Agenda item

Report attached.

The Cabinet considered a report of Councillor Marlene Haworth, Deputy Leader of the Council, which provided information relating to current arrangements for the Shoppers Car Park located at Abbey Street and Abbey Grange (Cross Street) in Accrington Town Centre so that Members could make a decision on whether to maintain or revoke the current three hour parking Traffic Regulation Order.  The report also provided information relating to the current situation of delivery vehicles entering the Broadway Shopping Pedestrian Zone (between Union Street and Cornhill) to enable Members to make a decision on whether to revoke the current Traffic Regulation Orders and employ a private parking enforcement company to regulate vehicle deliveries on Broadway.

Councillor Haworth gave a verbal summary of the decisions proposed.  Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP commented that he supported the proposed changes and that the car parking changes might help to increase footfall in the Town Centre.  Councillor Peter Britcliffe also welcomed the report.  He added that, at a meeting at Lancashire County Council on Friday, Members had asked if that authority would consider on-street parking restrictions to provide greater standardisation of the restrictions.  An increase of 2 to 3 hours parking might be better.  The County Council was also asked to review the one way system in Accrington Town Centre, which potentially had the effect of diverting all traffic away from the main retail area.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

Abbey Street and Abbey Grange (Cross Street) Car Parks

Following the closure of the closure of the Blackburn Road car park for the new bus station, the Council now administered only two Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) on car parks located on Abbey Street and Abbey Grange (Cross Street), Accrington.  The TRO’s limited parking to a maximum of 3 hours.  The Council employed parking enforcement officers from Ribble Valley Borough Council to carry out parking enforcement on the two car parks on one day per month.

Any fines issued were then processed by an external company, Chipside.  The whole process was overseen by the Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL) joint committee.  All the above charged for their services and the Council did not profit from the outcome of enforcement.

Due to the light touch procedure of enforcement on the two car parks, with a one day visit per month, this had shown to be confusing and frustrating to parking users.  Also, the administration of the parking restrictions, including enforcement, back office and appeals had to be dealt with, which was quite onerous and time consuming especially with the current strain on Council resources.

It was for the reasons above it was recommend the TRO’s on the two car parks be revoked and the car parks be opened up to unrestricted all day parking, in line with all other Council owned car parks in the borough.

If approved, the Council would need to make a request to Lancashire County Council for the removal of the TRO’s to be added to annual review of Traffic Regulation Orders for Lancashire.  Once the request had been approved and implemented, the contract agreements with Ribble Valley Borough Council, Chipside and PATROL would also be terminated without any costs incurred.

The time from commencement to completion of the above would be approximately 12 months.

Broadway Traffic Regulation Orders

Located at the Union Street entrance to Broadway there was Traffic Regulation Order with signage stating “Pedestrian Zone Except Emergency Vehicles”, the meaning of which was that no vehicles were allowed to pass the signs and enter the Broadway Pedestrian Zone at any time except for emergency vehicles.

Located at the gateway adjacent to Cornhill on Broadway, there was a TRO with a sign stating “Pedestrian Zone Permit Holders Only for Loading and Unloading” the meaning of which was no vehicles were allowed to pass the sign and enter the Broadway Pedestrian Zone except for vehicles holding a permit issued by the Council.

Not all shop units on Broadway had access to a rear service yard and therefore they did require vehicular access to the frontage for deliveries.

A private company had been employed to carry out parking enforcement on Broadway and to regulate loading and unloading to shops restricting the time when loading and unloading could take place, to between the hours of 7am to 8.30am and 5.30pm to 7pm.  However, this had caused a contradiction.  In order for vehicles to load and unload on Broadway as per the private company signs, vehicles would need to pass the Traffic Regulation Order signs located at either end of the Broadway pedestrian zone, illegally contravening the Order.  The Council had asked the private company to stop enforcement until the situation was resolved.

It was recommended that the Traffic Regulation Orders be revoked and the signs be removed.  This would be brought about by making a request to Lancashire County Council for the removal of the TRO’s to be added to annual review of Traffic Regulation Orders for Lancashire.  Once the request had been approved and implemented, the agreement with the private enforcement company would then be reinstated to carry out parking enforcement and regulate loading and unloading on Broadway.  The agreement with the private enforcement company was that it was at no cost to the Council as the company retained the income from any fines issued.

The time from commencement to completion of the above would be approximately 12 months.

Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection

In respect of Car Park TRO’s, an Option considered was to do nothing.  The reason for rejection was the confusion and frustration to users leading to complaints.

Regarding the Broadway TRO’s, an Option considered was to do nothing.  The reason for rejection was that retailers on Broadway would continue to drive delivery vehicles on to Broadway unregulated.  The TRO’s on Broadway were not being enforced by the Police.

Resolved                                 (1)   That the current three hour parking limit Traffic Regulation Order on the Abbey Street and Abbey Grange (Cross Street) Car Parks be removed opening the car parks to unrestricted all day parking in line with all Council owned off street car parks.

(2)   That the current Traffic Regulation Orders effecting Broadway at the Union Street entrance and the gateway near Cornhill be removed and for a private parking enforcement company to be employed to regulate vehicle deliveries.