Portfolio: Regeneration, Planning and Transport
Traffic Regulation Advisory Panel
11th December 2008
Proposed City Centre Controlled Parking Zone
Report by: Group Manager, Traffic & Project Management
Technical Services
Ward Implications: Westgate, Elswick, South Jesmond, Ouseburn
For Decision
1. Synopsis
1.1 This report provides the Traffic Regulation Advisory Panel with details of the City Council’s proposals to introduce a new Controlled Parking Zone for Newcastle City Centre
2. Recommendation
2.1 It is recommended that the Panel recommends to the Director of Technical Services that the proposed Traffic Regulation Order should be made without modification to implement the proposed new Controlled Parking Zone for Newcastle City Centre.
3. Background
3.1 A report, taken to full Council on 6 February 2008, set out the background to this report. All members of the Panel have previously been provided with a copy of that report, which sets out the current regime for the enforcement of Traffic Regulation and Parking Places Orders and provides information about Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 which allows the Council to apply for designation of the City as a Civil Enforcement Area for parking offences, bus lane offences and certain moving traffic offences. A copy will be available at the Panel meeting if anyone needs to refer to it.
3.2 Newcastle City Centre has, since the 1960′s, operated within an encompassing “Meter Zone”, which enabled on-street signing to be kept to a minimum. The review of Traffic Regulation Orders throughout the City, being undertaken on a Ward by Ward basis, has provided the opportunity to re-evaluate the extent and operation of the Meter Zone, which has changed little in the last 45 years.
4. The Details of the Proposal
4.1 The current Meter Zone was initially introduced in 1963, at the time the Council first introduced Parking Meters on City Centre streets. It enabled the Council to introduce a consistent “background” single yellow line waiting restriction (Mon-Sat 8am to 6.30pm) on all streets within the Zone without the need for additional signing of individual sections of the yellow line. The placing of Zone Entry signs at each access point into the Zone also reinforces the point that parking within the Zone was only allowed at marked (metered) parking bays.
4.2 The Meter Zone extended from Blandford Square in the west to Shieldfield in the east and included parts of Jesmond to the north.
4.3 Since 1963 there have been significant changes to both the physical and operational characteristics of the highway network of the City Centre. However these changes have not been reflected in either the boundary of the Meter Zone or the underlying waiting restriction, which remain as they did in 1963.
4.4 Major new roads, particularly the Central Motorway and St. James Boulevard now provide a more clearly defined edge to what is considered to be the core City Centre. As a consequence it is considered appropriate to revise the boundary and create a new City Centre “Controlled Parking Zone”, which will be smaller in area but better represent what is understood to be the City Centre. The extent of the new Controlled Zone is shown on Plan 1. New signs would be erected at each entry point, reinforcing to drivers the concept of entering an area with special restrictions.
4.5 As traffic conditions have changed in the City Centre, it has proved necessary to increase the scope of the waiting restrictions across much of the central core of the current Meter Zone so that they apply at all times (Double Yellow Lines). This has involved the creation of additional legal orders to “supplement” the base restriction and has left a situation whereby the legal position is fragmented and confusing.
4.6 However many single yellow line restrictions remain which allow motorists to park on some streets after 6.30pm each day. This can lead to congestion issues after 6.30pm, blocking of streets and accesses which cause difficulties for essential public transport and emergency services and, in many cases pedestrians and people with accessibility problems.
4.7 During the day time, i.e. 8.00am to 6.30pm, single yellow and double yellow lines mean exactly the same thing, i.e. no waiting. It is only after 6.30pm that they differ. Unfortunately this fact is lost on many drivers and it can lead to abuse of single yellow lines during the day where motorists mis-understand the meaning of the restriction. This can bring about exactly the same problems as outlined above in Para 4.6, only this time during busier traffic periods. In essence, many motorists will take a chance parking on a single yellow line during the day but they will not take the same risk on a double yellow line even though the legal restriction is the same. i.e. the double yellow line has a greater self-enforcing quality.
4.8 It is therefore proposed to change the Meter Zone by :-
1. Re-defining the boundaries of the Zone so that they have a natural edge which coincides with the modern highway network;
2. Re-defining the basic time restriction of the Zone to be “No Waiting At Any Time”, i.e. double yellow lines.
3. Re-naming the Zone as a Controlled Parking Zone or CPZ.
4.9 These changes will assist with enforcement by improving the clarity of the restrictions and will remove obstructive parking from many streets and reduce the number of signs needed.
