LB Westminster Annual Parking Report 2010

8/8/2019 LB Westminster Annual Parking Report 2010

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1Westminster City Council AnnualParkingReview2009/2010

Westminster City Council WestminsterCityHall

64VictoriaStreet

LondonSW1E6QP

02076416000

westminster.gov.uk


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Westminster City Council Annua l Park ingRevi ew2009/2010 2 3Westminster City Council AnnualParkingReview2009/2010

Foreword

WelcometoWestminstersAnnualParkingReviewfor2009/10.

KeepingtrafficmovingiscrucialtoWestminsterssuccess.WeneedtomakesurethatallourroaduserscangetaroundWestminsterandfindspacetostopwheretheyneedto,withoutobstructingothersfromgoingabouttheirbusiness.

Atthesametime,however,parkingcanbeacontroversialtopic,andthatswhythisreportisso

important.ItshowsyouhowWestminstersparkingserviceactuallyworksforexample,howmany

PenaltyChargeNotices(PCNs)weissuedovertheyear,andhowmanypeoplepaidtopark.

AswellasbeingEuropeslargestparkingauthority,wewanttobethemostinnovative.Forexample,wewerethefirstauthoritytoofferrollouttheconvenienceofpay-by-phoneparking,whichnowaccountsforover85%oftransactions.InthepastyearweveseenfewerPCNappealsandanimprovementinourperformanceattheParkingandTrafficAppealsService.

Bymakingthesefiguresfreelyavailable,wereenablingyoutolookatourworkovertheprevious

yearandformyourownopinionsofourservice.Ihopeyoufindthisinformationusefulinhelping

youtounderstandourservice.

CllrLeeRowley

Introduction

ThisannualreportprovidesinformationontheactivitiesoftheParkingServicein2009/10.Itdetailstheservicesachievementsindeliveringinnovativeandsustainableimprovementsoverthepastyearandlooksaheadtofuturedevelopmentsandopportunities.

Thereportalsoincludesparkingandenforcementstatistics,aswellasfinancialinformationwithcomparativedatafrompreviousyears.

WestminsterCityCouncilsParkingServiceaimstobeattheforefrontofthedevelopmentandimplementationofnewandrelevantparkinginitiatives.Weaimtopromotebestpracticeandcontinualqualityimprovementacrosstheserviceandwithintheparkingindustryasawhole.

Ourcommitmenttoourcustomersistobefirm,fairandexcellentinourapproachtoanddeliveryofparkingservicesintheCityofWestminster.

FirmOuraimistoconsistentlyandeffectivelyenforceagainstparkingcontraventions.

FairWearecommittedtodeliveringaparkingservicethatgivesmotoriststhebestpossibleopportunitytocomplywithparkingrulesandregulations.

ExcellentWewishtoprovidetheblueprintparkingservicetowhichotherauthoritiesaspire.

Overview

TheTrafficManagementAct2004setsclearstandardsandguidanceforlocalauthoritiestofollow

whensettingandconsideringitsapproachtotransportandparkingpolicy.TheActstatesthat,A

goodCivilParkingEnforcement(CPE)regimeisonethatusesquality-basedstandardsthatthe

publicunderstands,andwhichareenforcedfairly,accuratelyandexpeditiously.

Enforcementauthoritiesshouldaimtoincreasecompliancewithparkingrestrictionsthrough

clear,welldesigned,legalandenforcedparkingcontrols.CPEprovidesameansbywhichan

authoritycaneffectivelydeliverwidertransportstrategiesandobjectives.Enforcementauthorities

shouldnotviewCPEinisolationorasawayofraisingrevenue.

Itcontinues,CPEisameansofachievingtransportpolicyobjectives.Forgoodgovernance,

enforcementauthoritiesneedtoforecastrevenueandexpenditureinadvance.Butraisingrevenue

shouldnotbeanobjectiveofCPE,norshouldauthoritiessettargetsforrevenueorthenumberofPenaltyChargeNotices(PCNs)theyissue.

2009-10sawareductionbyoveraquarterinthenumberofPenaltyChargeNoticesissuedbythe

Counciltovehiclesparkedordriverincontraventionoftrafficpolicies.Bycontrast,thenumberof

vehiclesusingourroadsandparkinginWestminsterappearedtocontinuetorisewitha10%

increaseinrevenueinon-streetpaid-forparking.Totalrevenuefromparkingfellby15%to

69.3m,primarilyasaresultoffewerPCNsbeingissued.Theoverallnetsurplusincome-the

amountgeneratedasanindirectresultoftheCouncilspoliciestokeepWestminstermoving

fell12%to30.1m.TheCityCouncilisboundtore-investanysurplusinlegislativelyprescribed

activitieswhichincludedthisyearintheparkingserviceitself,ingeneraltransportation

infrastructureandinconcessionarytravelschemesforlocalresidents.


