Bridgnorth residents' parking workshops (stage 2 informal consultation)

Proposal

Businesses and residents in Bridgnorth have been invited to attend a drop-in session to find out more about on-street parking schemes.

An online consultation was held in May and June this year, as the first stage in gathering residents' views on the town's parking schemes. Now, face-to-face events will be held in Bridgnorth Library where new and proposed changes to the town's parking schemes will be on display.

Members of the public are now encouraged to drop in, have a look, and offer their comments.

Richard Marshall, Shropshire Council's cabinet member with responsibility for parking, said:

“In response to concerns about parking congestion we're giving consideration to the introduction and revision of a number of residents' on-street preferential parking schemes in Bridgnorth.

“Our parking team and local councillors carried out a review of the residents' parking schemes in Bridgnorth in an attempt to make improvements to the various schemes currently operating - and we are now gathering the views of local residents and businesses through our recent consultation.

“Now we really want people to see the proposed changes, ask questions and tell us what they think - whether it's at one of these drop-in events, or on our website."

Drop-in dates

Bridgnorth West and Tasley Division

Monday 5 December 2pm - 9pm and Tuesday 6 December 9am - midday.

East and West Castle Street
Railway Street
King's Loade
Underhill Street

Bridgnorth East and Astley Abbotts Division

Monday 12 December 2pm - 9pm and Tuesday 13 December 9am - midday.

St Leonard's Steps,
St Leonard's Close
Listley Street and St Mary's Street
Cartway and Friar's Street
Riverside
Southwell Riverside
King Charles Way and Abbotts Way
Severn Street
Wardle Close

At each session people will be able to speak to the relevant Shropshire councillors for their divisions and Shropshire Council officers.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, it's hoped that any new and revised parking schemes will be advertised as part of a formal traffic regulation order consultation in spring 2023.

Background information

A residents' parking scheme is usually provided as a means to help residents park their vehicles within a reasonable distance of their home, where vehicles not belonging to residents are making this difficult.

For any scheme to be considered there needs to be formal recognition of an observable and persistent problem. Therefore, before any scheme proposal can be implemented it's essential that support at a local level is obtained, before progressing to wider consultation. We're now seeking the views of residents within the proposed scheme areas.

How does a residents parking scheme work?

Residents within a scheme area are able to purchase a permit to enable them to park within a residents' parking zone and/or designated residents' parking bay without restriction within a reasonable distance to their home.

Possession of a residents' parking permit doesn't guarantee a parking space. Vehicles without a permit will continue to be able to gain access for purposes of loading and unloading, and blue badge holders will also be able to continue to park without restriction.

Along with the introduction of any new and revised residents' preferential parking schemes, we'll also be introducing a digital permit system enabling residents to purchase permits. This will allow the customer to make their own changes, for example changes to vehicle details online and over the telephone as and when required.

Permit allocation for each scheme, including a definitive list of properties entitled to permits, is required to be laid down in an appropriate traffic regulation order (TRO).

Enforcement of residents' parking schemes will be carried out by Shropshire Council civil enforcement officers (CEOs).

How many permits are residents entitled to?

When the number of available parking spaces available in any proposed residents' parking scheme is equal to or greater than the number of properties, residents of those properties will be entitled to purchase a maximum of two residents' permits per residential property.

When the number of on-street parking spaces available in any proposed residents parking scheme is less than the number of properties registered, resident permit allocation is normally limited to a maximum of one resident permit per residential property.

A significant factor in many residential areas is that there simply isn't enough available space on-street to accommodate all residents' vehicles. By limiting each residential property to one permit per residential property this will allow all residents equal opportunity to park a vehicle within a reasonable distance of their home.

However, in extreme circumstances where the majority of residential properties support an increase to two permits per residential property, and this is also supported by the Shropshire Council elected member/s, the number of permits made available to each residential property may be increased to two permits per residential property.

Visitor stays may also be allocated to residential properties within a scheme, in which case each registered residential property within the scheme shall be entitled to receive a maximum allocation of up to 200 hours of visitor parking per annum.

How much will permits cost?

With the new scheme proposals residents' parking permits will cost £100 per annum. There is no charge for change of vehicle registered on permits. Visitor stays are allocated to each residential property registered in a scheme. Residents who purchase an annual residents parking permit will also be entitled to receive an allocation of 200 hours' free visitor parking stays per annum.

Residents with a registered residential property in a scheme who don't take up the annual residents' parking permit allocation will still be entitled to receive an allocation of 200 hours' free visitor parking stays per annum. The annual registration cost for this service is £5.

These charges are to cover the operational, maintenance and administration costs of the schemes.

How to get involved

To have your say on the proposed residents' parking scheme for the part of Bridgnorth in which you live or work, just choose from the list of plans showing the extent of each proposed scheme that are attached to this page under the 'Proposal' tab.

This is not a second questionnaire. The workshops will be a face-to-face informal consultations to gauge support for proposals that have been suggested following feedback from the May and June questionnaire.

You can also respond to this consultation in writing:

Email: TellUs@shropshire.gov.uk / traffic.engineering@shropshire.gov.uk

Post: Feedback and Insight Team, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shropshire SY2 6ND

If you'd like the survey questions in an alternative format, please email TellUs@shropshire.gov.uk and tell us of any support you need to allow you to respond.