Further to Minute 42 of the meeting held on 10 January 2019, the Executive Director for Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report providing the Sub-Committee with an update on progress with the Oxford Road Corridor Study.
The report explained that in order to take the proposals forward to delivery, a further statutory consultation would need to be carried out. This consultation had been programmed to take place in February/March 2020 with supporting public exhibitions to help raise awareness of the project with residents, businesses and local road users. The exhibitions would take place in Battle Library as it was regarded as the most central location. Subject to no objections being received during the consultation, officers had planned to commence works during the summer 2020 holidays. The programme of works was likely to take six to eight weeks to complete and if objections were received they would be considered at the June 2020 meeting.
Along with the measures that had been detailed in the report there would be further phases of the study which would focus specifically on the use of the Oxford Road corridor and surrounding roads. This would include the potential for an area-wide 20mph speed limit zone, measures to prevent through traffic, such as bus gates/lanes, environmental enhancements and a full review of the current Strategic HGV route to the Oxford Road from Junction 12 of the M4. All of these areas would be considered as part of the development of the next Transport Plan for Reading which was currently being prepared for consultation during Spring/Summer 2020.
Further to Minute 79 of the meeting held on 8 March 2018, the report explained that the Sub-Committee had agreed to the implementation of an on-street charging scheme in place of the limited waiting bays on Oxford Road, between Howard Street and Brock Barracks. Ward Councillors had since asked officers to review the agreed tariff and consider the impact of the free period. There had been some concern that drivers would seek free parking in the side roads, where there was some shared use provision, to avoid payment. Whilst this was a valid concern in reality currently drivers sought parking in side streets as kerbside space along the Oxford Road could be hard to find. The current parking only allowed 20 minutes maximum stay but this was difficult to enforce and consequently cars were parked much longer than the regulations allowed. Part of the justification for on-street charging was to ensure drivers only parked for the time they needed. The charges had been designed to encourage a turnover of space, which in-turn would increase access to kerbside space and would promote local trade. In addition, by applying charges this was an opportunity to increase the length of stay; currently only a maximum of 20 minutes was permitted. The new charges allowed up to two hours, giving increased choice to park on the Oxford Road and not just the side streets.
The report stated that should a free period be desired there would be costs to be considered. As the tariff was offered in 20 minute segments the obvious consideration would be to make the first 20 minutes free of charge. From an analysis of existing on-street charges that were offered in 20 minute segments, just over 15% of drivers had used just the first 20 minutes. The current equipment did not allow for a free period and to ensure any such free period was managed this would require a change as the only way to manage a free period would be to link this to the vehicle parked by registering the vehicle registration number. This would require a key pad to be added to the on-street payment machine where the driver had to declare their registration number when they took a ticket. This was not a typical application within the Borough and would cost approximately £2,000 to carry out the change and, in addition, to ensure only one free period was taken once within the no return period would require an annual software licence of £2,040 for the 17 pay machines that had been installed under this scheme. There was no allocated funding for making this change to the tariff, introducing a free period and ensuring the free period was then not abused. In addition, on-street parking charges had formed part of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy to ensure it remained sustainable.
The Sub-Committee discussed the report and it was proposed that officers investigate the possibility of retaining the free period in the parking bays along the Oxford Road, prior to the introduction of pay and display arrangements. It was also suggested that the possibly of introducing a free period in all pay and display car parks/streets and roads around local shopping areas, outside of the town centre, should be investigated. In both cases it was requested that the findings be submitted to the next meeting.
Resolved –
(1) That the report and the proposed delivery programme be noted;
(2) That, prior to introducing the pay and display arrangements, the possibility of retaining the free period in the parking bays along the Oxford Road and of introducing a free period in all pay and display car parks/streets and roads around local shopping areas outside of the town centre be investigated by officers and the findings submitted to the next meeting.