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Commentary

Cashless parking

InthelastannualreportitwasconfirmedthatWestminsterCityCouncilhadmovedtoafully

cashlesssystemforon-streetparking.Thisschemewasintroducedbothfortheconvenienceand

securityofmotorists,andalsotoaddressongoinglossesofpublicfundsviathetheftofparking

meterscontainingcash.

Thecouncilcontinuestooperateafullycashlessschemewithtwomainpaymentmethods:Payby

Phone(PbP),topping86%byyearend,andcardonlyPayandDisplaymachinesaccountingfor

theremainder.PbPoffersconsiderableflexibilityincludingtheabilitytotopupaparkingsessionif

youcannotgetbacktoyourvehicle.

ParkingCardsarestillavailableasathirdoptionforthosewhodonotwishtouseamobile

phoneorcredit/debitcard,buttakeupoftheseremainsverylowataround0.25%ofall

parkingpayments.

Thedataavailablefromthetwomainpaymentchannelshassupportedtwoparkingledinitiatives.

Thefirstistheroll-outofacarclubschemeundertheWestminsterbrand,andthesecondwasa

substantialincreaseinthenumberofresidentparkingbays.

Westminster Car Club

TheWestminsterCarClublaunchedinMay2009asanon-streetcarsharingschemeoffering

Westminsterresidentsaself-service,on-demandalternativetocarownership.Westminsterhas

partneredwithZipcartogiveresidentstheaccessibilityandfreedomtouseacarforleisureor

businesswithoutthehassleofowningorrunningtheirownvehicle.

Unlikeothercarclubs,Westminstersschemeoffersarangeofadditionalbenefitstolocal

residents,includingareducedmembershipfeeof25(Zipcarsusualfeeis50),25driving

credit,andonehourfreeparkinginWestminster.

WestminsterCarClubcurrentlyhas100vehiclesacrossthecity,withaCarClubcaravailable

within10minuteswalkofeveryresident.WehavethegreenestcarclubfleetintheUKwith20

hybridandtwoplug-inelectriccars.Therewillbeafurther100vehiclesrolled-outbyMay2011,

withthefirst20beingintroducedbytheendofDecember,includingtwofurtherplug-incars.Atpresent,theWestminsterCarClubhasover2,500members.

Ourlongtermaspirationistoencourageastepchangeindriverbehaviour,whilstcontributingto

thecouncilssustainableagendaanddeliveringarealcommunitybenefit.Arecentsurveyof

membersindicatedthat28%havegivenuptheirvehiclesincejoiningtheclub.

Living City commitment

InMarch2009,theLeaderofWestminsterCityCouncilunveiledtheambitiousLivingCity

programmetorenewtheheartofLondonintimeforthe2012OlympicGames.Oneofthecouncils

keymeasureswasintroducing1,000additionalresidentsparkingspacestomakeiteasierforlocal

peopletopark.ThispieceofworkwascompletedinApril2010byconvertingpaid-forbaysto

shareduseparking(sothattheycanalsobeusedbyresidentswithpermits),extendingexisting

residentsbaysandconvertingunusedsectionsofyellowline.

AdditionalResidentsandSharedUseparkingbaysbyzone:

Zone NewBays

AZone 133

BZone 178

CZone 71

DZone 164

EZone 235

FZone 131

GZone 101

Total 1013

Motorcycle charging

Followingaprogrammeofworktoincreasecapacityformotorcycleparkinginthecityin2007,the

councilintroduceditsmotorcyclechargingschemeinAugust2008.Thisintroduceda1.50daily

chargetoparkamotorcycleinamotorcyclebayinWestminster.Arangeoflongertermpermits

wasalsomadeavailableviathecouncilsPaybyPhonesystem,withanannualmotorcyclepermit

costing150.Thischargingregimewasintroducedviaanexperimentaltrafficordertoenablethe

counciltogaugereactiontotheschemebeforeadecisionregardingitspermanencewasmade.

Followingasixmonthformalconsultationperiod,thedecisionwasmadetomakethescheme

permanentinMay2009,butwithamendments.From1stJune2009,priceswerereducedby

one-third(thedailychargebecame1andanannualmotorcyclepermit100),residentspermit

holderswerepermittedtoparktheirbikesinmotorcyclebaysborough-widewithoutfurthercharge

andoff-streetmotorcycleparkinginourcarparksbecamefreeofcharge.

