispensations, residents parking permits and blue badge issue are dealt with directly by the County Council.


6. GOVERNANCE Operational Management Day to day management of the car parking service is managed by the Facilities Team within the Asset Management Section. The team is responsible for management of the operation, maintenance, financial control and data management of the Council’s public off street car parks. In addition the team manages the performance of the enforcement contractor, the issue of short duration parking dispensations, issue of parking permits, dealing with reported parking issues and resolving formal appeals. The section collects and manages all data in relation to chargeable off street car parks, such as income levels, ticket usage and PCN issue. Strategic Management All decisions regarding tariff levels and bands, amendments to the Ashfield Parking Order and general parking policy are taken by Cabinet.


7.0 TOWN CENTRES

Ashfield District Council comprises the three main towns of Hucknall, Sutton in Ashfield and Kirkby in Ashfield together with three large villages in a substantially rural area. The demand for parking is highest within these urban areas and it is therefore where most enforcement resource is directed. Each town centre has differing requirements in terms of parking availability and demand. See Appendix 2 for location plans of each town centre.

7.1 Hucknall Current Provision The largest number of Council operated parking spaces in the district are located in Hucknall. A significant proportion of these are located in the Piggins Croft car park. Ashfield District Council is the primary provider of public off street parking facilities in the town centre. There is one other small privately run shopper’s car park (SIP). Other providers include Tesco, the NET Tram/Rail station, retail outlets. However these car parks are restricted to users of the respective facilities.

Proposals and known issues Proposals are in place to undertake pedestrianisation of part of the Hucknall High Street which includes the construction of a new inner relief road. The new road is routed through the existing Station Road and Albert Street Car Parks which were closed in October 2015. This resulted in the loss of 129Nr long stay spaces from the town centre. For a temporary period, long stay parking provision has been made available on Piggins Croft car park to compensate for the loss resulting from closure

ADC Hucknall Market, 67

ADC Piggins Croft, 322

ADC Hucknall Leisure Centre, 16

ADC Yorke Street, 19

Aldi / Iceland, 115Hucknall Station, 453

Ogle Street, 46

Ashgate Retail Park, 101

SIP, 30

Tesco , 292

Available Spaces by Provider/Location


of the two long stay car parks. Two new car parks are planned as part of the improvement works which will provide a total of approximately 79Nr new spaces. Provision has been made within the approved capital programme to accommodate these works. The relief road works are being carried out by Notts County Council and it is intended that in addition to amendments as a result of the physical alterations to the road layout, a review of other existing TRO’s will be carried out by the County Council subsequent to project implementation. The proposed changes will have a significant impact on both vehicular traffic and pedestrian routes within the town centre. Parking provision will need to be carefully considered in order to ensure that the expected benefits of the new scheme are further enhanced by appropriate off street parking facilities.

7.2 Sutton in Ashfield

Current Provision There are 6Nr Council operated car parks in Sutton in Ashfield town centre. The other significant provider of public car parking is the Idlewells Centre. The Idlewells Centre operates pay and display facilities and is not limited to users of the centre, long and short stay parking permits are available for purchase. At present the ground floor parking area at this site is boarded and unavailable for use. Other providers of car park facilities in the town include Asda, the Portland Retail Park (off Forest Street) and a number of smaller shopping and retail developments. These sites are restricted to customer parking only.


Proposals and known issues The market was relocated to Portland Square in September 2015, this has allowed the creation of additional parking on the existing market place. This provides an additional short stay car park in the heart of the town centre and will enable New Street car park to be redesignated as long stay provision. Long stay spaces have been in short supply following the installation of a residents parking area around the Langton/Brookhill Court area and this has caused parking problems for workers in shops and businesses in the town centre that need to be able to park all day. The redesignation of the New Street Car Park as long stay will provide 50Nr much needed spaces for all day parking.

Works have recently been completed to create 27Nr additional spaces in the Lammas Leisure Centre Car Park, to alleviate issues with obstruction and double parking.

ADC New Cross Street, 56

ADC New Street, 46

ADC Stoney Street, 36

ADC Sutton Market South, 46

ADC Sutton Market North, 48

ADC Lammas Leisure Centre, 177

Aldi Supermarket, 101

Idlewells Multi Storey, 250

Halfords/Brantano, 52

MacDonalds/Asda/Iceland, 641

Kentucky Fried Chicken, 27

Portland Retail Park, 246



7.3 Kirkby in Ashfield Current Provision There are currently 6Nr Council Car Parks in Kirkby. The recently completed Town Centre Improvement project has resulted in the loss of 67 spaces in order to create a new town plaza. There is also a large customer car park adjacent to the new Morrisons store.

