Agenda item

The Executive RESOLVED that

(i)           the temporary suspension of parking charges in the Pay and Display car parks be lifted on 16 November 2020;

(ii)          the ‘Parking Subsidy’ Season Ticket be sold at £10 per month for all Pay and Display car parks; and

(iii)         authority be delegated to the Executive Head of Business, in consultation with the Business & Transformation Portfolio Holder, is to introduce parking reductions and promotions as and when required.

The Executive considered a report on the reintroduction of parking charges in the Council’s Pay and Display car parks, which had been suspended on 26 March 2020 in response to the Government lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19.It was noted that parking charges in Knoll Road and Main Square Car Parks had been reintroduced on 14 September 2020.

Members were informed that it was proposed to re-introduce the fees and charges for the Council’s Pay & Display Car Parks on 16 November 2020, which would give customers nearly 3 weeks’ notice of the resumption of charges and to arrange new season tickets. Free parking for up to 2 hours and at weekends would be available at Bagshot, Chobham, Burrell Road, and Watchetts Road car parks.

It was advised that the Parking Subsidy Season ticket agreed by the Executive on 23 June 2020 had already been advertised formally on all car parks.

Members were informed that the ongoing impact on market forces by the pandemic would require an increasingly reactive response to parking charges, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas.  The ability, via delegated authority, to implement special discounts swiftly and offers to encourage visitors to commercial centres on certain days per week would make this possible.

RESOLVED that

(i)        the temporary suspension of parking charges in the Pay and Display car parks be lifted on 16 November 2020;

(ii)      the ‘Parking Subsidy’ Season Ticket be sold at £10 per month for all Pay and Display car parks; and

(iii)     authority be delegated to the Executive Head of Business, in consultation with the Business & Transformation Portfolio Holder, to introduce parking charge reductions and promotions as and when required.