Southampton City Council Residents Parking Policy 2022 Update - The policy framework for implementing, amending, or removing parking restrictions in residential areas (Outside the City Centre)

Policy introduction

This policy has been developed to provide a consistent framework for implementing, amending, or removing parking restrictions in Southampton residential areas outside of the City Centre Pay and Display Zone.

Note - Throughout this document, where the text refers to ‘significant’ or ‘reasonable’ what shall or constitute such shall be determined by the council, at its sole discretion.

Residents Parking Policy Scope

The policy statements outlined in this document apply to Southampton residential areas which are defined as follows;

• Roads where the highway is publicly maintained;
• Roads that are outside of the City Centre;
• Roads where properties are predominantly residential.

Southampton City Council accepts that with the current levels of car ownership, parking in many residential areas can best be managed informally by local communities and therefore does not actively seek out areas where parking restrictions can be implemented. Residential roads should therefore generally remain as unrestricted, so that the available on-street parking can serve a range of needs for residents, visitors, and other community service providers.

Policy Statement RP1

Southampton City Council will not seek to initiate the process of implementing parking restrictions in residential areas unless such restrictions are necessary to resolve highway access (including the footway) or road safety issues, as detailed in Policy Statement RP2.1.Southampton City Council will support the reallocation of kerbside space in favour of sustainable transport initiatives, as detailed in Policy Statement 6.1.

The Council will respond to requests to investigate areas where residents feel there are parking issues occurring, provided there is evidence that this view is held by a significant group of residents within the locality. Requests should therefore ideally come from a formal residents association or other similar community group, although a petition from a representative sample of residents that is submitted in accordance with the Council’s published Petition Scheme will also be an appropriate means to trigger an investigation.

The general parking issues that the council will investigate, and the processes followed for implementing or removing the necessary parking restrictions, are outlined in the following sections of this policy document.

Obstructive parking - introduction

Excess demand for on-street parking may lead to difficulties accessing off-road parking, problems for service vehicles and road safety issues. Obstruction of the highway generally takes place where parked vehicles prevent;

• vehicles from passing along the carriageway;
• pedestrians or wheelchair users passing along the footway;
• vehicles or pedestrians using dropped crossings;
• vehicles parking so as the limit the swept path of vehicles turning at junctions;
• vehicles accessing a property from the highway.

Highway access and road safety

The primary purpose of the carriageway is for the passage of traffic (including cycles and pedestrians), though it is recognised that in residential areas vehicle traffic may be reduced to single flow over lengths of road by unavoidable demands for loading/unloading or resident parking. This would be generally accepted where traffic flow is still possible, and any tailbacks are localised and of short duration.Obstructive parking tends to have most impact on wider service vehicles which may lead to failed waste collections or more seriously the obstruction of emergency services. In these circumstances the Council may consider appropriate measures including no waiting at any time restrictions or restrictions that apply at peak traffic times (e.g., no waiting restrictions).Obstructive parking of the footway can prevent those using mobility aids from safely travelling along the highway. If there are no parking restrictions in place, the council are unable to deal with such matters. The parking of vehicles on the pavement or any parking that is considered to be dangerous or that causes an obstruction to the safe and effective use of the highway, is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988. Such instances should be reported to the police on their non-emergency number 101. The council may consider introducing appropriate waiting restrictions where reports of instances of footway parking are causing persistent and significant obstruction to the footway.

Policy Statement RP 2.1

Southampton City Council will consider the introduction of parking restrictions where:

• There are access issues for service and/or emergency vehicles occurring due to parked vehicles;
• There are significant road safety issues occurring due to parked vehicles;
• There are significant obstruction issues occurring due to parked vehicles. This includes parked vehicles restricting or preventing the passage of traffic (including pedestrians and cycles), causing delays to traffic, or congestion;
• There is clear evidence of community support for restrictions which may not meet any of the above criteria but are considered by the Council to be acceptable to address a minor community concern over access, obstruction, or safety issues.

Persistent obstructive parking can also increase risk of accidents. Where clusters of injury accidents arise, with related causes, the Council will consider what measures may be appropriate to promote safety. An annual safety review assists in prioritising sites and measures based on cost and benefit analysis. Where no waiting at any time (double yellow lines) are requested to address road safety concerns, the history of injury collision data for the locality will be reviewed.If reports of obstructive parking are found to have not resulted in a significant injury collision data history, there may still be instances where the council decides to propose parking restrictions. For example, where clear community support has been demonstrated for introducing restrictions and where there is no overriding reason for not doing so.

Access to property

Where vehicles park (without invitation of the owner) so as to obstruct vehicles from entering or exiting off-street parking over a legal vehicle crossing, the Council has the power to and will issue penalty charge notices for obstruction. Enforcement tends to be more effective where vehicles are parking in this manner for an extended period. Solutions to obstructive parking over accesses can include;

• Bar Markings which are white lines that can be marked across the extent of a dropped kerb to highlight an access with a useable off-road parking area or a pedestrian crossing area;
• Keep Clear Markings which are intended to assist traffic entering and exiting accesses.