Afterafurtherextendedconsultationperiod,thepermanenttrafficorderscameintoforceon25thJanuary2010.Thepermanentordersreducedthepriceofaresidentspermitforamotorcycleto

50perannum.

Residentspermitsformotorcycleshavesincebecomevirtualelectronicpermits,meaningthat

residentmotorcyclistsneednotdisplayapaperpermitontheirbiketoobtaintheconcessionsthat

thepermitaffords.

Dropped footways

Aninformationcampaignwascarriedoutinlate2008,alertingmotoriststothenuisancecausedby

vehiclesbeinginconsideratelyparkedadjacenttodroppedfootways.Followingthiscampaign,we

begantheenforcementofdroppedfootwaycontraventionsinFebruary2009,initiallybyWarning

NoticeandthenbyfullPCN.


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Droppedfootwaysarewherethefootwayisloweredtoenablepedestrianstocrosstheroadorto

enablevehicularaccessacrossthefootway.InlinewiththeHighwayCode,restrictionsapplyatall

times,eveninareaswheresingleyellowlinerestrictionsendat6.30pm.

Sincethecommencementofenforcementwehavesteadilyincreasedthenumberoflocations

wheretherestrictionsareenforced.

Visitors Parking Scheme

InJune2009weintroducedapilotVisitorsParkingScheme,whichisongoing.Theaimisto

enablevisitorstoparkmoreconvenientlybyconvertingspecificunder-utilisedresident-onlybays

intosharedusebaysbetweenthehoursof10amand4pm.Visitorsarethenabletopayfortheir

parkingasperastandardpaid-forparkingbayusingPaybyPhoneorbydisplayingapayand

displayticketorparkingcard.

Theschemehasinvolvedthecreationofapproximately500shared-usespaceswithinexistingresident-onlybaysintheQueensPark,AbbeyRoadandRegentsParkareas.

TheschemeisbeingcontinuedbutwillbeappraisedduringtheParkingPolicyReview.(seepage7)

Working with businesses

FollowingonfromtheworkwehaveundertakenwiththeFreightTradeAssociationsince2007wehavecontinuedtotrytomakeiteasierforcommercialvehiclestofunctionintheCityofWestminster.In2009/10,weintroducedextraparkingconcessionsforbreweryvehicles,CashandValuablesinTransit(CVIT)vehicles,blooddeliveryvehiclesandthosevehiclescollectingclinicalandhazardouswaste.

Wireless CCTV

InMarch2009,theDepartmentforTransportrequiredWestminsterCityCounciltostopusing

wirelesscamerasforparkingenforcement.Thiswasbecauseourwirelessdigitalcamerasdidnot

meetthenecessaryresolutiontoobtainapproveddevicecertification,asrequiredundertheTraffic

ManagementAct2004.TheDfTsdecisionwasrobustlycontestedbythecouncilonthebasisthat

thedeficiencywasconsideredtobeminor,ofnomaterialeffecttothequalityoftheimageand

bureaucratic.TheDfTrejectedourchallengeandthecouncilwasobligatedtoinvestintheupgrade.

Followingaprogrammeoftechnicalupgradesundertakenbyourpartners,theVehicleCertification

Agency(VCA)certifiedourcamerasandnetworkforuseinparkingenforcementon1stMarch2010.

Thecamerasaredeployedatlocationswheretheycanhelpdeliverthecouncilsobjectivesin

respectoftrafficmanagementandcrimeanddisorder.Theyservemultiplerolesandaredeployed

followingspecificconcerns,suchasat knownaccidentandcongestionhotspots.

Ascameraswererolledout,acontinuousreviewofthelocationsofallcamerasdeployedacross

thecitywasundertaken,todeterminewhethertheyshouldbemovedfromtheircurrentsites.

Cameraswillberelocatedfromexistingsiteswhencompliancehasachievedtheexpectedlevel.

Parking is changing

ThecouncilletanewParkingEnforcementcontractinJuly2010,whichwillrununtil2014.

Thenewfour-yeardealwasawardedtoNSLServicesresultinginsavingsforthetaxpayersofWestminsterof10millionoverthefouryears.

Thenewcontractisintendedtobesubstantiallydifferentfromanypreviousparkingcontractthecouncilhasletand,wehope,isinthevanguardofanewtypeofcontractthatwillbecomewidelyusedacrossthecountry,continuingtheCityCouncilstrendtopioneernewparkingpolicies.

