Agenda item

This report reviews the progress of the current Parking Management Programme and proposes additions to the programme for the financial years 2026/27.

Recommendation:

That the General Public Services & Community Engagement Committee agrees that:

1.        Members note the report and approve the proposed additions, as detailed in section 6 of this report, to the Parking Management Programme;

2.        officers continue to develop the Parking Management Programme as outlined in this report into financial year 2026/27 with a further full report being bought in early 2027 to determine the 2027-2029 Parking Management Programme;

3.        once the programme has been set it shall be adhered to as the current Parking Management Programme, with any significant additions being limited to exceptions to the prioritisation procedure requested by the Lead Member, to be delegated to the Director of Finance;

4.       the programme will be progressed in line with all relevant current practice, policy and standards; and

5.       decisions on schemes, including the consideration of objections to Traffic Regulation Orders developed through this programme of works and to any items remaining from earlier programmes of works, be delegated to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Lead Member.

The Principal Sustainable Travel Planner and Transport Officer presented the report, which reviewed the progress of the current Parking Management Programme and which proposed additions to the programme for the financial year 2026/27.

The committee noted that since the last committee report in January 2025 the following schemes and workstreams had been completed: Harefield Road; High Elms Lane; Primrose Hill (although painting of some double yellow lines remained outstanding); Ferry Car Park; On-Street Traffic Regulation Order; and Off-Street Consolidation Traffic Regulation Order Update.

Schemes and workstreams which were in progress were: the Chorleywood area-wide scheme; Gosforth Lane; School Mead; Various Schemes (an amalgamation of small schemes across the district); Garden Road Review; Rickmansworth Controlled Parking Zone Review; Community Way Car Park; Rickmansworth West; On-Street Traffic Regulation Order Review and Rickmansworth Car Park Review.

Additionally, parallel work was taking place to update the Parking Management Policy and implement the Parking App.

Schemes which were on hold were Langleybury Lane and Parsonage Close.

The new schemes which were proposed for addition to the programme for 2025/27 were: a review of the recently completed High Elms Lane Scheme to ensure that aims are being met; monitoring of usage data for Ferry Car Park (including business permit uptake and data from the new pay by plate system); and to investigate and potentially implement changes to parking restrictions in Popes Road and Hazelbury Avenue in Abbots Langley.

In response to a request that schemes which had been the subject of petitions to the committee over the preceding year (notably Bedmond, Kindersley Way and Gallows Hill Lane) should be added to the programme straight away, the Lead Member for General Public Services and the Head of Regulatory Services responded that all schemes which were suggested required assessment using the council’s Parking Prioritisation Procedure.  Officers were aware of the petitions which had been submitted, particularly in relation to Abbots Langley.  However, the number of schemes which could be added to the programme was limited by officer capacity, and there was not any capacity to add further large scale or area-wide schemes at the current time whilst the programme was mid-way through its two year cycle.  A full review of the programme would be brought to the committee in January 2027, prior to which the suggested schemes would be assessed against the scoring criteria.  Following a request from a Committee Member, officers undertook to consider how the results of the scoring exercises could be made available to Members.

Officers responded to Members’ questions relating to parking management issues within their ward areas.  Several Committee Members highlighted problems caused by commuter parking, such as at Cedars Estate, Shepherds Way, Hill Rise and Highfield Way.

Members were invited to submit any further comments or representations relating to the Parking Management Programme to officers.  Requests for additions to the programme should be submitted in writing either to Enquiries or TPP.

The Chair moved, and Councillor Rainbow seconded, the recommendations as set out in the report.  On being put to the vote these were agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That the General Public Services & Community Engagement Committee agrees that:

1.        Members note the report and approve the proposed additions, as detailed in section 6 of this report, to the Parking Management Programme;

2.        officers continue to develop the Parking Management Programme as outlined in this report into financial year 2026/27 with a further full report being bought in early 2027 to determine the 2027-2029 Parking Management Programme;

3.        once the programme has been set it shall be adhered to as the current Parking Management Programme, with any significant additions being limited to exceptions to the prioritisation procedure requested by the Lead Member, to be delegated to the Director of Finance;

4.       the programme will be progressed in line with all relevant current practice, policy and standards; and

5.       decisions on schemes, including the consideration of objections to Traffic Regulation Orders developed through this programme of works and to any items remaining from earlier programmes of works, be delegated to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Lead Member.