These markings are advisory only and do not affect the powers of enforcement. The Council’s Civil Enforcement Officers may enforce obstruction of a dropped crossing providing it is not marked within a parking bay.

Policy Statement RP 2.2

Where access to a property is being regularly obstructed by parked vehicles, Southampton Council will consider providing Bar Markings in the following circumstances;

• for medical or other essential service providers requiring access at all times;
• for blue badge holders;
• where there is restricted parking and evidence of obstruction of an access within a marked parking bay or;

where there unrestricted parking and evidence of frequent obstruction that the Council has not been able to resolve through enforcement.

Applications for H-bar markings can be made on the Council website. A charge to cover the cost of the provision and maintenance of a bar marking will be applied.

As an alternative to Bar Markings (and where the circumstances outlined above apply) Southampton City Council will only consider providing Keep Clear Markings where there are high levels of traffic requiring access and frequent periods of prolonged obstruction from queuing traffic. A charge to cover the cost of the provision and maintenance of a Keep Clearmarking may be applied.

Residents parking permit schemes - introduction

Where there is excess demand for on-street parking, community concerns may arise over the availability of parking for residents. The Council approach to these issues will be guided in part by whether the excess demand is arising from residents or from non-residents (e.g., commuters).

Excess resident parking

With increasing levels of car ownership, residential development, home-based business vehicles and reductions in off-street parking there are many localities where the demand for on-street parking from residents exceeds the available on-street capacity. Vehicle’s parking may then extend over footways, verges or in closer proximity to junctions. In these circumstances a Resident Parking scheme intended to deter non-resident parking would not generally be of assistance.

Households may themselves consider creating or extending off-road parking, which will require a legal vehicle crossing. Though this may increase parking capacity, it can impact on the overall appearance of the locality, if front gardens are removed to facilitate this. Guidance for applying for a dropped kerb vehicle crossing can be found on the Council website.

Initial measures are likely to be targeted on assisting residents with significant mobility issues, that would be most affected by the inability to park in close proximity to where they live. It is therefore Council policy to assist Blue Badge holders where needed by the provision of disabled persons parking bays.

Whilst the current Resident Parking Zones in the city have been predominantly requested and designed to address non-resident parking issues, technically it would be possible to introduce a permit parking scheme to manage the demand for resident parking as an alternative to parking on first-come first-served basis.

A permit scheme may constrain vehicle parking by limiting the number of permits available per property, setting permit charges or by encouraging the use off-road parking. As this would likely to be contentious, due to the need for some residents to reduce the number of vehicles they park on-street, there would need to be evident and convincing community support before it would be considered.

In areas where it can be evidenced that resident demand for on-street parking is clearly exacerbated by high levels of HMOs, the council can decide to design and implement a residents permit scheme, alongside other restrictions that assist in better managing the demand on the highway for the benefit of all residents in the area. This will be subject to the conditions set out in Policy Statement RP 3.1 below.

Policy Statement RP 3.1

In areas where there is shortage of on-street parking due to excess demand by residents in the immediate locality, Southampton City Council will only consider implementing a Resident Parking Scheme if all of the following circumstances apply;

• A significant number of properties do not have off street parking provision;
• There is sufficient on-street capacity for a scheme to be practical;
• Formalisation of the on-street parking does not lead to access or safety issues (as outlined in Policy Statement RP 2.1);
• Significant support for the proposal from residents has been demonstrated before investigations are carried out based on the understanding that the availability of parking permits will be extremely limited; that the council can limit permit entitlement to each household; and that the council has the authority to set and amend permit charges as appropriate.

Excess non-resident parking

The Councils policy and practice in relation to non-resident parking is guided by the duration and purpose of parking, with particular differences between long stay commuters and short stay local community or business parking.

Long stay parking

Southampton has a quality public transport system with key hubs around the major attractions in the city (City Centre, the University of Southampton and the General Hospital) and there is an expanding network of cycling and walking routes linking these hubs and residential areas. It is Council policy to support and promote sustainable transport as a means of reducing congestion, carbon emissions and air pollution.

The main area-wide resident parking schemes across the city have therefore been introduced at the request of communities to address long stay non-resident parking (e.g., commuter parking) around major attractions such as the City Centre, the University of Southampton and the General Hospital. These schemes are generally effective in deterring long stay parking, as the extended parking duration increases the likelihood off enforcement, which encourages a higher level of compliance. Also, for people working or studying for an extended period the use of alternative modes of travel becomes more attractive. This is particularly evident for the University of Southampton where permit parking in areas where students live and study has been a contributory factor in the growth in the Uni-Link bus service, which is also providing a wider community service.

In areas within close proximity to the university that fall outside an existing permit zone, the council will consider requests from residents for an existing residents parking permit scheme to be extended, or a new zone introduced, where it is evidenced that demand for residents parking is high.This can assist in managing high demand for parking in residential areas where on-street supply is limited, whilst also encouraging uptake of sustainable modes of travel for students living in the cityby limiting the number of resident vehicles parked within areas of high student HMO properties.

