Alternative ideas

THE council increased charges as a way of avoiding cuts in public service standards. Income has been broadly in line with expectations with the same numbers of people visiting the city centre, but many more now arriving by public transport than in the past.

Some businesses in the city centre have been facing difficult trading conditions, although there have also been similar reports from some locations on the ring road where parking is not an issue.

Some types of business are doing well, despite external pressures, not least the increasing dominance of a limited number of supermarket chains on the retail market. Those local business owners who have talked with the council over the last few weeks have agreed that the economic prosperity of the city centre will depend on the careful management of a wide variety of influences.

Initiatives will have to be taken by the council to formalise communications with the current disparate groups which represent parts of the commercial sector in the city.

The appointment, by the business community, of a city centre director may provide the opportunity for a more co-ordinated approach, while important development opportunities in the Piccadilly area will offer the chance to invest in improvements to the choice of shopping in the city centre.

There are other options for helping the council to balance its books. If the city were to receive a fairer grant deal from central government, then the pressure on charges would be reduced.

The lifting of the council tax capping threat would also provide residents with another option for funding local services. Many will feel that a more fundamental reform is required (see web site http://www.axethetax.org/)

But York is already the lowest spending unitary authority in the country, per head of population, so efficiency economies, which do not adversely affect service standards, are that bit more difficult to find. We are therefore grateful to those traders who are supporting our request for co-operation - for example - by increasing the amount of cardboard that is recycled from their premises.

So what can we do to make the city centre more competitive and attractive for those who access it?

A range of improvements have been suggested to traffic management arrangements, and these will be picked up as part of the current consultation on the new Local Transport Plan (http://www.york.gov.uk/transport/ - top).

Ideas include more effective enforcement of, and extensions to, the foot street areas, refinements to Park&Ride bus routes and better coach drop-off points.

The council will, however, want to sustain the increased use of public transport that we have seen recently, while encouraging more people to cycle and walk - for environmental reasons.

We will also look at whether the council's £1 million a year economic development budget is focused on the right activities.

However, most comment has, of course, concentrated on city centre car parking issues and those listed below seem to be the options for change which could be both practical and affordable during the next few months.

Evening Parking Charges: It is clear from discussions and correspondence that most people are concerned about evening car parking issues. Although our car parks now offer higher standards and are now covered by 24-hour CCTV, there are concerns about security in some streets. Many feel that the additional cost between 6pm and 9pm could deter people from a "night out" in the city - particularly affecting entertainment industries like the theatre, cinema and restaurants, as well as some voluntary groups. One response would be to introduce a flat-rate fee covering the period 6pm to 8.30am, with a discount for residents. Such a charge might apply both at surface-level car parks and at street meters. Another option would be to have a scratch card which could be purchased, at a discount, as part of a night-out package.

Frequent User Passes: Others have said that the range of discounts available - such as the frequent-user pass - are not sufficiently attractive nor have they been well advertised. Suggestions include extending the pass availability to start at 5pm and to include Sundays. Additional discounts could be made available to the voluntary sector, perhaps by the introduction of some sort of permit system.

Park&Ride: There is a demand to trial a late-night Park&Ride service to cater for those who want to spend the whole day in the city and then take in a theatre or restaurant. Some additional evening links to Park&Ride sites might be provided using existing stage carriage services (Note - the Park&Ride service is provided on contract by First York and is not subsidised by the council other than for late night services).

Yellow Lines: Opinions have varied regarding on-street parking, with some feeling that, in the conservation area, the absence of cars improves the streetscape and makes emergency access easier. Many disabled people with "blue badges" now find it easier to find a parking spot close to amenities. Others feel that these advantages are outweighed by being able to park as close as possible to a restaurant - which is more convenient for both staff and customers.

Parking Meters: The range and scale of parking meter charges have been criticised by some, with the "20p for 30 minutes" option, currently in operation in Micklegate, seeming to have the most support from traders (assuming that some form of charge is to be retained). Some would prefer to have meter parking extended to additional roads where parking is currently banned altogether.

Day-time parking: In the daytime, many feel that off-street charges should be rationalised with the need to distinguish between medium and long-stay parks no longer being appropriate. The council has already abolished the maximum stay at car parks after 3pm. Traders generally favour a move to "pay on exit", with the introduction of flexible payment methods such as credit card and mobile phone. Such changes are possible, but would be time-consuming and expensive to introduce.

Resident discounts: Many council taxpayers clearly feel that our visitors should contribute through higher charges to the upkeep of the city. Our four million visitors each year are very welcome, but they do put a strain on street services, such as cleansing, and make no direct contribution towards paying for wear and tear (business rates are paid to central government). A differential tariff for local residents exists through the Minster badge scheme. It perhaps needs to be relaunched - possibly using smart card technology - an option which could be extended to access other discount benefits.

As I announced last week, we want to publish our response to the suggestions that have been made by residents in time for any changes to be agreed at the council's executive meeting on September 28.

For legal reasons, some changes must be subject to a traffic order process, which means that a further six to eight weeks would elapse before changes could be made on the street.

I want to give interested parties a further two weeks in which to respond in writing to the council if they feel that there are other changes that should be considered. We can take as read that there are some people who would prefer to see no car parking charges at all, but our community's income for this source is equivalent to an 11 per cent increase in council tax - an alternative which central government would, in any event, not permit.

If you feel that there are other options which should be considered, or have any observations on alternative ways in which you feel the council could either reduce its expenditure or increase its income, please write to the Chief Executive (car parking consultation), City of York Council, Guildhall, YORK, YO1 9QN, or email to transport.planning@york.gov.uk by Friday, August 13. We would expect to publish the council's proposals on Friday, September 17.

Updated: 11:07 Tuesday, August 03, 2004