Inamajorshifttohelpimproverelationswithmotorists,thiscontractisthefirsttofocusonimprovingcompliancelevelsinanattempttoencourageinexcessof95%ofdriverstocomply

withparkingrules.Theobjectiveistoeducatethemsotheydonotgetaticketinthefirstplaceandstopinconveniencingthevastmajorityofmotoristsinthecitywhoparkcorrectly.

HavingregainedtheparkingenforcementcontractinWestminster,NSLServiceswillfocusonimprovingcomplianceandpromotinglegalparkingbyengagingmoredirectlywithmotorists.

OnlyasmallproportionofourCivilEnforcementOfficerstimeinvolvestakingtheappropriateactionagainstillegallyparkedcars,withtherestoftheirtimeisspentadvisingdriverswheretheycanparklegallyandforhowlong,reportingdefectsinsignsandlines,orassistingthepolicebyreportingstreetcrimeorantisocialbehaviour.AnewuniformhasbeendesignedfortheCivilEnforcementOfficerssothattheyaremorevisibletothegeneralpublictoassistwiththeirparkingorgeneralenquiries.

Parking policy review

Giventhewiderangeofusers,servicesandattractionsinWestminster,thecouncilrequiresan

approachtoparkingthatbalancestheneedsofourresidentswiththoseofourvisitorsandyet

supportsbusinessesbykeepingtrafficmoving.

Intheautumnof2010thecouncilwillcarryoutafundamentalreviewofitsparkingpolicytohelp

ustounderstandhowpeopletravelandparkaroundthecity.Wecanthenrespondinawaywhich

willenableustomeetthechallengesofthecomingdecade.

Aquestionnairewillbesentouttounderstandhowpeopleusetheparkingservicesandwhatchangesarerequired.

Inadditiontothisreviewwearealsoexploringotherinitiativesin2010/11suchas:

implementinganewfullyonlineresidentpermitapplicationprocessincludingmovingtovirtualpermits

makinguseofnewlegislationtodealwithpersistentoffendersincludingunregisteredandforeignvehicles

useofnewtechnologytosupporton-streetoperations.


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Thetotalsurplusfellby12%to30.1mwiththemajorityofcontributionsfromtheParkingPlaceReserve

Account(PPRA)beingsharedamongstTransportationandInfrastructureschemesandprojects,

includingmaintenance.ThePPRAalsocontributestothefundingofconcessionarytravelschemeslike

theFreedomPass,whichgivesolderanddisabledresidentsfreetravelonLondontransport.

Totalexpendituredecreasedby17%comparedto2008/09,to39.1m.ThisisprimarilyduetoreductionsinourPCNadministrationcontractcosts.

On-street parking

Paid-forparkingnowaccountsforthelargestshareofallparkingrevenue,exceedingrevenue

fromenforcement(PCNs)forthefirsttime.

Thereductioninrevenuefromenforcementhasdeclinedinlinewiththereductioninthenumberof

PCNsbeingissuedfor2009/10.Therearetwomainmethodsofpaymentacceptedforon-street

paid-forparking:PaybyPhone,whichaccountsforaround86%(up1.6%from2008/09)ofall

parkingtransactions,andcardonly(debitorcredit)payanddisplaymachines,whichaccountfor

theremainder.


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Revenue and expenditure Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs)

TheoverallvolumeofPCNsissuedin2009/10fellby27%comparedto2008/9,withthelargestshiftbeinginyellowlinecontraventions(down46%).Throughouttheyear,theCounciltookonboardfeedbackregardingitscurrentpoliciesandcontinuedtomakeamendmentswhereitwasdeemedappropriatetoensurepolicieswerefirmandfair.


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PCNscanbepaidatadiscountedrate(50%reduction)forthefirst14daysafterissue,afterwhichtheymustbepaidatfullcost.ThepercentageofPCNspaidatthediscountedrateremainsrelativelyconstantataround53%,whilstthetotalpercentageofPCNspaidin2009/10sitsat66%.

AproportionofPCNsthatremainunpaidrelatetothoseissuedtopersistentevaders,or/andunregisteredorforeignvehicles.NewlegislationintheLondonLocalAuthoritiesandTransportforLondonAct2008totacklepersistentevaderswillallowthisproblemtobeaddressedandthecouncilisawaitingtheoutcomeofapilotbeingcoordinatedbyLondonCouncils.

