Agenda item

The report sets out proposals in respect of off-street and on-street parking, provided an assessment following the recent formal consultation together with the recommendations of the Joint Transportation Board of 4 March 2024.

The consultation responses (Annexes 8 -15) are set out in a supplement to the main agenda.

(Joint report of Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services, Director of Finance and Transformation and Interim Deputy Chief Executive)

Careful consideration was given to proposals in respect of on-street and off-street parking arrangements, fees and charges and the consultation responses received as part of the recent public consultation. 

Due regard was also given to the views and recommendations of the Joint Transportation Board who had considered proposals related to on-street parking on 4 March 2024 and to the financial and value for money considerations.  Cabinet recognised that some of the proposals required the procurement of equipment, services and capital works, that funding for the implementation of the proposals would come from existing revenue budget and capital funding and that some of the proposals currently in List C of the Capital Plan would need to be brought forward for fast-track evaluation in due course. 

RESOLVED:  That

(1)      the recommendations of the Joint Transportation Board of 4 March 2024, be approved as set out below;

(i)        the proposals for Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge to remove the current on-street Pay and Display be approved, and that the on-street Traffic Regulation Order be amended to reflect the changes;

(ii)       the proposals for the introduction of on-street charges in West Malling High Street and Swan Street be introduced as drawn, with the inclusion of no charge for up to 1 hour of parking and that the on-street Traffic Regulation Order be amended to reflect the changes;

(iii)      the proposal for the loading bay in West Malling High Street be introduced as drawn, the future level of enforcement and size of signs be reviewed and the on-street Traffic Regulation Order be altered to reflect the changes;

(iv)      the changes to the on-street fees and charges be implemented as advertised and that the on-street Traffic Regulation Order be altered to reflect the changes.

(2)       the parking charges to Martin Square car park be introduced as stated in the report, with the inclusion of no charge for up to 30 minutes of parking;

(3)       the parking charges to Aylesford Bailey Bridge (East) and Bailey Bridge (West) car parks be introduced as stated in the report, subject to the reduction in the charge for a season ticket to £200 per annum and the introduction of a scheme for parking associated with the local primary school;

(4)       the Bailey Bridge (East) car park be extended*;

(5)       the Upper Castle Field car park be extended*;

(6)       the existing nine Gateway parking spaces located in the Tonbridge Castle Grounds car park become available for general use and that they are subject to the same parking conditions and requirements for payment as the rest of the Castle Grounds car park; 

(7)       the off-street parking tariffs be revised as stated in the report; and

(8)       with the exception of West Malling High Street, the Council’s off-street parking charges be extended until 8pm and that the parking charges also be applied on Sundays and Bank Holidays, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

*subject to Capital Plan/fast-track evaluations