The report of the Operational Director of Highways is enclosed.

A report submitted by the Operational Director of Highways proposed a new resident parking policy for the city so that resident parking schemes could contribute to making the city an even more attractive place to live, work and visit. The report explained the importance of their being a balance between residents being able to park a car close to their property, or have deliveries made, and the other demands on the road space. The other demands varied across the city so there needed to be a common approach to the design of residents’ parking schemes that also responded to local differences in a sensitive and appropriate way.

The report proposed that future resident parking schemes be based on a set of common key principles:

a)    The operation of resident parking schemes needs to be self-financing. The City Council should not commit future revenue support to such schemes.

b)    There should be broad consistency across schemes so that the design of schemes aimed at tackling similar problems should not differ e.g. in the case of schemes designed to tackle parking around hospital sites.

c)    Schemes should be introduced in an equitable way so that there is appropriate financial support for residents who would be disproportionately affected by the impact of a charging scheme.

d)    There needs to be clear evidence of majority support in the area concerned for the introduction of a scheme as well as clearly established evidence of need.

e)    Enforcement of resident parking schemes should be fit for purpose. (A review of scheme enforcement is to take place looking at ways to increase / improve enforcement).

f)     Schemes need to be appropriate and proportionate to the parking issues being faced by residents in any given area.

g)    Any visitors’ permits made available as part of scheme design need to be linked to a specific vehicle and not be transferable. 

h)   It will be important to consider the ‘knock-on’ implications for adjoining areas in terms of displacement as part of any assessment.

The report explained that in addition to the four parking schemes already being developed (Rusholme, North Manchester General Hospital, Hathersage Road Area, and St George’s) there were eight other locations across the city that had been identified as being in need of some form of residential parking scheme. The report explained the issues that would need to be considered in order for these eight other schemes to be developed in accordance with the above principles: including the first of being self-financing, with residents living within the area of a scheme paying for their own and visitor permits for their vehicles.

The meeting was addressed by Councillor A Simcock, a ward councillor for the Didsbury East ward. Councillor Simcock spoke as the Council’s representative on the Christie Hospital Council of Governors, and also as the Chair of the Christie Hospital Neighbourhood Forum. He asked that the proposed extension of the Christie Hospital residents parking scheme be considered as the fifth named scheme already under development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88