We’re in the middle of a Parking Permits consultation during which citizens are asked to comment about new proposals for how B&NES manages controls for on-street parking.
Amongst the plans are introducing emissions-based charging for permits and seperate permit arrangements for trade, visitors, medical & social care and hotel, guest house & holiday let permits.
Find out more about how you can comment via https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/parking-permits-consultation-april-2021
Meanwhile, Bath resident Sally Galsworthy has decided she wants to share her views with Bath Newseum and here is what she has sent me.
“B&NES latest Parking Consultation is all about raising revenue.
It does not tackle the real issue – which is increasing pressure on space for street parking for households who do not have the luxury of a private space – and a Council that hands out permits like confetti.
I carried out a survey in Zone 10 (Bathwick Estate) which revealed that resident parking permits are made available to everyone in the Zone – regardless of whether they had private parking spaces.
It was a comprehensive survey of all the streets in the Zone. The most badly affected streets were Powlett Road, Forester Ave and Rockcliffe Road. The latter has 57 houses without private parking and must park on street.
The council has failed so far to respond to my FOIs asking when B&NES last undertook a survey of the on-street space available for resident parking for those who are unable to have their own space. A conservation area that would be destroyed if everyone dug up their front garden.
The results showed that the majority of houses in the Zone did have access to at least one private space and many had up to four spaces.
The unfairness revealed was that everybody in the Zone was entitled to two residents permits plus visitors hours regardless.
Houses built since 2006 are not entitled to a permit. The flats built in the 1960s provide a garage plus spaces for each flat. However, the garages are now compromised being too small for modern cars. Cars have increased in size by 20 % in the last decade in length and width.
For everyone who has no parking space of their own l estimate that the minimum on-street space needed for one car per household was enough to accommodate 146 cars. This is not including any allowance for trade vehicles, disabled or visitors.
I have not yet received word from the Council that they can confirm there is enough on-street space available to meet this need. The Council have admitted 252 permits have been issued for the Zone.
I really urge other areas in Bath to monitor their own parking problems and encourage everyone to look at their plans to include Sundays on permits. We have other things to comment upon. For me there’s parking on pavements, the need to carry out electric charging at home and considering the lack of on-street space which does not get mentioned.”
Thanks for that Sally. People have until the 25th of May to comment.
I’m quite sure you’d find that councils do not have the power to discriminate retrospectively between properties with or without off-street parking. With properties approved since 2006, though, there is likely to have been a restriction included in the planning approval. Councils have to raise revenue, particularly when government support has been slashed, and parking revenue is ring-fenced for transport use. Including an emissions surcharge that may contribute to better air quality for all residents doesn’t seem at all unreasonable.
Everyone wants to make Bath a better place to live but people will choose electric vehicles if they can afford it and if there is somewhere to charge it so natural wastage will achieve this if the infrastructure exists.
Good for you Sally! From Michele G