Policy Statement RP 3.2

In areas where there is limited on-street parking capacity due to excess demand by non-residents (e.g., commuters), Southampton City Council will consider implementing a Resident Parking scheme if all of the following circumstances apply;

• There is sufficient on-street capacity for a scheme to be practical;
• It can be demonstrated that the non-residents parking in the area are doing so for extended periods;
• Formalisation of the on-street parking does not lead to access or safety issues (as outlined in Policy Statement RP 2.1);Initial support for the proposal from a representative group of residents has been demonstrated before investigations are carried out.

Consideration will also be given to;

• The proximity of local shops and businesses and the impact of the proposal on customer parking.

Short stay parking

Short stay non-resident parking can be less intrusive, as the turnover of parked vehicles allows residents, visitors and service vehicles access to on-street parking. There can also be a range of local business and community service providers that depend on available on-street parking for customers or visitors.

Where difficulties arise from excessive demand for short stay parking, particular in the vicinity of business or community service providers, consideration may initially be given to whether proposing parking places with limited waiting may be appropriate to provide a higher turnover of customers/visitors and thereby reduce the extent of wider displacement.

Where the demand for short stay parking is generated over a wide area by a major attractor, permit parking restrictions may be appropriate, though the design would need to take into account how and if it could balance the range of local community needs for short stay parking, whilst still providing an effective means of assisting in increasing the availability of parking for residents.

Where the demand for parking is for the purpose of picking up and dropping-off passengers (e.g.,around schools), whilst the Council accepts that this can be highly intrusive, the difficulties of enforcement could significantly undermine the effectiveness of any parking scheme and would therefore be considered as a low priority for investigation.

Policy Statement RP 3.3

In areas where on-street parking capacity is affected by short stay parking by non-residents (e.g., shoppers, parents dropping children at school, visitors to GPs, visitors to community/faith centres) Southampton City Council is unlikely to consider implementing a traditional Resident Parking scheme. Permit restrictions may be proposed if the following circumstances apply;

• Roads are significantly affected by non-resident parking for extended periods of time even if those non-residents are only staying for short periods;
• A large trip attractor (e.g., football stadium) results in regular significant non-resident parking over a wide area;
• There is sufficient on-street capacity for a scheme to be practical;
• Formalisation of the on-street parking does not lead to access or safety issues (as outlined in Policy Statement RP2.1);
• Where parking issues may be displaced to neighbouring streets, these residents will also be consulted over any prospective permit scheme and boundary;
• Initial support for the proposal from a representative group of residents has been demonstrated before investigations are carried out.

Consideration will also be given to;

• The proximity of local shops and businesses and the impact of the proposal on customer parking.

Trigger Phase

As it is Council policy to introduce RPS schemes only at the request of communities, the initial triggerfor an investigation of the viability of scheme will be a substantive request from a representative resident’s group or association or a valid petition submitted under the Council’s published Petition Scheme to address significant resident issues over the shortage of available parking generally arising from excessive resident or non-resident parking (as outlined in Policy Statement RP3.1, 3.2, 3.3).

Policy Statement RP 3.4

Once a request is received to investigate the implementation of an RPS, Southampton City Council will undertake an initial assessment of whether a RPS scheme would be viable in the locality. This may include;

• Whether the request meets the requirements specified in Policy Statements RP 3.1, 3.2 or 3.3, as appropriate;
• Whether the ongoing management and enforcement of the scheme can be carried out at no cost to the council e.g., via permit charges or funding provided through a planning agreement;
• Whether the roads affected are adopted (i.e., maintainable at the public expense);
• The extent and duration of non-resident parking occupancy;
• The attraction(s) for non-resident parking;
• The impact on the local community (e.g., in terms of road safety, waste collection and availability of parking). A viable area over which a scheme might be introduced to minimise the impact from displacement and to justify the relatively high cost of introducing new restrictions;
• What expectations there may be for promoting an alternative sustainable mode of travel;
• What alternative measures may be more appropriate;
• Ward Councillor views;
• Whether a prospective scheme would be an extension to an existing RPS Zone or a new Zone;
• The proximity of local shops and businesses and the impact of the proposal on customer parking

Determining Community Support

If the trigger phase is met and the council determines a residents parking scheme would be viable in the locality, the council will seek to understand more clearly the levels of community support for such a scheme through an informal online survey of all households in the area concerned.

Where a resident’s parking scheme is considered as a possible and appropriate measure, a survey will be undertaken of residents to;

• Ensure residents are aware of the any permit charges that would apply, prospective permit entitlement and conditions that would apply to the scheme;
• Confirm within the viable scheme area that there is a convincing and sustainable majority of residents in favour of the scheme, taking into account both resident preferences and the survey response rate;
• Where appropriate, to help shape the scheme design to meet the balance of needs of residents, community services and any appropriate local business needs (e.g., short stay parking for customers).

