Lancaster Pedestrian Zone Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) Fact Sheet and FAQs Commencing 3 February 2014
Fact Sheet What is happening? The Lancaster City Centre Pedestrian Zone (the Zone) is a traffic restricted area but levels of both permitted and unpermitted traffic have much increased in recent years. This is causing increasing problems and worsening conditions for pedestrians. To see if things can be managed better an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) is to commence on Monday 3rd February 2014. In summary, this ETRO will test changes to what vehicles are allowed into the zone and when.
What is an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO)? An Experimental Traffic Order is made under Sections 9 and 10 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. An experimental order is much like a permanent traffic regulation order in that it is a legal document which imposes traffic and parking restrictions such as road closures, one-way streets, weight restrictions, width restrictions, banned turns, bus/cycle lanes, controlled parking and on-street parking places. Unlike a permanent order an experimental order can only stay in force for a maximum of 18 months while its effects are monitored and assessed (and changes made if necessary), before the Highway Authority (see below) decides whether or not to continue the experimental order on a permanent basis.
Why is this being done here? The Zone is at the heart of the city and the setting for much city centre trading, commercial activity and host to many of the city’s cultural offerings. The ETRO is to see if traffic can be better managed to create a more pleasant and safer environment for pedestrians and to the benefit of all who live, work and do business in this centre. It is all about striking a good balance between the needs for vehicle access and the interests of pedestrians.
Who is responsible? Lancashire County Council as Highway Authority is responsible. It is bringing in the ETRO in response to a request made by Lancaster City Council to improve the management of vehicle traffic within the Zone following consultation with councillors, business representatives, emergency services and city and county officers including highways, planning, disabled access, parking services and those responsible for the Charter Market.
Why is this being done now? There is almost never an ideal time to make changes but both councils are committed to maximising the positive effects of some significant investment into the physical nature of the city centre taking place in 2014.
Further Information and FAQs
From March the city centre will be benefiting from just over £1m of investment into the public realm (streets and spaces) to make the centre a better place to be, whether that be to work, live, rest or play. This work is being undertaken as part of the Lancaster Square Routes programme and is being funded jointly by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme 2007-2013, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council. This work will greatly improve the city centre but will undoubtedly involve some disruptions along the way. In order to maximise the positive benefits it is important that a number of supporting changes are made now to improve the city centre environment for pedestrians. Reducing vehicular traffic and the impact of vehicular traffic are an important part of this.
What are the main changes? Currently goods vehicles are permitted into the pedestrian zone for loading purposes between midnight to 10:30am and from 16:30pm onward (restricted period 10:30am to 16:30pm). The ETRO changes these times to 10.00am and 17:00pm (core hours) i.e. the restricted period for goods vehicles is 10.00am to 17:00pm. This gives more time in which pedestrians and shoppers can move around in an environment relatively free of moving and parked HGV and goods vehicles. The pedestrian zone ETRO access restrictions will operate for all days of the week as per the existing arrangement. In addition the ETRO ends the system by which Blue Badge holders with the additional permit A are allowed to park within the Zone provided an obstruction is not caused. Also, it ends the system whereby blue badge holders can park in designated spaces in Market Square or behind the Museum on New Street outside of core hours. At the entrances to the Zone there will be signs for the new arrangements. From its introduction the ETRO can run for a maximum of 18 months at which point it must either be made permanent, or abandoned. During this time the effects of the changes will be monitored and people and organisations will be able to give their views. Changes can be made during the above period if necessary.
Who should I contact about the ETRO? If you wish to provide your support or object to the changes to the access restrictions and the ETRO then please direct your response to Lancashire County Council. Email: tro-consultation@lancashire.gov.uk Or alternatively you can write to: County Secretary & Solicitor, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall, Preston PR1 8XJ Stating the reference numbers LSG4/5.49419/RH3 or LSG4/5.49420.
Disabled drivers The previous arrangements allowed disabled drivers to access the Zone and park. Why has this been stopped?
What are the alternative arrangements for Disabled Drivers now that the new changes have been implemented?
