Agenda item

To consider an update from the Chief Officer (Highways and Transportation) in relation to Leeds City Council’s Parking Strategy and Management. 

The report of the Director of City Development and Director of Communities, Housing and Environment was a follow up from a previous report to Scrutiny Board in September 2019 and working group discussion in February 2020. The report responds to a request from the Board to discuss the city centre parking strategy and its wider context.

The report provided a high-level overview of city centre parking strategy. It goes on to outline the general approach to the management of on-street parking in those areas surrounding the city centre and outside the main city centre controlled parking management area. The report also reviews issues related to the COVID pandemic and lockdowns, including discussion relating to the Council’s Park and Ride Operations at Elland Road and Temple Green.

In attendance for this item were:

·  Cllr Hayden – Executive Member for Infrastructure and Climate Change

·  Cllr Rafique – Executive Member for Environment and Housing

·  Mark Jefford - Service Manager

·  Kate Morris - Head of Transport Planning

·  Nick Hunt - Traffic Engineering Manager

·  John Mulcahy - Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory

Members discussions focussed on the following areas:

·  Enforcement action for those commuters who are choosing to park beyond the city centre into the adjacent inner-city residential areas causing nuisance, anti-social behaviour and loss of amenity to residents.

·  Park and Rides Schemes which have proved to be successful with a request for similar schemes to be available in other areas of the city.

·  Use of technology to enable disabled drivers to locate disabled parking spaces in the city.

·  Traffic Restriction Order schemes. Members were of the view that such schemes should be in discussion with relevant ward members to ensure that they were in the right areas.

·  Concerns were raised in relation to parking on pavements which Members recognised did not fall within the remit of Parking Enforcement Officers, but with the Police. Members were of the view that clarification was required in relation to inappropriate parking on pavements.

·  Section 106 funding in relation to traffic management.

Responding to questions from Members the Board were informed of the following:

·  Enforcement action for overspill parking outside the city centre was an ongoing challenge. Work was progressing to review the true city centre boundary with a view to improving enforcement action.

·  A pilot scheme with a private operator is currently being trialled for the use of technology to assist disabled drivers to locate parking spaces in the city.

·  Development Control do try to secure funding around all new developments in the city. It was acknowledged that the funding was dependent on the scale of the development.

The Executive Members thanked the officers for the work that they were doing in relation to enforcing against inappropriate parking in the city. They recognised the issues raised by the Board and were able to empathise with ward members on the issues that overspill parking caused to residents. 

It was acknowledged that the Parking Service needed better relationships with the Police and other services to enable them to continue to address and provide solutions on parking issues across the city.

The Chair thanked the officers for the report and their attendance at the meeting.

RECOMMENDED – To note and consider the contents of the report.