Policy Statement RP 3.5

Southampton City Council will survey residents within the prospective scheme area on the proposal for a Residents Parking Scheme with the following options:

• This household is in favour of the proposal
• This household is not in favour of the proposal
• The implementation of the proposal would not affect this household

In order for a scheme to be formally proposed, there will need to be a significant response rate and a convincing majority of households which are in favour of the scheme (The households who have stated the 3rd option are not included in the total).

Note that the level of the majority required will be determined at the discretion of the Council,but as a general guideline the Council would expect evidence that at least 60% of respondents supporting the proposal as an indication that the change will be sustainable.

The Council will also consider the overall percentage of residents responding to a survey as a general indication of the level of community interest and priority for prospective council funding.

The council recognises that some areas in the city experience a large number of licensed and unlicensed HMOs which can result in significant pressures to on-street parking supply.

Therefore, in areas where the council assesses a high level of HMOs and that demand for on-street residents parking exceeds supply, the council may consider a lower level of response rate and support acceptable. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and only in consultation with Ward Cllrs for the locality concerned.

Designing a residents parking Scheme

Resident Parking Schemes provide a means by which parking places or restrictions can be introduced for use by permit holders within an area defined as a Zone (e.g., Zone 1 around the Polygon). In order to make full use of the available on-street parking and for effective operation, it is Council policy that any permit holder for a specified Zone may park anywhere within the Zone.

By restricting permit entitlement, the demand for available parking can be managed to assist eligible residents and other appropriate service providers in finding parking within a locality during the period restrictions apply. In order to fund the cost of this managed parking (e.g., introducing, administering, maintaining, and enforcing a scheme), a scale of charges will apply, except where they fulfil and essentially medical or community needs.

Design phase

Once Southampton City Council considers the initial survey of residents demonstrates satisfactory community support for a permit scheme, the scheme design will need to be finalised. The main factors that need to be considered are as follows;

• Hours/Days of Operation – During which periods will the parking restrictions apply;
• Limited Waiting Periods – What short stay periods will be allowed to facilitate everyday access for visitors;
• Parking Bay Design – How will the on-street parking arrangements be formalised?
• Permit Entitlement – which households / businesses / schools will be entitled to a permit?(see section 4)

Where appropriate, community input into the design phase may be sought to address any concerns around the operational hours of the scheme or certain sections allowing limited waiting periods (as detailed below) and how this best suits residents and other community uses

Hours and days of operation

The period when parking restrictions apply can be defined in terms of the months, days and hours, taking into account the practicalities of signing. The standard operating period for a RPS scheme is based on weekday commuter parking (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday), though this may be reduced or extended where considered appropriate.

Limited waiting periods

A scheme design should take into account a range of community needs and may therefore require a balance of different restrictions including:

• Permit Parking (for permit holders to park)
• Limited Waiting (short stay parking for non-permit holders)
• Pay & Display Parking
• No Waiting at Any Time (double yellow line)
• No Waiting during a restriction period (single yellow line)
• Disabled parking bays
• No Loading or Loading restrictions
• Unrestricted parking

Any provision for limited waiting should also take into account the maximum stay period and return period, with consideration of public interest and the practicalities of enforcement. Most parking restrictions include an exemption for essential works or activities. Vehicle owners are advised to seek further guidance from SCC Parking Services where this may be required.

Parking bay design

All signing and on street markings need to be compliant with the Department for Transport’s (DfT) The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions and introduced through due process by a Traffic Order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act.

In general resident parking restrictions are lined with marked parking places on the carriageway, with signs stating the regulations applying and restriction period. The restriction period may alternatively for certain zones be signed through Entry/Exit signs as part of Controlled Zones. Within Controlled Zones all kerbside has to be restricted.

Where properties have vehicle crossovers, it is Council practice to propose continuous restrictions, but to avoid private vehicle access crossovers where possible.

Within zones, where there are roads or an area of roads with cul-de-sacs within which it would be difficult to mark parking places due to the narrow width or curvature, there is an option to introduce a signing only permit restrictions as a variant of the Controlled Zone, subject to the restrictions being permit holder parking only.

Development and independent resident parking schemes

Whilst there are benefits and some cost-savings from more standardised resident parking schemes, it is accepted that circumstances may require a more customised scheme design with specific restriction periods, permit entitlement and permit charges.

Development resident parking schemes

The St Mary’s Stadium scheme is an example of a development Resident Parking Scheme, with the following features;

• The scheme being introduced as a consequence of the development;
• All set-up and lifetime costs being met by the development through a Planning agreement;
• The scheme boundary being defined by the impact of the development, with related permit entitlement;
• Restriction period defined by the impact of the development (e.g., Stadium events).

Independent Resident Parking Schemes

In certain circumstances the Council may consider proposing an Independent Resident’s Parking Scheme, where requested by a specific community, where the following criteria would apply;

• The scheme boundary would be fixed, rather than open to extension;
• The scheme would have a dedicated zone;
• The charges for permits would need to cover the cost of introduction, administration, maintenance, enforcement, and any other related costs, such as maintenance of off-street parking areas which are not maintained at public expense.

Permit entitlement and any other terms of use would be designed for the specific circumstances of the scheme.

