South Lakeland District Council Parking Policy

General

Civil Parking Enforcement

• Being consistent with the national and county guidelines and to embrace the provisions contained in the County Council’s Local Transport Plan.
  
• Helping to maintain and, where possible, improve the flow of traffic thereby making the district a more pleasant and environmentally safe place to live and visit.
  
• Improving the quality and accessibility of public transport by discouraging the use of cars where road conditions and public transport facilities justify this. Once again encouraging a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
  
• Striving to improve the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities and other road users by dealing with dangerous and indiscriminate parking and by encouraging responsible parking.  This will ensure that the district remains accessible to all equally and safely.
  
• Helping to safeguard the needs of local residents, shops and businesses, including drivers making deliveries or collecting goods.
  
• Taking into account the requirements of local residents, shops and businesses thereby sustaining the district’s economic growth.
  
• Actively supporting the needs of people with disabilities bearing in mind that, in some cases, they are unable to use public transport and are entirely dependent upon the use of a car.
  
• Monitoring the effectiveness and value of parking controls, so that parking provision becomes more responsive to the public’s needs.
  
• Helping to address the particular needs of people with disabilities.
  
• Ensuring that car parks are available for use by motorists and not impeded by vehicles illegally parked.
  
• Maintaining a “first-line” appeals system that is acceptable to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal and operates under the SLDC/CCC Guidance notes for the enforcement and cancellation of Penalty Charge Notices (PCN)

Car Parks

Maintenance of Car Parks

• The Council will put in place measures to maintain and improve the use and condition of its existing car parks
  
• The Council will continue to explore new opportunities to cater for specific and seasonal demands and seek to work in partnership with other organisations at weekends and during holidays
  
• The District and County Council, in line with the County Council’s Local Transport Plan, will look for suitable opportunities for small scale and informal “park and walk” and “park and ride” sites on the edges of towns and villages.
  
• The Council will seek to increase the amount of short-stay space in its car parks (up to 3 hrs) and to look at ways of reducing long-stay parking in town centres whilst working in parallel with the County Council to secure out of town long-stay facilities
  
• The Local Authorities will look for opportunities to improve access and sign-posting to car parks – particularly where it will avoid an approach via busy shopping and pedestrian streets

• The Council will carry out an annual review of the car parks and where appropriate set out proposals in a Business Plan for resurfacing, improving lighting and security, boundary treatments and landscaping, sign-posting and interpretation, upgrading ancillary facilities and pay machines.
  
• A proportion of the annual income from car parks will be set aside for their necessary upkeep and improvement.

• The Council will increase its car parking tariffs in line with the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.
  
• The Council will not introduce increases to car parking tariffs to a level to discourage the use of cars in the short-term.  However, this approach will be reviewed when attractive alternative ways of travelling into towns are available in line with Government policy on integrated transport systems.
  
• The Council does not intend to raise additional funds from Car Parking Charges to promote public transport services locally.
  
• Car parking tariffs will be set at levels that are competitive with neighbouring towns and cities, but which do not act to suppress the local economy.  The defined short stay period of three hours will continue, to encourage shoppers and visitors to stay longer in town centres.
  
• Free car parking provision will normally be limited to five Sundays in the run up to the Christmas Holiday period.
  
• Annual permits will remain available for purchase.

• Standard Annual Parking Permits will be issued and registered against a specific vehicle registration.  They will not be transferable.
  
• A transferable permit will be available at additional cost enabling it to be transferred between two registered vehicles providing added flexibility.
  
• A business permit (which can be transferred between several vehicles) will be available at an additional cost.
  
• The Council may employ additional seasonal staff to assist in the effective operation of its car parks.
  
• The Council will endeavour to pool its staff resources with other car park operators to assist with management and enforcement issues.
  
• The Council will organise/participate in a Car Park Officers Forum to discuss a partnership approach to the management and operation of car parks in South Lakeland and throughout Cumbria.

1. Existing and predicted levels of demand for parking
2. The availability and pricing of both on and off-street parking
3. The nature and extent of on-street parking restrictions
4. The accuracy and quality of existing signs, plates and carriageway markings
5. The levels of compliance that South Lakeland District Council considers to be acceptable and the level of enforcement necessary to achieve them
6. The views of Cumbria Police, Cumbria County Council and other interested persons
7. The provision of suitable parking facilities for disabled people
8. The provision of suitable parking facilities for cyclists and motorcyclists
9. Consideration of the Council’s overall aims with regard to the environment, fear of  crime within the district and the sustained economic growth of the district.