TOWER HAMLETS PARKING SERVICE

ANNUAL PARKING REPORT (2008-09)

1.0 Background

1.1 Tower Hamlets is an inner London Borough situated in the East End bounded to the north by the London Borough of Hackney, the east by the London Borough of Newham, the south by the River Thames and the west by the Corporation of London.

1.2 All public highways in the Borough are subject to Controlled Parking in one form or another by way of designated parking bays or yellow line waiting restrictions. Approximately 200 kilometres of public highway are subject to parking enforcement.

1.3 Through its transport policy Tower Hamlets Council is attempting to create a cleaner, greener and more attractive borough where it is safe and easy to travel and where the environment is protected for future generations. Tackling increasing traffic by controlling street parking and promoting other forms of transport such as public transport, cycling and walking is just one of many ways in which the Council is trying to achieve its goals.

1.4 As part of the Council’s Local Implementation Plan, a Parking and Enforcement Plan is in place to manage and control parking (including the needs of people with disabilities), to support economic regeneration, to reduce congestion, traffic accidents and pollution whilst supporting bus priority measures.

2.0 Enforcement

2.1 In 1994 the Council assumed enforcement of such parking controls under the Road Traffic Act 1991 and since 31st March 2008 under the Traffic Management Act 2004.

2.2 To date, enforcement of parking offences and Moving Traffic Contraventions is carried out “in house” by Council Civil Enforcement Officers (7 of which are assigned to CCTV duties) under a management structure of 4 Supervisors, 2 Deputy Managers and a Civil Enforcement Manager. All Officers are fully trained and undergo refresher courses where appropriate.

Corporate Director 1Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey

2.3 Enforcement is by way of foot patrols. Frequency of visits to any given street is based on experience (and adjusted accordingly where compliance is not being met) and supplemented by way of a Rapid Response Team using motorcycles and by CCTV where enforcement is difficult or sensitive.

Fixed CCTV cameras are also used for “Bus Lane” contraventions and “Smart Cars” suitably equipped with approved devices are also deployed on enforcement of Moving Traffic Contraventions. All such enforcement is undertaken to ensure traffic and parking regulations are observed and enforced in a fair, accurate and consistent manner. In addition, Civil Enforcement Officers’ duties include inspecting parking equipment and reporting defective traffic signs and road markings as well as malfunctioning pay and display machines.

2.4 Illegally parked vehicles are removed in accordance with guidelines and procedures. The Council uses an external source (contractor) to operate this service, supervised by on-board “Civil Enforcement Officers” and vehicles are removed to a Council run Car Pound for storage/retrieval operated in accordance with set guidelines and procedures.

2.5 Council Officers are responsible for ensuring that processes involved in recovering outstanding penalties, handling challenges, representations and appeals, are efficient, effective and impartial. Officers undertaking such duties have full training to ensure that all relevant legislation and procedures/time limits are complied with and that motorists are dealt with promptly and professionally.

3.0 Controlled Parking Zones

3.1 Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) were first introduced in certain areas of the Borough in the mid 1980’s. Gradually and since 1998 controls (by way of designated bays and yellow lines) have been applied to all public highway with the exception of the Fish Island area, a primarily industrial area which lies to the east of the Borough near the 2012 Olympic Site. In the Fish Island area, following public consultation in 2007 all marked out parking bays are “free” but single/double yellow lines and footway parking is enforced. This situation is under review and may well change as the Olympics approach.

3.2 Although there are currently 4 main zones, namely A, B, C and D, in 2005 each was sub-divided into “mini zones” to enable more effective management of parking priority, occupancy and hours of parking control relevant to each “mini zone”. The “mini zones”, although currently superficial in so far as there is no change to permit holders’ entitlement to park within their own main zone for an unlimited period

Corporate Director 2Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey

and for up to 3 hours in other zones, do restrict residents’ visitors who display daily Visitor Permits to the actual mini zone in which the resident lives.

Further consultation and reviews may be undertaken in the future on the suitability of restricting out of zone parking to protect local residents’ parking interests and reduce unnecessary car journeys, thereby improving air quality by reducing pollution.

3.3 Within each CPZ different types of parking bays are provided e.g. Resident, Business, Pay and Display, Shared Use (Permits or Pay and Display), Disabled and Motorcycles, allocated to reflect the needs of the local community. This is to protect/manage demand and assist the flow of traffic whilst maintaining road safety and kerb side loading/unloading requirements. The hours of control are tailored to suit the demands/needs within each zone and take account of resident opinion identified as a result of consultation. The last such consultation in 2006 (and due to be repeated in 2010/11) resulted in an increase in the hours of control in certain zones.

3.4 Reviews are undertaken periodically to meet changing demands and where problems are brought to the Council’s attention. This could comprise:

• Changing parking bay usage • Additional parking bays where yellow lines are no longer

considered necessary • Additional waiting and loading restrictions introduced to improve

the flow of traffic, especially on bus routes, and road safety.

3.5 By main zone, Tower Hamlets has the following approximate numbers of different parking bays (based on an allowance of 5.5 metres per vehicle).

