Rother Parking Proposals - Informal Consultation

Overview

Rother District

Civil Parking Enforcement proposals – Informal consultation

Welcome

This consultation will cover:

• What is Civil Parking Enforcement?
• What changes to parking are being planned?
• What might this mean for me?
• How can I comment?
• What happens next?

Why your views matter

Civil Parking Enforcement proposals

The effective control of parking is a crucial element of our transport strategy. Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) means that local authorities are responsible for enforcing on-street parking controls instead of the police.

There have been a number of concerns raised about the lack of parking enforcement in Rother district. The enforcement of on-street parking restrictions across Rother is currently the responsibility of Sussex Police as a criminal matter under the Road Traffic Act.

The top priority for Sussex Police is the prevention and detection of crime. They cannot give parking enforcement the level of attention that the public might expect and state they will only take action on parking issues where there is a safety concern.

We have worked with Rother District Council (RDC) to look at how parking enforcement can be improved. As a result of this we will be applying for permission to the Department for Transport to introduce Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) across Rother district. This is a lengthy process and we do not anticipate CPE being introduced until 2020.

CPE was introduced in Hastings borough in 1999, Lewes District in 2004 and Eastbourne borough in 2008. CPE is already in operation across 90% of the country.

The benefits of CPE

Regular and consistent enforcement of parking regulations can help to:

• ease congestion caused by inconsiderate parking
• improve pedestrian and road safety, for example at junctions where parked cars  can block the view
• prevent illegal or dangerous parking outside of schools
• and on pavements and cycle ways
• improve traffic flow around the district
• improve access and response times for emergency vehicles
• and public transport
• reduce abuse of disabled parking, making sure spaces are available for genuine Blue Badge holders
• maintain and improve residents’ parking, and
• enforce all School Keep Clear markings in the district (please see our website for more details).

What does this mean for me?

• As a resident, there will be a better chance of being able to park near your property.
• As a visitor, there will be a better opportunity of being able to park near to where you want to be.
• As a shopper, there will be a higher turnover of spaces providing a better opportunity to park in the town centre.
• As a business, there will be a better chance of being able to park near to your place of work.
• As a blue badge holder, there will be better regulation of disabled bays, meaning more opportunity to park near to local amenities.
• As a pedestrian, it will be safer to cross the road as vehicles will be deterred from parking on junctions and dropped kerbs.
• As a driver, the roads will be less congested and you will spend less time searching for a parking space.
• As a public transport user, buses will be able to better access bus stops and will be more punctual.

Under Government legislation, all council-operated parking schemes must be self-financing; this means income from council tax and business rates cannot be used to fund the operation and enforcement of our parking schemes across the county.

In order for us to comply with legislation, we need to set parking charges that will ensure we cover the operational costs and pay back the initial set up costs of introducing the scheme. Parking income will primarily come from the cost of permits and pay and display parking charges.

The consultation will run between 19 November 2018 and 14 January 2019

Exhibtions of the proposals are being held in Bexhill, Battle and Rye dates and times are:

Plans showing details of the proposals can be downloaded at the bottom of this page along with permit information, definitions and frequently asked questions.

(We are aware that the Rye overview plan which has been sent out indicated that all the exitsing Time Limited bays have a maximum stay of 2 hours. It should indicate a maximum stay of 1 or 2 hours. This has now been corrected in the online proposals).

Please fill in the online questionnaire below (Give us your views) completing all areas relevant to you.

You can call us on 01323 464010 if you have any questions during the consultation period.

What happens next?

The consultation closes at 23.59, Monday 14 January 2019.

All responses will be collated and analysed and published in the form of a report to determine the final parking arrangements.

If the proposals are taken forward, we will draft the supporting Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) and these will be advertised allowing 21 days for the formal consultation period. If no objections are received the necessary lines and signs will be installed and the TRO will be sealed once the works are completed.

Any objections received during the formal consultation period which cannot be resolved will be reported to Planning Committee for their consideration.

We will use the information to support the Business Case for CPE which will be submitted as part of the application to the Department for Transport.

If the Department for Transport grants the powers to introduce Civil Parking Enforcement in the Rother District, the scheme is planned to be implemented in Spring 2020.

What happens next

All responses will be collated and analysed and published in the form of a report to determine the final parking arrangements.

If the proposals are taken forward, we will draft the supporting Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) and these will be advertised allowing 21 days for the formal consultation period. If we do not receive any objections the parking restrictions will be introduced as advertised and the TRO will come into effect 14 days following the end of the formal consultation period.

Any objections received during the formal consultation period will be reported to the Planning Committee for a final decision on whether or not to implement the proposals.

We will use the information to support the Business Case for CPE which will be submitted as part of the application to the Department for Transport.

Once the Department for Transport has granted the powers to introduce Civil Parking Enforcement in the Rother District, the scheme is planned to be implemented in Spring 2020.