Policy Statement RP 3.6

In finalising the design of the parking restrictions that would apply in a Resident Parking Scheme, Southampton City Council will;

• Define the hours and days of operation that reflect the periods when there is demand for parking by non-residents unless the primary (or supplementary) purpose of the scheme is to manage the residents’ demand for parking;
• Define a limited waiting period that reflects the demand for parking by visitors to the residential properties unless there is insufficient parking capacity, or this would undermine the hours of operation;
• Define that parking bays provide the maximum possible parking capacity in the road space available but will instruct that the parking bay design does not obstruct the highway or significantly increase the risk of accidents;
• Identify that in some roads, lining parking bays may not be possible due to the lack of available road space and restrictions where practical;
• Review parking provision for reviewed for disabled residents;
• Design parking restrictions for roads/streets in their entirety (unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated).

Formal consultation

Once the scheme design is finalised and available funding secured, the Council will agree a timetable for drafting the relevant legal documentation and formally proposing the restrictions. As well as statutory notices in a local newspaper the Council will place public notices in the locality of the scheme to allow residents that may fall outside a proposed scheme area to respond to the proposals. The council may also engage other known interest groups where practical.

Decision phase

If objections are received in response to the public notice, these will be considered in the context of this policy. Whilst minor concerns may be accommodated, any fundamental objections will ultimately have to be decided upon through the relevant Council decision making process.

Implementation

If a Residents Parking Scheme is approved through due process, an implementation plan will be agreed and communicated allowing for:

• Communication of the outcome to residents and other interest groups
• Contracting any related requirements for signing and lining
• Time for eligible permit holders to apply for permits, once the permit entitlement register is finalised
• Sealing the legal regulations.

Overall, the process from the initial community request through to implementation may take 12-18 months.

Removing a residents parking scheme

In some cases, residents within an existing Residents Parking Scheme may decide that it no longer serves the purpose for which it was implemented, and they wish to see the parking restrictions removed (Note that this will not apply to restrictions implemented for the reasons outlined in Policy Statement RP2.1).

The process for removing a Resident Parking Scheme is similar to that for implementing or amending parking restrictions of this nature. Before a formal consultation is carried out, residents will need to demonstrate that there is a reasonable support for doing so (as outlined in Policy Statement RP2.1).

Southampton City Council will then carry out an investigation to see what impact removing the Residents Parking Scheme or part of the Residents Parking Scheme will have on the neighbouring areas. In most cases, any impact will be to the area, which is proposing to remove the parking restrictions, particularly if they are adjacent to areas which have parking restrictions in place and wish to retain them.

If there is no impact to neighbouring areas, Southampton City Council will carry out a formal consultation of all affected households (normally those eligible for a parking permit) with the outcome assessed as per the method outlined in Policy Statement RP3.5

Policy Statement RP 3.7

Provided there will be no significant impact to other residential areas, Southampton City Council will propose the removal of any parking restrictions not implemented for highway access or safety purposes if sufficient support for the proposal is demonstrated using the methodology outlined in Policy Statement RP 3.5 (Note that this process will be applied to roads/streets in their entirety unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated).

A summary of the process involved in requesting, designing, and consulting on a perspective residents permit scheme is provided in the diagram below.

Residents Parking Permit Schemes – Request to Implementation Process

Introduction to permit charges and eligibility

Resident Permits enable residents to park within the area with permit restrictions during the restriction periods. To assist in managing demand and to support sustainable travel, Council policy is to define eligible properties, limit permit entitlement and to set requirements for eligible classes of vehicle. There is provision for either an annual resident’s permit or a temporary resident’s permit. The temporary resident’s permit is only intended as a short-term provision for residents, for example whilst vehicle registration changes are arranged, otherwise eligible for an annual resident’s permits. They are not available for use by visitors or by people staying at properties which are not their primary residence.

Permit charges

The current charging structures for each zone are available on the council parking permit webpage.

Any changes to permit charges are subject to a separate Traffic Regulation Order and public consultation.

Eligible Properties and Permits per Property/Household

The entitlement boundary will generally be defined when an RPS scheme is introduced and on the basis of eligible properties with qualifying households using on-street parking within the Zone boundary prior to the introduction of permit restrictions.

Policy Statement RP 4.1

Properties within Residential Parking Schemes are normally eligible for parking permits if;

• The property has a discrete postal address within the defined boundary of the zone;
• An eligible vehicle (see Policy Statement RP 4.2) is registered to the property;
• The primary or dominant purpose of the property is residential and not commercial or business use;
• The property is eligible. A property is not ineligible on the basis that it was built or subdivided after a set date (see Policy Statement RP 4.3).

Vehicle Requirement

In order to help increase the on-street parking capacity within RPS Zones permit entitlement will be restricted to certain classes of vehicle, unless an exceptional provision is agreed.

In order to avoid misuse, a Resident permit will only be issued for specific vehicles, as defined by the vehicle registration, registered for an eligible household.

