Parking is a considerable problem for people living in the city centre as many do not have access on-site parking.
Successive administrations have failed to provide spaces consistent with the number of permits issued. These spaces have been further eroded by “temporary” pedestrianisation, pavement widening and parklets as well as a policy which allows unfettered free use of on street parking by motorcycles. Proposed LTNs, the security zone and electric charging points etc will all potentially make the problem worse.
In the past handing out large numbers of permits to hotels, guest houses and holiday lets has eaten into the already inadequate provision in the city centre so we welcome the proposal to restrict the use of these to off street carparks.
We oppose the proposed emissions based charges for residents permits because it is inequitable to penalise residents when you allow private cars to drive into the CAZ without charge irrespective of their level of emissions.
Residents in the heart of the city have never had the benefit of visitors permits.
The arrangements for traders in the city are already a mess. Some companies will not service city centre addresses and the proposed security zones and LTN’s will make this worse. Charging traders more and continuing with the high level of bureaucracy will increase the number of these and increase the number of those who park in residential streets in outer zones to avoid charges.
Overall these proposal are likely to make very little difference they are just tinkering with the problem of parking in Bath. What is required is a root and branch reappraisal of parking policy supported by research and proper consultation.
This is yet another questionnaire, filled with leading questions masquerading as a consultation. It also discriminates against the digitally excluded. The inability to submit responses outside this online mechanism is unreasonable and unfair. The online mechanism itself barely acknowledges the existence of representative organisations it has forced us for instance to declare whether TARA considers itself disabled.