Southampton City Council no topic Update

University Hospital Southampton (UHS) Residents Parking Schemes – Decision Update

Following discussions with Ward Councillors and the UHS Travel and Transport Team, the Council has decided to recommence work on residents parking schemes around the hospital, paused for the COVID 19 pandemic. I am therefore writing to advise that the Council has now considered and decided upon the representations, from the public consultation for the five residents parking schemes around the University Southampton Hospital (UHS), advertised in June 2019.

The main points of concern/objection highlighted by respondents were:

• The cost of schemes for residents and revenue benefit to the Council
• The need for the UHS to provide parking and alternative travel facilities for staff
• Whether there is adequate or safe sustainable travel alternatives
• Whether there was community support for a scheme in a locality
• Whether the scheme boundary should have been extended to include other localities, that may be affected by displaced parking
• Whether the permit eligibility and entitlement met resident or business needs
• Whether housing car parks or streets should be included in a scheme without a guaranteed space
• Whether additional or alternative restrictions should have been included in the scheme designs

As part of the review of the representations, project team members met with the Head of Travel and Transport for the UHS, the District Housing Manager and with Ward Councillors to discuss the points raised.

In not upholding general objections to the schemes the Council decided that the charges for parking permits remain very low compared with the cost of car ownership and do not generate net revenue for the Council. The Council also decided that the provisions made by the UHS for on-site prioritised parking, park & ride, park & walk and discounted travel by public transport addressed staff objections to the schemes, as far as it could be reasonably expected.

In respect of concerns over the provision for bus and cycle travel, whilst these objections were not upheld, it was noted that The Department for Transport (DfT) has selected Southampton as one of the cities to receive major funding to boost sustainable travel, as part of the Transporting Cities Fund (link to TCF website). The Council will use this funding to improve journey times by bus and deliver new cycle routes.

Following consideration of the representations for the specific schemes advertised, the outcomes were decided by the Council as follows (plans can be viewed online):

A) Maybush, Coxford & Aldermoor

• The permit restrictions will be introduced over a reduced area, excluding the north-east section, as a new Zone 27.
  
• The no waiting/no waiting at any time restrictions proposed for the whole area will be introduced with some changes.
  
• Any decision on the permit restrictions for the north-east section was deferred.
  
• The proposed restrictions in the Thorndike Road locality will be modified and subject to a supplementary consultation due to concerns raised over the no waiting at any time restrictions.
  
• A number of properties in Olive Road that are located within the existing Zone 7, will transfer to the new Zone 27 when this is introduced.

B) Dunkirk Road/Coxford Road

• The scheme will be introduced as advertised, as part of a new Zone 26.
  
• It is however noted that there remain resident concerns over Sports Centre parking, which will be considered as part of a planned Phase 2 for this scheme in 2021/22, taking into account the proposed development of the Sports Centre.

C) Hollybrook

• The scheme will be introduced over a reduced area excluding the eastern locality, as part of a new Zone 26. The proposals for the eastern locality were withdrawn as they did not address residents’ concerns over the limited amount of on-street parking space for residents and short-term school-related parking.

D) St James Road & Wilton Road

• The scheme will be introduced over a reduced area excluding the southern locality, as part of a new Zone 26. A decision on the proposals for the southern locality was deferred given conflicting views from residents over the need for the permit restrictions and the impact of the associated no waiting at any time restrictions on resident parking.

E) West of Warren Crescent

• The scheme will be introduced, as advertised, as part of Zone 7, with a minor modification in the northern cul-de-sac of Warren Close. Objections to the scheme by residents in Warren Close were not upheld, as it was felt that in isolation the road could be substantially affected by any displaced parking.

It was decided that Housing car parks within these modified scheme areas would be included within the permit scheme, as it provided a means by which any displaced commuter parking could be enforced. Other than in the east of Hollybrook scheme where permit restrictions were withdrawn, the Council decided that most residents would benefit from the scheme, even though it was not possible to guarantee available parking. Where residents, businesses or other service providers raised concerns over their eligibility or entitlement for permits in these scheme areas, the Council decided that this would be a matter for applications for exceptional permit provision, which would then be considered on their individual merits by the Service Manager for Parking.

It is planned for implementation of the new resident parking schemes around the UHS Hospital to commence towards the end of 2020 with completion early in 2021. A further letter will be sent to residents in the new scheme areas to confirm when permits will be available and when this scheme will formally commence.

Deferred restrictions, other localities and additional restrictions

The restrictions subject to a deferred decision could be introduced, as advertised, subject to an Order being made before the prior to the expiry of the proposals on the 13th June 2021. However, with the now delayed implementation timescales, the Council recognises that there may not be sufficient time for new patterns of any displaced parking to become established, together with a consequent community representation and Council decision, for this to be practicable. It is therefore accepted that these localities may need to be revisited in Phase 2 of this project, planned for 2021/2022. This second phase is intended to address any localities, that may have issues with UHS-related parking, together with a review of the boundary of Zone 7.

In the interim, it is intended to propose restrictions to address obstructive parking in Seagarth Lane (at its south-eastern end) and on Luccombe Road (approaching its junction with Winchester Road) later this year.

Respondents to the consultation highlighting concerns or objections will receive a further communication confirming the Notice(s) of Making for the Order(s) and the subsequent 6 week period for appeal to the High Court.
Otherwise I would like to thank everyone for their contributions.

Further information
For enquiries regarding this project: please email us.