titlepage/contents pg 1-16 - British Parking Association

70 Chapter 6fee, or as lessees. Where a localauthority owns the freehold of acar park and has leased it to aprivate operator they may retainsome control over setting oftariffs, in order to ensure that it ismanaged in accordance withstated policies. The importantpoint is that decisions aboutownership and management ofcar parks should be taken withreference first to strategictransport and planningobjectives. The question offinancial viability also comes intothis and it may be better toengage in private/public sectorpartnerships over how car parksare provided and operated.Changing the amount ofparkingThe Parking Strategy shouldindicate the total amount ofparking that is appropriate in thetown or city centre, or at otherlocations that attract trips.Changes in the total amount willneed to be managed through acombination of active projects(such as the building of a newcar park, the removal of an oldone, or a reduction of on-streetspace), and through exploitingopportunities as they arisethrough development orredevelopment. When there ispressure for redevelopment, theStrategy should indicate whethermore or less parking should beprovided in the new scheme.The Strategy may also include apolicy of changing the relativeproportion of different types ofparking, for example:●●Reducing the proportion ofparking outside localauthority influence;Reducing the proportion ofparking available to all-daycommuters; and● Reducing the proportion ofparking accommodated onsurface car parks, or onstreet.The implementation of the offstreetparking arrangements ofthe strategy must, therefore, takeaccount of all aspects of parkingin the area concerned.Incentives for changesto private parkingA large proportion of the totalstock of parking in town and citycentres comprises parkingprovided within office and otherdevelopments whose use isavailable only to those who areinvited to do so by the owner oroccupier.The presence of thisparking severely limits the abilityof the local authority to manageparking to meet planning andtransport objectives. To ensurethat the full potential of a parkingstrategy is achieved, it will benecessary to adopt a policy ofreducing, over time, the amountand proportion of parking that isoutside the local authority’scontrol or influence.Local authorities should,therefore, establish appropriatepolicies and use opportunities toreduce the proportion of carparking that lies outside theirsphere of influence. There maybe incentives that can be appliedor offered to the owners of suchcar parks to encourage theirconversion or redevelopment formore productive uses. Suchincentives might include, forexample:●●Owners and occupiers canbe offered alternativepremises within the contextof a redevelopment orregeneration scheme thatare more accessible by noncarmodes (ie, land swapdeals);The local Development Plancan indicate where planningapplicationsforredevelopment will beencouraged, includingexisting developments withexcessive private parking;and● Workplace Parking Chargescould provide an indirectincentive for the moreintensive and productive useof private parking space.Local authorities should alsoreview the use and potential oftheir own car parking in this light.