Bridgend County Borough Council Bridgend County Borough Council Blue badge parking consultation Consultation document Date of issue: 9 November 2015 Action required: Responses by 7 December 2015 Tel: (01656) 643 664 Email: consultation@bridgend.gov.uk Web: www.bridgend.gov.uk/consultation www.bridgend.gov.uk Contents Overview ................................................................................................................. 3 Background and information ................................................................................... 4 Proposal ................................................................................................................. 5 Impact of the proposal ............................................................................................ 6 The consultation process ........................................................................................ 6 How to respond....................................................................................................... 6 Appendix................................................................................................................. 7 www.bridgend.gov.uk 2 Overview Bridgend Data protection County Borough Council invites you to share your views on the How we use the views and information you share with us. proposal to charge the same price to all members of the public in council-run pay and display car parks – including blue badge holders. As part of the proposal blue badge holders will also be provided with an additional hour free of charge on top of the time that they pay for as well as an increase in All responses received by Bridgend County Borough Council will be seen in full by its staff members involved in the consultation process. The information may also be seen by other departments within the council or Local Service Board members to help improve upon the services provided. allocated blue-badge bays. The council information How to respond may also gathered to use the publish subsequent documents both directly This consultation period will begin on and indirectly linked to this consultation, the 9 November 2015 and close on the however the council will never disclose 7 December 2015. any personal information such as names or addresses that could identify You can respond or ask further an individual. questions in the following ways: If you do not wish for your opinions to Tel: (01656) 642 512 be publicised, please state so in your Email: Parking@bridgend.gov.uk response. Online: Click here or visit: www.bridgend.gov.uk/Consultation Related documents Post: Communications, Marketing and Engagement, Bridgend County Borough Council, Raven’s Court, Wing 3, Brewery Lane, Bridgend, CF31 4AP. Alternative formats are also available upon request. For more information on consultations in Bridgend County Borough or how to join our Citizens’ Panel. Visit: www.bridgend.gov.uk/Consultation www.bridgend.gov.uk/CitizensPanel www.bridgend.gov.uk 3 Background and information On 31 March 2015, a report was submitted to Cabinet which proposed changes to the current free parking scheme for blue badge holders in council-run pay and display car parks. People living with severe mobility problems are entitled to receive a blue badge. Blue badges are provided by councils throughout the UK to allow the holder to park closer to their destination. At present, the blue badge scheme in Bridgend County Borough includes: ► Reserved spaces for blue badge holders in off-street car parks in convenient locations; ► Guidance on the proportion of disabled parking spaces within new parking facilities; ► On-street parking provision in town centre locations; ► The ability to park on double yellow lines for up to three hours, as long as no obstruction is caused; ► The shopmobility scheme operated within Bridgend town centre. The cost of providing this scheme is paid for by the council. The authority issues approximately 3,500 blue badges each year. For a full list of council run facilities visit: ‘C’ for ‘car parks’ at www.bridgend.gov.uk or alternatively visit: www1.bridgend.gov.uk/services/highways/transport-and-roads-home/car-parks.aspx Bridgend County Borough Council is mindful that providing the blue badge scheme helps with independence of those receiving the service and as such have proposed two enhancements to what is currently provided for blue badge holders. This includes: ► An additional hour of parking free of charge on top of the time blue badge holders pay for; ► Additional disabled parking bays which will meet the recommended standard of disabled spaces (6 per cent of the total spaces) in council-run car parks. www.bridgend.gov.uk 4 The tables below shows where the new disabled spaces would be introduced, in total an additional 45 places have been proposed: Bridgend Car park Location Disabled spaces Current Proposed (+/-) The new Rhiw car park - 15 15 0 Bowls hall Near Bridgend Life Centre 2 6 +4 Leisure pool Behind Bridgend Life Centre 0 3 +3 Brackla 1 Multi story facility near Asda 5 24 +19 Brackla 3 Near Wilkinson 4 8 +4 Tondu Road Brewery field car park 5 7 +2 Tremains Road Near Coity castle pub 3 3 0 Car park Location Disabled spaces Current Proposed (+/-) John Street Behind Porthcawl museum 6 10 +4 Hillsboro Opposite salt lake car park 12 21 +9 Porthcawl Council’s budget consultation results 2014 In November 2014, the council consulted with its residents regarding the proposed budget cuts from central government. As part of the consultation 58 per cent of respondents supported the introduction of a parking charge for blue badge holders in council operated off-street car parks. This was the most supported proposal for income generation beside ‘introduction of a charge for pest control’. Proposal It is proposed that the council charge the same price to all members of the public in council-run pay and display car parks – including blue badge holders. Under the proposal blue badge holders will receive an additional hour free of charge on top of the time that they pay for. It is also proposed to provide an increase of 45 blue-badge parking spaces to meet the recommended standard of disabled spaces. www.bridgend.gov.uk 5 Impact of the proposal An initial Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) screening will be completed ready for when the consultation is live and will be reviewed following conclusion of this consultation (appendix 1.0). If the proposal were to be introduced, approximately seven pay-and-display machines would need to be replaced to meet Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) standards in addition to amending the relevant traffic order and signage. The consultation process Projected timetable for procedure and proposal implementation Activity Date Response deadline 7 December 2015 Report to Cabinet on the outcomes of the consultation January 2016 Potential implementation January 2016 The outcomes of the consultation (which will be incorporated into the proposal to the report where possible) will be reported to the Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council. If there is a decision not to proceed, that will be the end of this proposal and an alternative proposal may be sought. If the proposal is accepted by Cabinet the earliest the change will come into effect in January 2016. How to respond This consultation period will begin on the 9 November 2015 and close on the 7 December 2015. You can respond or ask further questions in the following ways: Post: Communications, Marketing and Engagement, Bridgend County Borough Council, Raven’s Court, Wing 3, Brewery Lane, Bridgend, CF31 4AP Tel: (01656) 642 512 Email: Parking@bridgend.gov.uk Online: Click here Alternative formats are also available upon request. www.bridgend.gov.uk 6 Appendix Appendix 1.0 - Equality Impact Assessments (EIA). Initial screening Full EIA to be completed after 7 December 2015. www.bridgend.gov.uk 7