5. The Consultation Process
5.1 In line with normal Council processes the following consultations took place:-
1. A Statutory Technical Consultation with major stakeholders, emergency services, Local Ward Councillors etc (attached in Appendix 1) – 22nd February 2008;
2. Statutory advert in the local Press – 17th October 2008. Objection period lasted until 10th November 2008;
3. Statutory advert on the streets affected by the proposed Order – 17th October 2008. Objection period lasted until 10th November 2008.
5.2 In addition, the proposals were discussed in detail with Ward councillors and included in the information provided at public consultation events in Westgate, Elswick ,South Jesmond and Ouseburn Wards during March and April 2008, at which other proposals for changes to Traffic Regulation Orders across the greater Ward areas were displayed.
5.3 As a result of the Statutory Adverts 2 objections were received. These were from Ms Mason, a resident of All Hallows Lane, and Mr Shanks, a taxi operator. Their written objections are attached as Appendices 2 and 3.
6. Details of the Objections
6.1 Ms Mason is objecting to the proposal to change the current Single Yellow Line (8.00am to 6.30pm) waiting restriction on the section of Pilgrim Street to the south of All Saints Church, to a Double Yellow Line (At Any Time) restriction.
6.2 Her objection claims that the change will
1. “isolate me and make it impossible to receive visitors with ease at anytime day or evening where at present they can park on the hill outside my home”.
2. provide “no advantage….as the road is a dead end and mainly residential with no through traffic and no congestion”
6.3 Ms Mason goes on to express a preference for residential parking permits for the area.
6.4 Mr Shanks is objecting to the proposed CPZ on the basis that it puts his taxis “under threat of being prosecuted for illegally parking”.
6.5 He goes on to suggest that the Council consider “helping the hackney carriages industry……..by means of some provision for legal parking or exception for hackneys or adequate rank spaces for the number of licenses issued”"
7. Considerations of Objection
7.1 Ms Mason’s situation regarding visitor parking is only affected during the evening/night-time period (6.30pm – 8.00am) as the current single yellow lines prevent any daytime parking at present and have done since 1963.
7.2 There are a two multi storey car parks (Dean Street and Quayside) in the vicinity of Ms Masons home, which offer over 400 public spaces 24 hrs per day, whilst visitors can also take advantage of on street parking which is free after 6.30pm, within 50 – 100 m of her home.
7.3 With the growing pressures across the City Centre for kerbside parking it is likely that any areas that offer unrestricted parking in the evenings will very quickly become busier and, particularly in areas such as Pilgrim Street, create night-time nuisance for some residents.
7.4 Mr Shanks’ objection is based upon his perception that the new CPZ will lead to an increase in vehicles being prosecuted for illegal parking, and the effect this will have on his taxi fleet. He implies that exceptions should be made for taxis waiting on yellow lines on the basis that the Council have provided insufficient taxi rank space to accommodate the number of licensed hackney carriages.
7.5 In a City Centre as compact as Newcastle, kerbside parking space is strictly limited. The demands for that space from taxis, loading, blue badge holders and short stay parking requires careful balancing with the need to keep traffic moving through the City Centre. It is impractical to provide an equal number of kerbside spaces for all licensed hackney carriages, although every opportunity is taken to increase rank spaces where possible.
7.6 Across the City Centre most loading bays are designated as taxi ranks during the evening period, thereby providing additional rank spaces at the time they are most required.
7.7 Mr Shanks appears to be suggesting that taxis are made a special case when it comes to enforcement of waiting restrictions. However these waiting restrictions are only applied where there is a requirement to keep the area free of parked vehicles so that general traffic can move around the City Centre as freely as possible, and such an exemption would make appropriate enforcement impossible.
8. Conclusions
8.1 The proposed Controlled parking Zone for the City Centre is aimed at reducing access and congestion problems in the City Centre by providing a consistent level of restriction across the Zone. Whilst it may be the case that the street referred to by Ms. Mason is currently less congested than most it is unfortunately the case that all streets within the proposed Zone must have the same yellow line waiting restriction on them.
8.2 Mr Shanks objection appears to be in respect of the City Council’s policies in respect of hackney carriage licensing. All vehicles illegally waiting on yellow lines are under threat of being prosecuted at present and the proposals for a revised Controlled Parking Zone do not change this in any way.
8.3 As stated previously there are widespread benefits of having a Controlled Zone, such as reduced signing and greater public awareness of the nature of parking restrictions across the City Centre.
8.4 On balance it is therefore recommended that the Traffic Regulation Advisory Panel agree with the introduction of the Controlled Parking Zone Order as advertised.
Background Papers:
Held by Head of Planning & Transportation.
Contact Officer:
Keith Taylor Tel. No. 0191 2116145
