Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager regarding Royston parking charges.

RESOLVED: That the Committee did not support an inflationary increase of car parking tariffs in Royston at this point in time.

REASON FOR DECISION: To support local residents and the vitality of Royston Town Centre, particularly in light of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Audio recording – 32 minutes 26 seconds

Members considered the matter of increased car parking tariffs as set out in a report to Cabinet on 16 March 2021 entitled Proposed Increase in Car Parking Tariffs 2021-22.

The following Members took part in debate:

·                Councillor Tony Hunter;

·                Councillor Ruth Brown;

·                Councillor Gerald Morris;

·                Councillor Jean Green;

·                Councillor Carol Stanier.

Comments from Members included:

·                An email detailing the proposed car parking tariff increases had been sent from the Strategic Infrastructure and Projects Manager on 3 March 2021. This had been received by the Chair but not all Committee Members had received it;

·                The Chair had wanted the matter to be debated by the Committee so that its feedback could be provided, however a decision had already been made by Cabinet on 16 March 2021 to increase the charges;

·                Not every car park across the district should have the same inflationary increase in a ‘one size fits all’ way, rather each car park should be looked at individually;

·                The future was very uncertain with the pandemic and could result in less use of car parks due to commuters continuing to work from home, for example;

·                An overarching review of car parks following the pandemic could usefully be conducted to look at how the system could be changed to better suit the needs of the future;

·                There was a general feeling that car parking charges should not be put up this year due to the impact the pandemic was already having on businesses and the Town Centre;

·                It would have been useful for the Committee to have had the Cabinet Paper circulated with the agenda for this meeting;

·                It was surprising that NHDC had not received any comments from Royston First BID;

·                Spaces should be set aside for residents in under-utilised areas at The Warren and residents parking season tickets should be provided at a reduced rate;

·                There needed to be a balance between car parking charges, support for the Town Centre and the environment;

·                The Sustainable Travel Town award required Royston not to have free parking in the Town Centre. People should be encouraged to park outside the Town Centre and stay for as long as possible within the town;

·                Longer stay parking tariffs could be reduced and shorter stay tariffs increased to support the Town Centre;

·                People also needed to be encouraged to use other means of transport such as cycling, which would require improvements to cycling infrastructure;

·                Charging should be made simpler and more flexible, for example, paying on exit, by card, etc.;

·                Research could be done on the impact of the Free After 3pm parking initiative on footfall in town, and what other measures might make a difference aside from free parking;

·                Anecdotally the car parks had appeared fuller after 3pm due to the free parking;

·                Parking was free in the supermarkets which encouraged people to shop there rather than the Town Centre;

·                There had long been a problem in Royston with parking;

·                Residents might not want to purchase a season ticket to park in The Warren as complaints had been received from people who were having to pay to park outside their houses;

·                Alternatives to cars had to be found to make the Town Centre more environmentally friendly;

·                The Council had a budget deficit of £2.2m and sacrifices had to be made to meet the budget;

·                The car park run by the Health Centre needed to be looked at differently as people did not always know how long they would need to be at the doctors’ surgery and charges should not be increased there;

·                Consideration should be given to the elderly who lived further away from the Town Centre and would not be able to walk into town and back with shopping bags;

·                The time allowed for consultation on this matter had been brief and unfortunately the Cabinet meeting had been scheduled to take place before the Committee had had a chance to debate the proposals and provide its feedback;

·                Cheaper parking would bring more revenue into the Town Centre and therefore made commercial sense;

·                It was noted that, as Cabinet had already approved the car parking tariff increases, all the Committee could do was to advise the Executive Member for Planning and Transport of the general view of the Committee and forward to him the suggestions made by Members, as discussed at the meeting.

Councillor Tony Hunter proposed, Councillor Jean Green seconded and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee did not support an inflationary increase of car parking tariffs in Royston at this point in time.

REASON FOR DECISION: To support local residents and the vitality of Royston Town Centre, particularly in light of the Covid 19 pandemic.