The trial for Residents’ Parking Scheme in St. Helier

1240/5(1961)

QUESTION TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY, 7th OCTOBER 2003 BY

DEPUTY J.B. FOX OF ST. HELIER

Question

Would the President inform members of the Committee's plans in relation to the trial Residents' Parking Scheme in St. Helier , and, in particular, state -

1. how successful the trial schemehasbeen?
2. whether similar schemes are tobe introduced inotherurbanareas of the Island? and,
3. whether the Committee intends tokeep the price ofanypermanentscheme to a similar level to that of the trial scheme?

Answer

1. The trial schemeprovides privileged parking for 172residentsin the Stopford Road area of St. Helier . Since its inception on4thNovember2002,and a small increase in the numberof paycard parking spaces on13th December 2002, toprovidefor visitors to the area, therehave been relatively few comments.Themost frequent criticisms from residents have centred around the inadequate level of policing of the parking restrictions atnightsandon Sundays. Policing during othertimes is carried outbytheDepartment'sParking Control Officers, whopatrolthe streets frequently.All residents of the area were invited to a meeting in June, this year, to gauge the degree of success and popularity of the trial. Approximately60 residents attended the meeting, 26ofwhomreturned a form recordingtheirviewsonthescheme.Thesecommentstogether with others whowrote into the Department generally supported continuation of the scheme.However,ofthe850 invitations distributed to residents and businesses in the area, only 3.5 percent chose to comment. Statistically, this is insufficient tojudgethe success of the scheme.Nonetheless,theCommittee has decided to proceed to the next phasewhereby the trial scheme will bemade permanent.
2. The Committee is keen to consider the expansionof the schemetootherurbanareas.However, the design and implementation ofeach new scheme will require a full evaluation onanareabyarea basis, requiring the allocation offundsandsignificantstaff resources, which the Committee does not have available at this time unless an alternative funding route for new schemescanbe identified. Similarly, additional resources will be required to carryoutenforcementonany further schemes.
3. The former Public Services Committee agreed to introduce the trial scheme with a subsidy on the true cost of a parkingpermit, in order to gauge the levelof interest in the new parking arrangements. This factwasmade known intheleadup to introducing the trial. TheCommittee does not possess the financial resourcesto continue to subsidise the parking scheme indefinitely. Itis essential that the schemebecomesself-financing, to cover initial costs, runningcosts plus the impacton parking income.Thecost to the resident of a parking permit will therefore rise on 5th November 2003. However, because the Committee ispreparedto continue to partially subsidise the permitfeefor a further 6 months, the true cost will notbe charged until May2004. Permit holders have been informed with regard to the revised permitcost.TheCommitteehas agreed that if a significant numbersof residents or businesses find the real cost ofoperating a residents' parking scheme in Jersey to be unacceptable and they wish the scheme be abandoned, the Committee will re-consider its decision to continue with the scheme.