A B C D GRAND TOTAL

Resident Bay

3195 4443 2786 1904 12328

Business Bay

254 46 199 48 547

Business & Pay and Display

86 5 66 10 167

Permit 1273 2109 1000 573 4955

Corporate Director 3Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey

Permit or Pay & Display

1298 1463 953 639 4353

Pay & Display

355 155 488 49 1047

Coaches 3 3 1 13 20

Police 6 - 6 19 31

Doctor 15 8 10 3 36

Personalised Disabled Bay

81 92 71 30 274

General Disabled Blue Badge 3 Hours

39 23 25 12 99

Loading 80 28 33 1 142

Multi Bay & Sunday Market Traders

25 - - - 25

Permit Holders & Sunday Market Traders

12 - - - 12

Market Traders Only

24 - 1 - 25

Sunday Exemption

19 - - - 19

Cab Ranks 3 7 2 - 12

Friday Midday

12 26 86 6 130

Multi Pay and Business Permit Bay

- 16 - 16

Total 6780 8424 5727 3307 24238

Corporate Director 4Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey

3.6 By Main Zone, Tower Hamlets has the following numbers of permits on issue:

Zone A B C D Resident 6054 7634 5617 2730

Business 287 91 281 117

4.0 Parking Charges

4.1 Yearly reviews of all permit and on-street parking charges are considered by Cabinet and the price of parking continues to be used as a way of balancing supply and demand. Pricing mechanisms can influence the decisions that people make about travel options and is one clear way that Local Authorities can contribute to improving air quality and the environment in their area.

4.2 Tower Hamlets, being an Inner London Borough, is subject to Band A Penalty Charges. These are currently £120 for Higher Level Penalty Charges and £80 for Lower Level Penalty Charges with a discounted rate of 50% if paid within 14 days of service of the Penalty Charge Notice.

4.3 To improve air quality and to encourage permit holders to switch to less polluting vehicles, parking permit charges are now linked to a vehicle’s CO2 emissions/engine size. This scheme was introduced in June 2008 following consultation and review. Resident Parking Permits for 2nd, 3rd and subsequent permits per household attract a higher charge to discourage unnecessary car ownerships and to attempt to balance supply and demand. The current annual charges are as follows:

Charge for annual permit (£)

BAND Engine Size (CC)

CO2 Emissions

1st

Permit 2nd

Permit 3rd and Subsequent

Permits A <=100 0 10 150 B <=1100 101-120 40 50 190 C 1101-1300 121-150 50 60 200 D 1301-1600 151-165 70 80 220 E 1601-1800 166-185 90 100 240 F 1801-2000 186-225 110 120 260

G1 2001-3000 226-325 125 135 275 G2 3000+ 325+ 150 160 300

4.4 On-street pay and display charges are £3.50 per hour in zones A and C (to the west of the Borough) and £2.00 per hour in zones B and D (to

Corporate Director 5 Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey

the east of the Borough). Such charges have applied since 2005 and although reviewed annually are currently considered to be at an appropriate/reasonable level to achieve their purpose. To make payment easier and more convenient credit/debit cards and “pay by phone” options exist as well as paying with cash.

4.5 In accordance with Section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended, an account is kept of all income/expenditure in connection with on-street parking charges and enforcement activities. Any surplus is used in accordance with legislative restrictions contained in Section 55. Residents can also purchase Visitor Scratchcard Permits for their visitors allowing 5 hours parking Monday to Friday and without a time limit at weekends. Residents are entitled to 24 books of scratchcards per year, comprising 10 vouchers at a cost of £10.00 per book. Residents over the age of 60 and carers are exempt from charges.

5.0 The Needs of People with Disabilities

5.1 Vehicles displaying “Blue Badges” may park without charge or time limit on any pay and display or shared used (pay and display or permit) parking bay and for up to 3 hours on single or double yellow lines unless there is a signed prohibition on loading in place.

5.2 In addition, for those residents with severe mobility problems who meet the qualification criteria, a Personalised Disabled Parking Bay is provided as close as possible to a resident’s address. To date there are 274 Personalised Bays.

5.3 Disabled Parking Bays are also provided for general Blue Badge Holders’ use near hospitals, clinics, public buildings and where appropriate, shopping areas. To date there are 99 Disabled Bays.

5.4 Applications/assistance for these bays are given positive consideration.

6.0 Motorcycle Parking

6.1 The Council currently provides for motorcycle parking in two ways:

(a) for residents a discounted permit at £15 p.a. (b) free designated Motorcycle Bays where demand and

circumstances permit.

6.2 Requests for such bays are positively considered and to date there are 54 locations with Motorcycle Bays accommodating approximately 200 motorcycles. Subject to continuing funding, a rolling programme of installing secure locking facilities at each site is being undertaken.

Corporate Director 6Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey

The Controlled Parking Account

7.1 The Council publishes the Controlled Parking Account within the Final Statutory Accounts for 2008/09. Please follow or enter the following link in your web browser. (The Controlled Parking Account is on Page 22.) http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/10001-10100/10067_annual_accounts.aspx

7.0 Statistical Performance (1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009)

Description Number Higher level Penalty Charge Notices served for parking contraventions

61,523

Lower level Penalty Charge Notices served for parking contraventions

18,975

Penalty Charge Notices paid at discounted rate 34,318 Number of PCNs paid at the non discounted rate 7,667 Penalty Charge Notices against which an informal or a formal representation was made

12,013

Penalty Charge Notices cancelled as a result of an informal or a statutory representation

1,386

Corporate Director 7Communities, Localities and Culture

Stephen Halsey