UK law requires that vehicles operating on UK roads for longer than six months, register with the UK

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), pay the appropriate Vehicle Excise Duty, and be specifically insured as a UK vehicle. For this reason, permits for non-UK registered vehicles may only apply for Temporary (3 month permits) residents permits until the vehicle is UK registered.

Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes require an Operating Licence, which is dependent on the provision of appropriate off-road parking. These vehicles should not therefore be parked in residential roads other than for operational purposes (e.g., loading and unloading).

Policy Statement RP 4.2

To make most use of the available on-street parking Resident permits will be limited to vehicles as follows:

• Passenger vehicles with a maximum of 8 seats under 5m in length
• Goods vehicles under 3.5 tonnes and under 5m in length

New Developments

The provision of Resident Parking Permits specifically precludes new developments which would be expected to provide suitable parking on site, or not provide parking in highly accessible areas (as determined during the planning application process). There is a need to consider that many Resident Parking Schemes have capacity issues at times of peak demand. New developments create additional demand for parking for which there may be limited available on-street capacity.

Restricting the demand for on-street parking in residential areas supports the approved Local Transport Plan objective to encourage more people to use public transport and active travel in the city. It also supports the wider Joint South Hampshire Strategy, Policy F – to manage parking to support sustainable travel and promote economic development.

For these reasons, residents of newly built properties, or properties that have been recently converted or sub divided, will be subject to restrictions on the number of permits available. Affected properties are those constructed, converted, or extended pursuant to a planning permission granted after 31stMarch 2001. There are exceptions to this rule, as detailed in Policy Statement RP 4.3 below.

Shared Properties (HMOs)

The entitlement relates to the qualifying property or set of properties, and not to each individual inhabitant. In the case of shared properties, please discuss permit needs with your landlord and / or your fellow occupiers.

Policy Statement RP 4.3

Southampton City Council will exclude properties that were granted planning approval (for build or sub-division or change of use) post to 31st March 2001 from entitlement to resident and visitor permits in resident parking zones, unless agreed on an exceptional basis.

Designing New Residents Permit Schemes

An exceptional agreement of entitlement for post 31st March 2001 developments may be considered as part of the design phase for a new scheme (or extension of an existing scheme)and agreed before formally consulting on the final scheme proposals. The following factors will be taken into account:

• Whether the scheme is intended to address excess demand arising from residents or from non-residents (e.g., commuters)
• Whether the exclusion from permit entitlement was included within a planning condition or S106 agreement
• Whether use of on-street parking within the scheme areas by residents of the development(s) is long standing
• The anticipated demand for permits from the development(s)
• The availability of parking in the locality
• The availability of on-site parking within the development
• The support and promotion of sustainable travel in the locality

Existing Permit Schemes

An exceptional agreement of entitlement for post 31st March 2001 developments may be considered on request, for a property within an existing scheme area. The following factors will be taken into account:

• Whether the exclusion from permit entitlement was included within a planning condition or S106 agreement
• The availability of parking in the locality
• The likelihood of demands from similar properties in the locality
• The support and promotion of sustainable travel in the locality
• The availability of on-site parking within the development

Notwithstanding the above, any decision to allow, restrict or remove permit entitlement will remain at the discretion of the Council.

Visitor Permits (for residents’ visitors)

In many localities within RPS schemes there is a provision for short stay parking, which together with unrestricted parking outside of hours/days the schemes operate can meet the needs of residents’ visitors.

Where the needs for residents’ visitor parking cannot be met (e.g., where there is an extensive area of permit holder only parking) the Council provides three types of visitor permit to assist residents. The permits may not be used as an alternative to Resident Permits and are only to be used for the purpose of visiting the permit holder. The same class of vehicle requirement will apply as for resident permits, unless agreed on an exceptional basis.

Visitors permits may only be used by ‘genuine’ visitors to residential premises (i.e., the dominant purpose of the visit must be to spend time with the resident themselves). Visitor’s permits may not be used by those commuting for work or business or ‘visiting’ but then (before or after such a visit) using the permit whilst working or undertaking business related activity elsewhere

(Day) Visitor Permits

There is generally an entitlement and allocation of (day) Visitor Permits for households eligible for resident permits. These are currently high quality scratchcards designed to avoid fraudulent reproduction. A charge is applied to offset the cost of printing and issue, and to assist in deterring misuse. The Visitor Permit allows a visitor to park a qualifying vehicle for the day that the permit is required. The Visitor Permit may be used within a maximum distance of the permit holder’s property

Annual Visitor Permits

Where households have a high level of visitors during the restriction period, there is an alternative of an Annual Visitors Permit. A charge for these permits will apply to deter misuse and additional conditions of use will apply including:

• For use within a maximum distance from holders property
• Maximum stay of 4 hours per day
• Maximum continuous period of daily use without prior notification

There will be a limit of one Annual Visitors Permit per household, and the overall number of these permits on issue within a Zone may be limited, if there is a significant shortage of resident parking.

