Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Resources providing a summary review of city centre car parking in Leeds, highlighting issues which will inform future car parking policy.

The Director of Resources submitted a report providing a summary review of city centre car parking in Leeds and which highlighted the issues which would inform future car parking policy.  The review considered the Council’s current approach towards city centre parking, and how such an approach related to the Council’s policy objectives. In addition, the review considered current and future capacity of car parking spaces within the city centre, provided an analysis of city car park usage and examined recent income trends from Council car parks. In addition, the report highlighted the issues which needed to be taken into account when shaping a future car parking strategy and made recommendations which were consistent with the Council’s objectives. 

The Board acknowledged the vital importance of the retail economy in Leeds, and in response to a Member’s concerns regarding the possibility of reviewing current policies in respect of city centre evening and Sunday parking, it was noted that the summary review was for the purposes of informing a consultation exercise which would be undertaken with relevant stakeholders in respect of the Council’s car parking strategy, with the outcomes arising from the consultation being reported back to the Board.

The Board acknowledged that the Council’s current car parking strategy and wider transport policy objectives had been set on the basis that a comprehensive transport strategy would be implemented in Leeds, and which to date, had not occurred in its entirety. A matter which Members requested be taken into consideration when undertaking further work on the city centre car parking review.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the submitted report be noted.

(b)  That approval be given to the review informing a consultation with relevant stakeholders regarding the Council’s car parking strategy, with agreement being given to the following:-

i)  Consideration should be given to reviewing current policies in respect of evening and Sunday car parking. 

ii)  Occupancy levels at Woodhouse Lane multi-storey car park should be reviewed following the completion of the refurbishment works, with a view to re-assessing prices once a true level of demand can be re-established, taking into account demand from the Arena. 

iii)  On street parking charges should continue to be reviewed annually on a street by street basis to ensure that charges are more responsive to changes in demand. 

iv)  Although the Council should review each car park on a site by site basis, it should aim to keep the overall weighted average price of long stay car parking above the cost of public transport. 

v)  The Council should continue to develop its Park and Ride proposals and income from car parking activities should be ring fenced to expenditure on the transport infrastructure, with additional income generated from parking activities re-invested into improving the transport infrastructure, including Park and Ride schemes.

vi)  A parking league table should be published for the permanent car parks in the city centre, showing who operates the car parks and ranked according to how much they charge. A statement demonstrating how the Council re-invests its car parking income should also be published alongside this. 

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor A Carter required it to be recorded that he voted against the decisions referred to within this minute)