Decision details

(Supplementary report of the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services, the Director of Finance and Transformation and the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Infrastructure)

The supplementary report highlighted a number of proposed changes to the Borough Council’s car parking services that had been considered by the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Select Committee on 21 September 2023.  In addition, it was proposed that formal public consultation on the proposed changes be undertaken and the outcomes reported to future meetings of the Cabinet.

Careful consideration was given to recommendation CE 23/35 (attached at Annex 2) and Cabinet gave due regard to the views of the Scrutiny Select Committee, the financial and value for money and legal implications. The risk to the Borough Council’s aim of providing a balanced approach to the management of its car parks, detailed in 1.1.1 of the supplementary report, if the proposals were not implemented, were recognised.

It was also recognised that income generation was essential given the context of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and that the Borough Council sought to ensure that its assets were managed in the most efficient way and that costs were recovered and optimised. 

A clarification was made in respect of the parking areas around Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge (west of Holford Street) where the issue of Business On-Street Parking Permits be revised to a maximum of 3 per business.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)          the proposals below be taken forward to public consultation and the outcomes reported to future meetings of the Cabinet:

a)    parking charges be extended to include Sundays, evenings up to 8pm and Bank Holidays;

b)    the on-street parking machines in Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge (west of Holford Street) be removed, the area be changed to parking permit only to add capacity to the D1 parking area and that the issue of Business On-Street Parking Permits in the D1 and D2 areas be revised to a maximum of 3 per business to allow more residential parking opportunities;

c)    parking charges be introduced at Martin Square, Larkfield (as set out in Annex 1);

d)    parking charges be introduced at both Bailey Bridge car parks in Aylesford (as set out in Annex 1);

e)    parking charges be introduced to on street parking bays in West Malling High Street and Swan Street (as set out in Annex 1);

f)     parking charges be introduced to the existing Gateway Visitor parking bays in Tonbridge Castle Grounds (as set out in Annex 1);

(2)          a project to improve the Bailey Bridge East car park be brought forward in the forthcoming Capital Plan Review;

(3)          a scheme to introduce Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems at selected car parks on a trial basis be brought forward in the forthcoming Capital Plan Review;

(4)          a scheme to enable these proposals to be implemented including CCTV, parking machines and signage be brought forward in the forthcoming Capital Plan Review; and

(5)          a scheme to extend the existing Upper Castle Field car park to provide additional parking be brought forward in the forthcoming Capital Plan Review.