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Draft Parking Review of Off-Street Parking Places Amendment 13 (REF0013IM)

Statutory advertisement of Off-Street Parking Places amendment and tariff changes.

Consultation status Results published
Start date: 2024-07-11
End date: 2024-08-02
Results 2024-08-16
Category: Roads, Transport and Parking
Ward:

Activity closed. Results published.

 

Cars in parking bays

Background

The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 allows West Berkshire Council to create Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) within the district. TROs allow us to place controls on parking in council-run car parks and on roads, setting conditions about parking. These conditions might include:

  • a parking charge being applied
  • a permit requirement
  • restrictions on how long a vehicle may park for

The TROs may apply only in certain areas of car parks or roads, and/or on certain days and times. We are consulting on drafted amendments to the Order for off -street parking at various locations across West Berkshire.


What we are proposing

As resolved by the Full Council meeting on Thursday, 29 February 2024, this draft TRO proposes to make the following amendments to the West Berkshire District Council (Off Street Parking Places) (Civil Enforcement and Consolidation) Order 2009 (as amended) ("the Principal Order"):

To implement revised changes to the parking charges and to amend the current exemptions for disabled person's badge holders by limiting the current exemption from charge to a maximum free three-hour period. This amendment Order is being proposed for the following reasons:

  • to provide a charging regime that is consistent across the district
  • to generate income to continue to provide maintenance and enforcement activity across all Council car parks, whilst supporting the district's economy, noting Department of Transport statutory guidance which states that enforcement authorities should aim to increase compliance with parking restrictions through clear, well-designed, legal and enforced parking controls
  • to enhance the availability of disabled parking places

You can view/download the notice of proposal, draft order and statement of reasons, through the links below.


Why we want your views

We'd like to know whether you have any objection to or comment to make on the proposed amendment.  

 

Please note: We are not seeking views on the revised parking charges. These have already been consulted on as part of the Budget Proposal for 2024/25 on the restructure of parking fees and charges consultation, and a decision was made to adopt the fees and charges at the Full Council Meeting on Thursday, 29 February 2024.  This order amendment is part of the statutory process to implement these charges.

 


How to take part

Our survey closed at midnight on Friday, 2 August 2024.

Comments were also accepted by email to parking@westberks.gov.uk or in writing to Mr Ian Martinez, Parking Services, West Berkshire Council, Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, RG14 5LD.

If you have any questions about this consultation, please email parking@westberks.gov.uk


What happens next

All comments and objections we receive will be taken into account, and a report submitted in August 2024 for consideration by Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment and Highways, who will decide how to proceed.

If the decision is taken to approve the proposal, the amendments to the Order will be sealed and come into effect in August 2024.

What you told us

We received 334 responses to our online survey, 18 responses by email or post and 0 petitions.
The main messages raised to consider were:

  • Concerns with charging at Lambourn and the impact on businesses, residents and local roads.
  • Concerns with Sunday charging in Thatcham for church attendees.
  • Concerns with and comments on charging after 3 hours for blue badge holders and the impact on individuals with disabilities.
  • Concerns on affordability, evening charges, competition with other parking opportunities and impact on town centres.
  • Concerns with high charges in Newbury and concerns with parking and associated charges in Hungerford and Pangbourne.
  • Requests for more free parking.

What we did

We used the feedback received to inform a decision-making report on the proposed parking order amendment and a summary of the responses was included in the report. An Individual Member Decision was made on Tuesday, 20 August 2024 to proceed with the parking order amendment. The parking order amendment was implemented on Monday, 2 September 2024. The full list of current parking charges for West Berkshire Council car parks and on-street locations are available here.

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