Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport seeking to introduce or amend parking tariffs in the Suburban Car Parks and change the hours of operation to 8am to Midnight Monday to Sunday.

(i)  To approve the removal of the 2 hour free parking period and the subsequent implementation of the proposed parking tariffs for the named Suburban car parks as outlined in Appendix 5.

(ii)  To approve the implementation of a new charging period within the named Suburban Car Parks of Monday to Sunday 8am - 8pm as outlined in Appendix 5.

(iii)  To delegate authority to determine all future parking tariff charges for the Suburban Car Parks to the Executive Director – Residential Services following consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member(s).

(iv)  To instruct officers to monitor and review the parking demand and footfall within the District Centres between 01/04/2025 and 30/09/2025 and make a recommendation to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport on whether the parking tariff and charging periods should be further amended.

(v)  To instruct officers to develop a permit that be used for limited periods at set times in Suburban Car Parks adjacent to schools to enable use for “Park-and-Stride” to school.

1.  To encourage drivers to consider alternative forms of transport

2.  To more effectively manage parking demand within the Suburban Car Parks

3.  To cover the costs of operating and maintaining these sites

4.  To manage parking demand within the Suburban Car Parks during periods not currently covered by the charging hours

5.  To enable future parking tariff changes for Suburban Car Parks to be carried out via the standard process

6.  To assess whether the changes to the parking tariff and charging periods are having a discernible impact on trips to the District Centres such as may affect the commercial viability of local businesses within these areas

7.  To enable parents to continue using Suburban Car Parks as Park and Stride sites during school drop offs/collections

1.  To not implement the proposed parking tariff structure and charging hours as outlined. This would not address the aim of managing parking demand to reflect the impacts of car trips across the wider Southampton area and the Council would have to cross subsidise the operation of these sites using revenue generated from other sites.

2.  To have the parking tariffs apply in the named Suburban Car Parks between 8pm and Midnight. After consideration of consultee comments, a charging period of 8am to 8pm would better accommodate community groups meeting in the evening period when parking for the majority of commercial demand within the District Centres has been managed.

3.  To continue a process of approving parking charges and charging periods for the Suburban Car Parks via Cabinet which constitutes an inflexible approach for implementing new policies based around parking tariffs.

4.  To not have a formal monitoring period in place. After consideration of consultee comments, a formal monitoring period would address concerns that drivers may determine to visit alternative retail locations rather than pay the tariff or adopt alternative forms of transport.