MONTHLY ROUND-UP BPA ACTIVITIES
A league table showing the different costs of parking throughout the UK does not take into account local needs or demands and the quality of the parking provided. It also ignores the important role that public transport can play in improving town centre accessibility. Evidence shows that drivers place a higher priority on parking availability than on parking price, although price is an important tool, both in ensuring availability and in reducing the amount of ‘searching’ traffi c. Searching traffi c creates congestion as well as pollution and benefi ts nobody. Free parking, where demand exceeds supply, will make town centres less attractive, not more.
New technologies can be used to underpin good management of town centre parking, but we must ensure this technology is used for the benefi t of everyone? ‘Putting the consumer at the heart of your thinking’ is a key strand of the BPA Master Plan, alongside ensuring that new technology is easy to use and fi t for purpose. I can think of numerous examples where I’ve been confused, frustrated or simply annoyed at the way in which some parking technologies are deployed with no apparent regard for consumer needs.
VIEW FROM THE TOP
The ATCM says this in its Policy Statements for Improving the Parking Experience: ‘There is no such thing as free parking. There is always a cost to someone, somewhere. The provision of totally free town centre parking for all town centre users is impossible. Not only that, but local authorities depend on the money from municipal parking. ‘At the same time, councils need to recognise the fundamental requirement for safe and affordable parking to encourage people back into shops and other town centre facilities by using Park Mark and the Safer Parking Schemes. If there are charges, some income should be ring-fenced to benefi t town users and businesses as appropriate.’
Chancing it
I recently had cause to visit the dentist. I deliberately choose early morning appointments – 8.15am in this case. The on-street parking restrictions started at 8.00am and signs indicated payment was required at the pay- and-display machine. I use the word ‘machine’ singularly, deliberately. There was only one machine; unhelpfully it was out of order, but the display advised me that I should pay at a nearby machine! Which one? In fact, there wasn’t one anywhere in that street. There was one in the retail car park opposite, but the tariff was different, and so was the operator. Should I take a chance? I can see the headline now – ‘Director at BPA gets parking ticket!’ No, I wouldn’t take a chance, and so I moved my car to another place two streets away where I was confi dent that I could comply with rules. How is this serving the consumer? I’m not advocating two pay-and-display machines at every parking place, but if I’m expected to pay, then it shouldn’t be too diffi cult, or nearly impossible. I wonder if the pay-and-display machine was programmed to accept the new 10p coins? I’ll fi nd out next time.
Driving Value in Process Improvement
• On-line application processing • Mobile enforcement • Permit processing • Enforcement processing • Internet payments • Appeals and correspondence handling • Pay per use so no up-front costs • You retain all ticket revenue
See how we can help you efficiently manage and enforce your car parking space
Call: 01604 696 800 Visit:
www.workflowdynamic.com or email:
admin@workflowdynamic.com
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