Proposals and known issues

The Kirkby Town Centre Improvement project is ongoing together with some redesign work to the highways around the development area which will require a review of affected traffic regulation orders.

7.4 Rural areas (Jacksdale/Selston/Underwood)

Current Provision

There is currently a 34 space free car park at Jacksdale.

Proposals and known issues There are currently no known issues with parking provision in these areas and no proposals for further or amended provision.

ADC Council Offices, 45

ADC Ellis Street, 29

ADC Festival Hall, 71

ADC Hodgkinson Road, 69

ADC Kirkby Station, 45

ADC Aldi Supermarket, 83

Factory Outlet Station Street, 14

Factory Outlet Ellis Street, 38

Morrisons Supermarket, 274



8.ACTION PLAN

ACTION TIMESCALE ACTION BY

Completion of new Parking Strategy

April 2016 Asset Manager

Asset Review of all car park sites

2016/2017 CLT/Asset Manager

Amend Ashfield Parking Order to include new car parks/amend designation of others

February 2016 Asset Manager/Legal Manager

Tariff band review Annual Asset Manager/Car Parking Monitoring Group/Cabinet

Collate information required to meet Transparency Agenda publication

Annual Asset Manager/Facilities Officer/Lead Accountant

Useful Links Ashfield District Council (Civil Enforcement Off-Street Parking Places) Order 2016 http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/travelling/parking/parkingenforcement/ Ashfield’s Website - Parking information:- http://www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/about-ashfield/parking-in-ashfield/council-car-parks.aspx

http://www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/media/1253439/2016_CPO_sealed.pdf

http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/travelling/parking/parkingenforcement/

http://www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/about-ashfield/parking-in-ashfield/council-car-parks.aspx


APPENDICES

Appendix 1 – List of Car Parks

Site Town Stay

Designation

Pay and

Display/

Free

Public

Space

s

Disabled

Spaces

Total

Spaces

Comments

ADC Hucknall Market Hucknall shop P & D 61 6 67

ADC Piggins Croft Hucknall short P & D 304 18 322

ADC Yorke Street Hucknall long P & D 16 0 16

ADC Council Offices Kirkby shop Free 41 4 45 Visitors only

ADC Ellis Street Kirkby shop P & D 27 2 29

ADC Festival Hall Kirkby long P & D 69 2 71 Refund for LC users

ADC Hodgkinson Road Kirkby long P & D 63 3 66

ADC Kirkby Station Kirkby long Free 42 3 45 Station users

ADC New Cross Street Sutton long Free 56 0 56

ADC New Street Sutton long P & D 44 2 46

ADC Stoney Street Sutton long P & D 34 2 36

ADC Sutton Market South Sutton short P & D 42 4 46

ADC Sutton Market North Sutton short P & D 45 3 48

ADC Robin Hood Line - East Sutton long Free 51 3 54 Station users

ADC Lammas Leisure Centre Sutton long Free 165 12 177 LC customers only

ADC Jacksdale Jacksdale long Free 32 2 34

ADC Huthwaite Huthwaite long Free 13 1 14

Privately Owned/Operated Car Parks (space numbers are approximate)

Site Town Public

Spaces

Disabled

Spaces

Total

Spaces

Ashgate Retail Park Hucknall 107 8 115

Hucknall Station Hucknall 418 35 453

Ogle Street Hucknall 44 2 46

Pets at Home Hucknall 92 8 100

SIP Hucknall 30 0 30

Tesco Hucknall 264 28 292

Aldi Supermarket Kirkby 74 9 83

Factory Outlet Station Street Kirkby 86 8 94

Factory Outlet Ellis Street Kirkby 32 6 38

Morrisons Supermarket Kirkby 255 19 274

Aldi Supermarket Sutton 92 9 101

Idlewells Multi Storey Sutton 250 0 250

Halfords/Brantano Sutton 46 6 52

MacDonalds/Asda/Iceland Sutton 602 39 641

Kentucky Fried Chicken Sutton 22 5 27

Portland Retail Park Sutton 220 26 246


Appendix 2 – Location Plans by Town

ashfield district council car parking strategy …...4.3 charging policy there is a current policy...

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