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Car parks review process gathers pace

Several early provisional ideas have been dropped in response to public opinion as the process gathers pace to introduce a new car parks policy for the Derbyshire Dales by 1 January next year.

Derbyshire Dales District Council has now scrutinised extensive feedback from local residents, visitors, stakeholder groups and the trading community in a review process, including extensive public consultation, which began at the start of this year.

A key aim of the car parks review – the first in over 10 years – is to retain the £2.5-million income that helps the District Council provide frontline services for local people and 6.9 million visitors to the Dales every year.No final decisions have yet been taken and further public consultation will happen before any recommendations can be approved by a full meeting of the District Council on 11 December.

In the meantime, the District Council’s key Environment policy committee will consider at a special meeting on 10 October recommendations put forward by a car parking review sub-committee yesterday (2 September), which include the designation of short-stay car parks in Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock and Wirksworth, a flat rate £1 evening/overnight charge from 6pm to 8am – extended from the original suggestion of a 6am cut-off – and a machine development programme enabling car park users to pay by card, pre-pay smartcard or phone as well as cash.

There are no plans to withdraw the District Council’s popular free residents’ parking pass, issued to all 33,000 households across the district, enabling free parking before 11am and after 4pm every day. But a £60 charge could be imposed for residents wanting a second or replacement permit. Free parking throughout the month of December – to help boost local trade – is also set to continue.

Additionally, the Environment Committee will consider next month whether to propose an inflation-only tariff increase – the first since January 2011 – with a suggested one-hour stay rising by 10p from £1.20 to £1.30 and, for two hours, £1.90 to £2.20. A below-inflation increase is proposed for coaches, in addition to an extended period of stay from two to three hours.

Following representations from traders, the idea of introducing a new 30 minute parking tariff was dropped. Also rejected by the sub-committee was the idea of imposing charges at free car parks in Ashbourne’s Cockayne Avenue, Cromford Market Place, Matlock’s Edgefold Road and Wirksworth’s Canterbury Road, though making the Pig Market in Bakewell a pay and display car park could be explored further.

An earlier proposal to re-introduce a charge for farmers parking for livestock markets at the District Council’s Agricultural Business Centre in Bakewell was also dropped after representations from the farming community and an offer from auctioneers Bagshaws to take on the administration of parking passes for markets.

The District Council is set to respond to traders’ requests to review and improve car parks signage. Also up for discussion is a new roaming day ticket, which could be used in any of the District Council’s car parks, and the possibility of charging Blue Badge holders, with an additional one hour’s free parking to allow for mobility issues.

At Monday’s sub-committee, Director of Planning & Housing Services Paul Wilson, who has led the review, acknowledged a 4,330-name traders’ petition against car parking increases and noted that around two-thirds of the 1,442 people who had completed the District Council’s survey were “understandably reluctant to see any rise”.But he rejected traders’ claims that a reduction in charges would increase footfall in towns. Ticket sales data obtained from other local authorities that have lower parking charges than the Dales – including Amber Valley, High Peak, Erewash, Staffordshire Moorlands and East Staffordshire – revealed that ticket sales had reduced for all since 2008/09, but the reduction in the Dales was the lowest at just 3.45%.

Mr Wilson’s report, which is available to view online at www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk, states: “The argument that the level of car parking charges positively disadvantages traders in the Derbyshire Dales is not therefore borne out by these figures”, adding: “Whilst the consultation findings have indicated that there is a general reluctance to an increase in car parking charges, the Council must have regard to the overall financial position and the importance of ensuring that car parking charges at least keep pace with inflation.

“The Council is not in a position to take risks on optimistic income assumptions which are not based upon robust evidence.”

Mr Wilson pointed out that the District Council’s proposals worked in a national context, its pioneering free parking permits scheme for residents meeting the Portas Review ideal that local areas should implement free controlled parking in town centres.