Meeting documents

Mark Davis (Parking Manager, Transport for Buckinghamshire) and Ian Thomas (Parking Senior Officer, Transport for Buckinghamshire) to be in attendance.

The Meeting received an extensive and comprehensive presentation by Mr Ian Thomas (Senior Parking Officer – Transport for Buckinghamshire) in respect of On-Street parking and parking on verges in the High Wycombe Town wards.

Members made a number of points and received clarification from Mr Thomas on a number of issues and queries as follows:

·         It was confirmed that County Council parking officers could only enforce where double yellow lines were in place, or single yellow lines were in place but then only during the operational times and where verge-parking restrictions had been made. Only the Police could enforce elsewhere without restrictions.

·         Where verge parking was prohibited in the Wycombe District by a District Council byelaw, County Officers (or to be precise their appointed contractors NSL) did not enforce. The District Solicitor agreed to inform members what parking byelaws were in place.

·         It was confirmed that larger vehicles mini-buses / vans / small lorries were not subject to any additional restrictions than the family car. Further restrictions only related to HGV’s (Heavy Goods Vehicles).

·         Grass-Crete was often a viable option where verge parking was permitted and occurring to prevent grass being cut up and mud ruts being created. Members were welcome to made bids via the County Council’s LAF (Local Area Forum) for such to be considered for viability.

·         Mr Thomas confirmed that Buckinghamshire County Council Parking Services had a rota of visiting schools during school run times; with the current staffing this would take 3 months to visit all the schools across Buckinghamshire. Members could contact NSL on their telephone number if a specific school was experiencing a particular extensive problem, to seek to arrange a prioritised visit by officers.

·         It was confirmed that Buckinghamshire County Council did not utilise CCTV cars, although Reading and Slough Councils did; these were seen as a very efficient and cost effective means of reducing problem parking areas. It was also confirmed that Reading Town unitary area had the same number of parking operatives as BCC had spread across the entire county of Buckinghamshire. Berkshire had effectively 5 times the number of operatives compared with Buckinghamshire.

·         As with the Grass-Crete above, applications for the installation of yellow lines or verge parking restrictions had to be made through the LAF. If BCC funded the project it would only be 50%, match funding being required from the appropriate District or Parish/Town Council; in effect this would mean Wycombe District Council matching the funding.

·         Parking Officers at BCC were happy to scope any planned restriction before implementation to test its viability / practicability.

·         The ownership of land by various parties (in Micklefield certain roads had verges owned by Wycombe DC, Bucks CC and Red Kite Housing) and the issues in gaining the agreement of all parties was noted.

·         Effective residents’ parking schemes with timed permits utilised in Chesham were referred to.

·         Evening/night time enforcement was carried out, but it was more expensive (by darkness operatives have to be paired) so was not carried out as extensively as would be liked.

·         Advertising of cars for sale was permitted individually by members of the public. Businesses could do likewise, but could not advertise more than two vehicles within a specified distance (500 metres). Contravention enforcement was within the remit of the County’s Trading Standards officers.

·         No further particular legislation was available to prevent parking which restricted access to fire hydrants.

·         It was confirmed that in theory parking enforcement might be delegated to a school care-taker but the appropriate training would need to be given and the appropriate uniform worn.

·         Community Infrastructure Levy bids were noted as a possible means of match funding restriction projects put forward by Members.

·         Members queried whether the points and specific locations raised at this evening’s meeting could be referred to County Councillor Mark Shaw (Cabinet Member for Transportation) in respect of the ongoing BCC transportation study. It was however suggested that their site- specific nature made the LAF conduit more appropriate to ensure resolution.

Mr Thomas was thanked for his attendance and his extensive update on these important issues.

A motion to set up a specific Task and Finish Group to investigate and explore parking issues was seconded but on being put to the vote was not passed. It was however agreed that it would be appropriate for the Committee Chairman to write specifically to the LAF listing the issues raised at this meeting. 

RESOLVED That the Committee Chairman write to the Buckinghamshire County Council Local Area Forum outlining the issues in respect of on-street parking and verge parking, raised at this meeting and emphasising the urgency required in resolving them.