ThegraphaboveshowsinformalchallengesandformalrepresentationsreceivedasapercentageofPCNsissued.Informalchallengeshavecontinuedtorise,buttheproportionofformalrepresentationshasdroppedsignificantlycomparedtopreviousyearsasaresultofqualityimprovements.


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ThegraphshowsthepercentageofPCNscancelled.TheincreaseinPCNscancelledformitigationisasaresultoftheimplementationofthecouncilscommonsensemeasures.

Note:Mitigationreferstoinstanceswhereamotoristputforwardextenuatingcircumstances,madeagenuineerrororprovidedproofofloading.IssueErrorreferstowhentheCEOmadeanerrorissuingthePCNorencounteredaproblemintheissuingprocess.

ThisgraphshowstheproportionofPCNappealsreceivedbytheParkingandTrafficAppealsService(PATAS)asapercentageofPCNsissued.TheLondonaverageisabout1.5%.Duringthefinancialyear2009/10theParkingAppealsforWestminsterCityCouncilenteredaperiodofpositivechange.In2008over3%ofPCNsissuedwenttoAppeal;thisvolumewasreducedsignificantlyduring2009/10andnowsitsjustabove1.5%.ThereductioninthenumberofPCNsbeingappealedislinkedtoanumberofqualityimprovementinitiativesbeingdelivered.


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Thevolumeofcasesnotcontestedbythecouncilhasalsoimprovedandweexpectthistrendtocontinue.

Thegraphdisplaysthesignificantimprovementincaseswonatappeal(refused)bythecouncil.Anincreaseof25%hasbeenseensince2006/7asresultofqualityimprovements,changesinpolicy,considerationandfeedback.

Service performance

Throughout2009/10wehavemetourperformancetargetswhilstensuringweprovideaqualityservice.Thegraphsbelowshowperformanceagainstourkeyperformanceindicators.

ThegraphabovedisplaystheaveragenumberofdayswehavetakentorespondtoPCNchallenges.Wehaveexceededourtargetofrespondingwithin10daysthroughouttheyear.

Therewere168complaintsreceivedbetweenApril2009andMarch2010whichreflectslessthan1%ofallPCNsissuedwithinthefinancialyear.


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Weaimtoanswer75%ofallcallstoParkingServiceswithin20seconds.Thegraphaboveshowsthatwehaveexceededthisinallserviceareasfor2009/10.

Note:OOHreferstoouroutofhoursservice,whichcurrentlyoperatesfrom6pmuntil8am.

Parking permits and suspensions

InApril2008wereviewedandstreamlinedtheapplicationprocesstomakeiteasierforresidents

torenewtheirpermits,toprotecttheschemeagainstfraudandtohelpdriveresidentsatisfaction

withparkingservices.ThenumberofpermitsinusereducedsignificantlybyApril2009andhas

increasedonlyveryslightlyoneyearon.

Therearecurrentlyjustover35,000permitsinuseandapproximately32,000residentbays.


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Resident permits by zone Permits for disabled drivers

Mapsforeachofourzonescanbefoundhere:www.westminster.gov.uk/services/transportandstreets/parking/residentsparking/resident_parking_zone_maps/

TheBlueBadgeSchemeisanationalschemeforprovidingon-streetparkingconcessionsforpeoplewithseverewalkingdifficultiestoparkclosetotheirdestinations.However,theconcessionsforthisschemedonotfullyapplywithinWestmisnter.ThereforethewhitebadgeschemeisspecificallyforthosewhomliveandworkwithintheCityofWestmisnteranditisvalidforthatareaonly.


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Thenumberofsuspensionsissuedremainedrelativelystaticin2009/10despitetheeconomicclimate.

VehicleType NoofPermits

AnnualElectricMotorcycle 51

AnnualMotorcycle 3,3 96

DailyElectricMotorcycle 243

DailyMotorcycle 324,807

MonthlyElectricMotorcycle 2

MonthlyMotorcycle 9,4 42

OtherElectricMotorcycle 1

OtherMotorcycle 1658

QuarterlyElectricMotorcycle 3Q ua rte rl yM otor cycl e 2 ,6 74

WeeklyElectricMotorcycle 56

Week lyMotorcycle 6 0,0 89

ThisgraphabovedisplaysthenumberofMotorcyclepermitsinuse.


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Westminster City Council AnnualParkingReview2009/2010 24

Westminster City Council WestminsterCityHall

64VictoriaStreet

LondonSW1E6QP

02076416000

westminster.gov.uk

LB Westminster Annual Parking Report 2010

Documents

Transcript of LB Westminster Annual Parking Report 2010