Essential Visitors Permit

As part of a Council policy of supporting care in the community, a permit may be issued to an eligible resident in need of regular essential visits to provide care in the home. The permit will be issued to the person requiring care, and then may be used for visitors providing care and support. There is a limit of one Essential Visitor’s Permit per household. There is no charge for the permit, though issue is subject to qualifying criteria and successful application. The permit may be used within 200m of the permit holder’s property.

Policy Statement RP 4.4

Properties within a Residents Parking Scheme that are eligible for Resident Permits (as per the guidelines outlined in Policy Statements RP 4.2 to 4.3) will in most cases be eligible for a range of visitor permits. A limit may however be placed on the number of visitor permits issued, in order to assist in managing demand for on-street parking within the zone. This will be outlined in the proposal for the Resident Parking Scheme.

Southampton City Council will regularly review Visitor Permits to ensure they are meeting the needs of residents and are not open to abuse.

Southampton City Council will remove the right to Visitor Permits from any property where it is found that Visitor Permits have in the opinion of the Council been misused.

Other permits

The Council recognises local business, schools and other service providers may provide important support for the communities in which they work. A range of permits are therefore available, subject to meeting the qualifying criteria, and the following general principles:

• The issue or reissue of permits will be at the discretion of Council
• A limit on the number of permits available per provider subject to annual review
• Any appropriate Permit charges may be reduced for non-profit making organisations
• That the permit may not be used for any other purpose including residential parking in place of a resident’s permit
• The limit of entitlement to specific classes of vehicle (e.g., passenger vehicles with a maximum of 8 seats, goods vehicles under 3.5 tonnes and motorcycles) or length of vehicle (e.g., 5m in length) appropriate to a residential area

Policy Statement RP 4.5

Southampton City Council will make a range of permits available, subject to limits on issue, for businesses, services, and community groups to operate in areas where Residential Parking Schemes are in effect including:

• Business / Temporary Business Permits – These permits allow Businesses to make deliveries, provide services etc, in a Residential Parking Zone. A charge shall apply to these permits. Business Permits may not be available in zones with a significant shortage of weekday resident parking.
• School Staff Permits – These permits allow school staff access to on-street parking where there is no on-site parking provided at a school site. The issuing of school staff permits only applies to school sites with no onsite parking provision and in newlyimplemented or extended permit zones. The number of permits provided to schoolstaff will be limited and based on the availability of on-street parking within a controlled zone, determined by the council on a case-by-case basis. To promote sustainable workplace travel, a charge will be applied to school staff permits.
• Medical Permits – This is a permit that allows eligible medical staff to park in Resident Parking Zones and make health visits to residents in those zones.
• Community Support Permits – This is a permit that allows community work to be carried out in within defined Resident Parking Zones. These permits are issued at the discretion of Southampton City Council, without charge.

Southampton City Council will regularly review the charges and conditions of use for these permits to ensure they are meeting the needs of the user groups and are not open to abuse.

Southampton City Council will remove the right to permits from any user where it is found that permits have been misused.

Blue Badge holder parking

Under the Council’s Inclusion policy and in compliance with The Equality Act (see below) it is Council practice to allow vehicles displaying Blue Badges and being used for the purpose of transporting Blue Badge holders to park in residential permit parking places without the need for a resident’s permit.

Policy Statement RP 4.6

Southampton City Council allows Blue Badge Holders to park in Resident Parking Zones free of charge. Parking by Blue Badge Holders in Resident Parking Zones is subject to the normal conditions of use that applies to Blue Badges.

Disabled persons parking bays

In some circumstances, individuals with a disability will require access to a parking space close to their property, particularly if they have restricted mobility. In these circumstances, the Council will consider installing a disabled parking bay close to the Blue Badge Holder’s property.

Any blue badge holder can use a disabled parking bay. They cannot be reserved for sole use of the applicant.

Policy Statement RP 4.7

Southampton City Council will consider providing a disabled parking bay, subject to application, where the following criteria is met:

• The applicant holds a valid blue badge
• The applicant drives or is driven on a regular basis in a vehicle which is registered and kept at their home address
• There is no suitable off-road parking, such as a driveway or garage, at the applicant’s home address.
• There are significant and on-going issues in finding available on-street parking close to the applicant’s home address.

The Council will carry out periodic reviews to ensure that the above requirements continue to be met. When an applicant no longer meets the above criteria, the bay may be removed.

The location of a disabled parking bay will be determined by the Council. Consideration will be given to any location requested by the applicant; however, a bay will not be provided in the following locations:

• Anywhere which is considered unsafe either for the bay user or other road users.
• Opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction.
• Within the turning head of a cul-de-sac.
• Where a clearway, no stopping restriction or no waiting restriction applies.
• On the pavement or a verge, unless the area has been specifically adapted to accommodate parking.
• Any non-highway road or off-street car park (Southampton City Council Housing may provide bays in their Car Park’s subject to separate policy considerations).

Provisional permit provision

The Council has the discretion to issue an exceptional provisional permit subject to review. Any assessment of a request will generally take into account:

• The individual merits of the request;
• The availability of on-street parking in the locality and time when parking is most likely to occur;
• Whether other similar requests would be expected to be fulfilled (e.g., from households in the same development);
• The support and promotion of sustainable travel in the locality.

