RESOLVED:

1.      That the responses made during the formal consultation process alongside any further references and considerations raised by the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel be considered.

2.      That further to the consultation process, the proposed charges set out in appendix 7 of the Cabinet report, including the following amendments, be agreed:

                       i.        Controlled Parking Zones: VNE, VNS, VN, VQ, VSW, VSW1, and VSW2, be re-categorised from Tier 1 to Tier 2 (as set out in Appendices 7 d & e of the Cabinet report)

                      ii.        That off street car parking charges in Queens Road Wimbledon and St Georges car park are reduced from the current £3 flat rate fee from 6.00pm to 11 pm to a £2 flat fee (as set out  in Appendix 7 b of the Cabinet report).

                     iii.        The proposed charges for on street parking in appendix 7 (a) of the Cabinet report are approved.

                     iv.        The proposed charges for off street parking in appendix 7 (b) of the Cabinet report are approved.

                      v.         The proposed charges for Permits set out in appendix 7 (c-f) of the Cabinet report are approved.

3.             That authority be delegated to the Director of Environment and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Housing and Transport, to finalise any operational matters in relation to the implementation of the proposals set out in the Cabinet report.

4.             That the changes are introduced with effect from 1st September 2019, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and the Environment presented the report which set out a strategic approach to parking charges.  He thanked the officers involved in the development of the policy and detailed the rationale for the review, which had followed a recommendation in the Council’s Air Quality Action Plan, agreed in 2018, to review parking charges as a tool to tackle poor air quality in the borough.  Respondents to the consultation as part of the review had agreed that tackling poor air quality was a priority.  The issue had recently risen up the national agenda and the Council had approved a cross-party motion to declare a climate emergency at its meeting on 10 July.  The Council had limited levers available to tackle emissions and it was important to maximise those levers to encourage increased use of sustainable transport and a shift away from the most polluting vehicles.  The Council’s Diesel Levy was a way of tackling the latter of the two, and the review of parking charges a way of tackling the former.

The Cabinet Member addressed the criticism around fairness and why proposed charges were higher in certain areas of the Borough.  The PTAL rating used to determine levels was an appropriate tool, currently used in assessing the accessibility of public transport in determining planning applications.  Often a high PTAL rating would result in some developments being car free due to having better transport links.  Following the consultation, several zones in Wimbledon had been reclassified following the a review of their PTAL ratings.

The Cabinet Member advised that this policy was just one part of a wider package of measures that the Council was undertaking, including work being done to tackle idling, the establishment of a clean air zone in Wimbledon town centre, and working with TfL to encourage the introduction of cleaner buses.  The Leader of the Council would be writing to TfL to press for more urgency on this last point.  However the Cabinet Member was open to hearing from colleagues on additional measures which could be considered.

The Cabinet Member went on to address the points made in the Scrutiny reference report.  In relation to transport accessibility, officers were currently talking to TfL on improving step free access across the borough, which the Cabinet Member for Equalities had raised as one of her priorities at the Council meeting on 10 July.  The most recent Residents’ Survey had showed that residents do rate the current public transport provision in the Borough.

In respect of the impact on the elderly, the Cabinet Member drew the Cabinet’s attention to the comprehensive Equality Impact Assessment which had been undertaken.  He and the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Housing and Transport had asked officers to look at work being done by other boroughs on this issue.  There were currently a range of measures to address and this would continue to be kept under review should the proposals be agreed. 

In respect of the additional evidence requested, the Cabinet Member advised that further work had been carried out since the proposals had first been considered by the Scrutiny Panel in the new year and the recommendation to review the results of the proposals would enable the Council to make minor changes if needed.  The measure of success would be decreased air pollution and improved public health, both of which would take some time to become apparent.  The Cabinet Member welcomed the suggestion made by the Scrutiny Panel to use TfL data to track public transport usage and this would also be used to monitor impact.  On the point made in respect of sustainable travel, the Cabinet Member advised that there was much work underway to address this, including a proposal to introduce floating car clubs, cycle way improvements and looking into the feasibility of a dockless cycle scheme.

At the invitation of the Chair, the Director of Environment and Regeneration reminded Members of their Public Sector Equality Duty, that all public bodies must prevent discrimination and have due regard to the need to consider and apply fairness and equality in carrying out their functions, particularly when making decisions or formulating policy.   He drew Members attention to the updated Equality Impact Assessment (EIA), which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, which contained an analysis of the impact of the proposals on those with protected characteristics under the Equalities Act following a comprehensive consultation process.

The EIA demonstrated both positive, in terms of improved air quality and public health, and negative impacts to some groups in particular those with a disability, socio-economic and pregnancy and maternity.  However in light of the mitigation measures set out in the EIA, the impact was assessed to be low and proportionate to the legitimate aim of the policy.  Although the EIA had not identified a potential negative impact on the elderly, it was acknowledged that elderly people were more likely to have mobility issues and the EIA referred to mitigation measures already in place or planned.

The Director drew the Cabinet’s attention to the Improvement Plan at section 5 of the EIA which set out actions and timescales proposed to be undertaken, including arrangements for free parking for Blue Badge holders in certain bays, dedicated disabled bays and free carer permits.  Although residents over 60 qualified for free public transport, it was acknowledged that some of the stations in the Borough were not step free and this was also identified as an issue in the pregnancy and maternity category.  Therefore, the Council would continue to lobby both Network Rail and TfL for improvements.  It should be noted that the proposals were complimentary to a number of measures already either underway or planned and if approved, the policy would be kept under review and representatives of the affected groups would be consulted with to assess ongoing impact and consider further mitigation.  Adjustments would be brought forward for Members’ consideration as appropriate.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member and the Director for their presentations.  As the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Housing and Transport, he reiterated that one of the aims of the policy was to promote more sustainable forms of transport and the Council would continue to lobby TfL for improvements and funding similar to that awarded to Kingston under the “Mini-Holland” cycle scheme.

In response to questions from the Cabinet, the Director advised that Merton was broadly comparable with the rest of London in terms of air quality, with no area of London having particularly good air quality although there were hot spots where air quality had been especially poor, the example being Putney High Street which had been improved to a limited extent by the measures put in place there.

The Chair thanked all the officers involved from across the Council.  He reiterated the climate emergency which the Council was duty bound to address and moved to the recommendations and it was

RESOLVED:

1.    That the responses made during the formal consultation process alongside any further references and considerations raised by the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel be considered.

2.    That further to the consultation process, the proposed charges set out in appendix 7 of the Cabinet report, including the following amendments, be agreed:

                       i.        Controlled Parking Zones: VNE, VNS, VN, VQ, VSW, VSW1, and VSW2, be re-categorised from Tier 1 to Tier 2 (as set out in Appendices 7 d & e of the Cabinet report)

                      ii.        That off street car parking charges in Queens Road Wimbledon and St Georges car park are reduced from the current £3 flat rate fee from 6.00pm to 11 pm to a £2 flat fee (as set out  in Appendix 7 b of the Cabinet report).

                     iii.        The proposed charges for on street parking in appendix 7 (a) of the Cabinet report are approved.

                     iv.        The proposed charges for off street parking in appendix 7 (b) of the Cabinet report are approved.

                      v.         The proposed charges for Permits set out in appendix 7 (c-f) of the Cabinet report are approved.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Environment and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Housing and Transport, to finalise any operational matters in relation to the implementation of the proposals set out in the Cabinet report.

4.    That the changes are introduced with effect from 1st September 2019, or as soon as practicable thereafter.