Bradford on-street parking changes set to be decided (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford on-street parking changes set to be decided

7:20am Friday 20th January 2012 in News By Jo Winrow

An on-street parking meter in Cheapside, Bradford

A major review of city centre on-street parking looks set to be settled shortly following dozens of objections to the proposals.

It is intended to manage the parking spaces available to ensure that motorists are properly catered for.

In a report to the Council’s executive committee, Barra Mac Ruairi, the strategic director of regeneration, states: “The proper management of parking results in a number of benefits including a contribution to the economic performance and visual amenity of the city centre.

“The parking review is necessary to ensure that all on-street parking is effectively managed, by regulating parking for all users and if possible increasing access to facilities and promotion of retail/service activity/ turnover. The review intends to maximise the use of on-street facilities within the city centre.”

The main alterations that have been proposed include adding extra pay and display bays and standardising waiting restrictions from Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm. In addition the Chamber of Trade and Bradford Chamber asked for the maximum stay for pay and display be increased from one hour to two hours, and that the overall hours be reduced from 8am to 6pm to 10am to 4.30pm.

Following publication of the final plans, objections were received from the Chamber of Trade and members of the public.

The report goes on to say: “The Chamber of Trade feels that well documented statistics highlighting Bradford’s current position in the empty shops list for large cities, indicate that Bradford as a preferred shopping destination is not as good as it could be, and shoppers might be even more reluctant to come to Bradford city centre to shop when the majority of available street spaces are covered by pay and display bays.”

The chamber supports the increased maximum stay for pay and display but have called for the first hour to be free to redress the advantage obtained by those businesses who trade out of town with free car parking nearby.

The options open to councillors are to approve the changes with a two-hour maximum stay in pay and display bays and a change to waiting restrictions to provide consistency, as well as to make the section of Piccadilly between Upper Piccadilly and Duke Street one way; or to also approve rules which mean the first hour of parking be free within the two-hour maximum stay in allocated pay and display spaces. A third option would leave waiting restrictions as they are and omit making a section of Piccadilly one way.

The cost to the Council is expected to be £140,000, which covers 50 pay and display machines, £20,000 for the traffic orders, and £10,000 for signing and lining.

The matter will be discussed first at the environment and waste management overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday, at 5.30pm at City Hall.