Policy Statement RP 4.8

Where an exceptional circumstance is not met by an existing permit provision, a provisional permit to meet this need may be issued at the discretion of Southampton City Council. Requests of this nature will be judged on their own merits and will be subject to review.

Southampton City Council will remove the right to permits from any user where it is found that permits have been misused.

Enforcement

Whilst the Council encourages all road users to comply with highway regulations, it is accepted that the level of compliance is increased and sustained through enforcement. The aims of the Council’s parking enforcement team are therefore to:

• Enforce parking restrictions in a fair and consistent manner for the benefit of all parking users
• Provide safe parking places with clear markings and signage
• Keep streets clear to enable smooth traffic flow and protect public safety

In order to cover the parking regulations across the city, patrols are organised to provide both geographical coverage as well as relating the frequency of coverage to the level of contravention. The Council publishes an Annual Report covering the operation and performance of its Civil Parking Enforcement.

Policy Statement RP 5.1

Southampton City Council will carry out regular enforcement of parking restrictions in residential areas and have powers to issue a Penalty Charge Notice to any vehicle in breach of the parking restrictions.

If evidence of a persistent/recurring parking offence is received, Southampton City Council will allocate resources accordingly to resolve the issue.

Permit abuse and cancellation

It is recognised that a minority of residents and other permit holders may misuse the permits that they have been allocated. The Council will actively investigate any reported instances of permit abuse and will subsequently take appropriate action.

Policy Statement RP 5.2

Southampton City Council will cancel and/or withdraw permits in a range of circumstances including:

• if the qualifying criteria is no longer met;
• permits are misused by the permit holder or their visitors;
• permits are given to other non-qualifying drivers;
• permits are expired;
• payment is not cleared;
• Enforcement or other Council staff are subject to any form of intimidation, verbal abuse,or violent behaviour.

Further access to resident/visitor permits may be blocked to those properties/users/groups where misuse has occurred. The length of the ban will be at the discretion of Southampton City Council.

Sustainable transport initiatives – introduction

Sustainable transport initiatives which change the restrictions/allocation of kerbside space will be supported, such as replacing on-street car parking space with bike share docking stations or community parklets which provide on-street seating and planting for community use. This is in line with the goals of the Local Transport Plan (LTP4) to make Southampton an attractive and liveable place to improve people’s quality of life, so that travel is safe, and everyone has inclusive access to transport regardless of their circumstances. It also supports the goal of helping people in changing the way they move around the city, by widening their travel choices so they can get around actively and healthily. Requests for such schemes will be considered as with any requests for changes to parking / waiting restrictions in residential areas, as detailed in this document. Funding for such schemes would usually need to be funded independently, e.g., Bike Share docking station infrastructure would need to be funded by the bike share provider, or through a separate agreement with the council. Community Parklet projects would need to be funded by the community requesting them or considered as part of a separately funded transport scheme (such as an Active Travel Zone) through engagement with the local community.

Policy Statement RP 6.1

Southampton City Council will support the reallocation of kerbside space in favour of sustainable transport initiatives, such as shared mobility schemes (e.g., for Bike/ E-scooter hire docking stations), community parklets or car club schemes.

All schemes would be subject to available funding and to the requisite Traffic Regulation Order and consultation.

Example

Bike Share Schemes – Vehicle parking replaced with bike share docking bays (London)

Unadopted highway

Certain roads are “unadopted”, which means that they are not maintained at the public expense (the landowners are therefore responsible for maintenance). Current Council practice is not to propose parking regulations on roads that are unadopted. Parking in a private road without permission or a legal right to do so may be trespassing and is a civil wrong for which redress may be obtained. Residents are advised to take their own legal advice in these circumstances.

Vehicle crossovers

With increasing demand for on-street parking residents may wish to create or extend an area of off-road parking on their property, for which a vehicle crossover is required. This means that the kerbs are dropped from their normal height and the pavement or verge is strengthened to take the weight of the vehicle crossing it. It is not legal for vehicles to drive over a pavement or verge unless a vehicle crossover has been authorised and installed. This is because vehicles may otherwise damage the pavement or any pipes or cables that are buried underneath it. Planning permission is required if the vehicle crossover is to be installed on a Classified Road and may be required for creating an extensive area of hard standing over a garden area. The removal of garden walls and gardens in conservations areas may also be restricted. Otherwise, further details and costs are available through the application process outlined on the council website.

Related documentation

The legal regulations, permit charges and rules applying to resident parking schemes will be stipulated in a Traffic Order(s), available on request from the Council.The required documentation and any other relevant terms and conditions are stipulated in the relevant application forms for permits, dropping crossing, bar markings and disabled person’s parking bays.A guide for residents on how permit parking schemes operate, current scheme criteria, and how communities may request such schemes will also be available from the Council.The Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides more detail on how the Council will apply the contents of existing Core Strategy policies and other policies in the determination of planning applications for residential and non-residential developments