Decision details

This report sets out the results of a detailed review of the Council’s Parking Service and provides options for the future delivery of the service.

The on-street parking enforcement Agency Agreement with Hampshire County Council was terminated, at the County Council’s request, on 31 March 2020. 

In order to prepare for this change, the Executive agreed to a wide-ranging review of the Parking Service. This took place during 2019 with desk research, parking surveys and a public consultation feeding into the analysis.  The detailed results of the review can be found in Appendix A.

A new General Enforcement Team has been created and was fully operational by 01 April 2020, at which point the Council was no longer responsible for on-street parking.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, charging for town centre car parks ceased between 25 March and 1 June 2020.  This resulted in lost income of just over £300,000, placing further financial pressure on the Council.

The proposals for the future are outlined in the report and have the potential to generate a significant new revenue stream for the Council which will help to offset the costs of the parking service, including major improvements to Osborn Rd Multi-Storey Car Park, as well as contributing to the £1.5 million shortfall in the Council’s medium term financial plan.

 RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  a Pay-by-App option be introduced for all Pay & Display car parks in the Borough;

(b)  new Pay-on-Foot machines be installed in Osborn Road Multi-storey car park, Fareham shoppers’ car park and Market Quay car park and a budget of £250,000 be allocated for this purpose;

(c)  a charge of £1 per hour up to a maximum of £6 per day be introduced in all coastal car parks in the Borough during the hours of 10am – 6pm;

(d)  new solar powered Pay and Display machines are installed in coastal car parks and a budget of £75,000 in total be allocated for this purpose;

(e)  Dragons’ Teeth be installed at Monks Hill and Salterns car parks to prevent parking on the grass verges at a cost of £11,000 but height restriction barriers will not be installed;

(f)   a consultation exercise on Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) be undertaken outlining any required changes to parking restrictions and charges in all car parks where changes are proposed to current arrangements;

(g)  authority be delegated to the Director of Leisure and Community following consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Public Protection to conduct Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultations in free car parks where the limited waiting time limit is deemed too long;

(h)  authority be delegated to the Director of Leisure and Community following consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Public Protection to consider options for parking of coaches in Portchester car parks and to ban overnight camper van parking in coastal car parks;

(i)    Officers report back to a future meeting of the Executive on any potential concessionary or season ticket arrangements in individual car parks which is to include an option (agreed in principle) for a season ticket of £80 per year;

(j)    Charging will not be implemented in any car parks other than Fareham Town Centre or coastal car parks across the Borough within the next five years;

(k)  work is undertaken to investigate the provision of cycle racks to be installed at coastal car parks;

(l)    liaison takes place with Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Police to address on-street parking issues which may transpire after the implementation of any car park charging; and

(m)     Meon Shore car park resurfacing will not go ahead as per the original recommendation (e) in the report to the Executive.