Agenda item

Decision:

That the Executive agrees to formally advertise amendments to the Traffic Regulation Order as follows:

(1)              To formalise the Electric Vehicle Charge Point (EVCP) spaces in all car parks where they are made available.

(2)              To standardise the EVCP KwH tariff so that it operates 24/7 rather than part-time, so that both parking charges and tariffs will apply simultaneously during the hours when parking charges apply.

(3)              In regard to Guildford Lido car park, to change the name from Lido car park to Guildford Lido car park and introduce a (virtual) permit / prioritisation scheme for users of the Guildford Lido facility that operates between 8am-6pm Monday-Sunday.

(4)              In regard to Millmead House (front) car park / Lawn Road car park, to extend the control hours of the car parks from Monday-Sunday 8am-6pm to Monday-Sunday 8am-10pm, extending the virtual permit scheme in the ‘front’ car park to cover the Monday-Friday 8am-10pm period and parking charges in both car parks to cover the Saturday 6pm-10pm and Sunday 5pm-10pm periods. These car parks are presently only charged during the daytime at weekends.

(5)              In regard to East Horsley Kingston Meadow and Sutherland Memorial Park car parks, to revise the formalised parking controls so that only the disabled bay and manner of standing provisions are retained and all other restrictions relating to free limited waiting, payment and no return on the same day are removed.

(6)              To revoke the orders relating to the following car parks – these have either closed, or GBC Parking no longer has any involvement with their enforcement, management and upkeep: Bellerby Theatre car park, College Road car park, Commercial Road 1&2 car parks, Guildford Youth & Community Centre car park, Moorfield Road car park, Old Police Station car park and Ripley (White Hart Meadows) car park and Victoria Court car park.

(7)              In regard to the Green Scheme, to cease the informal concession/ permit scheme for users of full-EVs (FEVs) and to allow the annual permits to expire at the end of March 2025 and not renew, nor allow new applications to join the scheme during the remainder of the 2024-25 financial year.

Reasons:

·           To improve prioritisation of the parking spaces within car parks to better meet the needs of their intended users and for those car parks where it is recommended that the parking orders should be revoked, to reflect the closure / changed circumstances associated with those facilities.

·           Previously EVCP recharging the in daytime was free and, in the evening/overnight its was charged. Although not covered by the TRO published by the government in November 2023, it is recommended that the EVCP tariff be standardised.

·           The informal Green Scheme discounted/free parking in several of the Borough Council’s car parks should be formalised to manage the permit scheme more effectively.

Options considered and rejected:

(a)         Do nothing

(b)         Some or all of the recommendations could be implemented however this would not resolve all the issues raised and identified.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

The Executive considered a report that sought to obtain authority to formally advertise amendments to various Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), and in particular to revise the prioritisation of parking for the benefit of specific user-groups at Guildford Lido car park, Millmead House front car park and Lawn Road and Station Road (East Horsley) Car Park. In addition, the report sought authority to delegate the consideration of any representations received arising from the formal advertisement process to the Assistant Director of Commercial Services in consultation with the portfolio holder to make the TROs and to introduce those amendments. And finally, to realign the Borough Council’s Electrical Vehicle charging to bring it in line with the recently published national guidance and to discontinue the Green Scheme.

The Executive agreed that the amendments would clarify the situation at the various car parks and allow proper enforcement at the appropriate times of the other car parks identified. Also, the standardisation of the approach to Electrical Vehicle Charging Points would clarify the charging position across the borough and ensure consistency for users.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive agrees to formally advertise amendments to the Traffic Regulation Order as follows:

(1)              To formalise the Electric Vehicle Charge Point (EVCP) spaces in all car parks where they are made available.

(2)              To standardise the EVCP KwH tariff so that it operates 24/7 rather than part-time, so that both parking charges and tariffs will apply simultaneously during the hours when parking charges apply.

(3)              In regard to Guildford Lido car park, to change the name from Lido car park to Guildford Lido car park and introduce a (virtual) permit/prioritisation scheme for users of the Guildford Lido facility that operates between 8am-6pm Monday-Sunday.

(4)              In regard to Millmead House (front) car park / Lawn Road car park, to extend the control hours of the car parks from Monday-Sunday 8am-6pm to Monday-Sunday 8am-10pm, extending the virtual permit scheme in the ‘front’ car park to cover the Monday-Friday 8am-10pm period and parking charges in both car parks to cover the Saturday 6pm-10pm and Sunday 5pm-10pm periods. These car parks are presently only charged during the daytime at weekends.

(5)              In regard to East Horsley Kingston Meadow and Sutherland Memorial Park car parks, to revise the formalised parking controls so that only the disabled bay and manner of standing provisions are retained and all other restrictions relating to free limited waiting, payment and no return on the same day are removed.

(6)              To revoke the orders relating to the following car parks – these have either closed, or GBC Parking no longer has any involvement with their enforcement, management and upkeep: Bellerby Theatre car park, College Road car park, Commercial Road 1&2 car parks, Guildford Youth & Community Centre car park, Moorfield Road car park, Old Police Station car park and Ripley (White Hart Meadows) car park and Victoria Court car park.

(7)              In regard to the Green Scheme, to cease the informal concession/ permit scheme for users of full-EVs (FEVs) and to allow the annual permits to expire at the end of March 2025 and not renew, nor allow new applications to join the scheme during the remainder of the 2024-25 financial year.

Reasons:

·               To improve prioritisation of the parking spaces within car parks to better meet the needs of their intended users and for those car parks where it is recommended that the parking orders should be revoked, to reflect the closure / changed circumstances associated with those facilities.

·               Previously EVCP recharging the in daytime was free and, in the evening/overnight its was charged. Although not covered by the TRO published by the government in November 2023, it is recommended that the EVCP tariff be standardised.

·               The informal Green Scheme discounted/free parking in several of the Borough Council’s car parks should be formalised to manage the permit scheme more effectively.