The councils consider that there are far too many vehicles driving through the Zone looking for and manoeuvring into parking spaces and that this is to the detriment of all pedestrians in what is meant to be a pedestrianised area. It is recognised that this will be a loss to disabled drivers but conversely the change will bring a real benefit to all pedestrians including disabled pedestrians and other people with some mobility problems. The change removes from the Zone a significant source of potential and perceived conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. It specifically removes the disabled parking from Market Square and to the rear of the City Museum, parking that is problematic as it necessitates vehicle reversing and turning movements mixed in with pedestrians, which, are inappropriate at the civic centre of the city and its principal public space.
The city council already offers free and time unlimited parking for vehicles displaying valid Blue Badges in its off-street Lancaster car parks. In addition, the councils already provide designated disabled bays in Lancaster both on-street (time limited) and off-street (not time –limited). To help balance for the admitted loss of parking to disabled drivers the councils are increasing disabled parking provision on both off-street car parks and on-street bays and will consider other opportunities such as limited waiting bays which would be useful to assist with the setting down or picking up of passengers. To date 4 new disabled spaces are available at the St Nicholas Arcades car park. The ‘Park Mark Safer Parking’ awarded city council
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LANCASTER CITY COUNCIL OFF-STREET PARKING FREE FOR BLUE BADGE HOLDERS
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Current disabled parking provision AROUND THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE LOCATION Spaces ST NICHOLAS ARCADES CP 18 MARKETGATE CP (PRIVATE) 5 Gage Street 4 Common Garden Street 4 Church Street (upper) 3 MARY STREET 1 North Road 1 FRIAR STREET 1
Current loading bay locations on the immediate periphery of the zone LOCATION Spaces King Street 1 Brock Street 1 Common Garden Street 1 Mary Street 2 Church Street (Lower) 2 North Road 1
ADDITIONAL PARKING PROVISION NEARBY LOCATION Spaces ST NICHOLAS ARCADES CP 261 PARKSAFE CP (PRIVATE) 276 MARKETGATE CP (PRIVATE) 105 LUCY STREET CP 20 DALTON SQUARE 24 FRIAR STREET 17 CHURCH STREET (UPPER) 4
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managed St Nicholas Arcade car park now offers 18 dedicated disabled bays and 280 parking bays overall. This, as with all other city council managed car parks in Lancaster, offers free, time-unlimited parking for vehicles displaying a valid Blue Badge, and, from this car park through use of the lifts, offers direct access into the Zone. Blue Badge holders should always seek to use designated bays in preference to standard bays. Vehicular access to the St Nicholas Car Park is currently via North Road off the main gyratory, following on to lower Church Street. Once the current phase of United Utilities work on the Lancaster Wastewater Network is complete, provisionally scheduled for April 2014, access will revert via the main gyratory direct on to lower Church Street. Increases in on-street disabled parking provision will be implemented after the works by United Utilities are finally completed in late 2014. The city council is committed to working towards a minimum of 6% of all off-street car parking as designated disabled spaces, as per the Department of Transport’s (DoT) current guidelines. More information relating to car parking spaces in the city centre, including maps showing designated disabled bays, motorcycle parking and current fees and restrictions, can be found at: www.lancaster.gov.uk/lancasterparking.
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Deliveries and Loading Is shortening the access period for deliveries / loading into the Zone not just going to cause further congestion of vehicles? The councils are keen that businesses use a variety of options available to them in taking deliveries and loading / unloading to reduce demand for space in the Zone. Ideally the pedestrian zone should be used as a last resort and alternative loading facilities used as appropriate. Businesses that are affiliated to St. Nicholas Arcade and Marketgate Shopping Centres should use the private loading facilities. Other businesses should encourage and direct servicing vehicles towards use of the dedicated loading bays that are available around the periphery of the Zone (see map above). Full details including maps relating to these and the wider loading facilities in the city centre are available at: www.lancaster.gov.uk/lancasterparking Such information should be passed on to suppliers etc. to form part of delivery instructions.
The signs say that no vehicles are permitted except Goods vehicles between midnight to 10am and 5pm to midnight. Is a car permitted into the Pedestrian Zone to load or unload during these times?
Property repairs and maintenance
A Goods Vehicle is a vehicle that meets the criteria set out in section 192(1) of the Road Traffic Act - “goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle constructed or adapted for use for the carriage of goods, or a trailer so constructed or adapted. This does not allow entry to the zone by a saloon or estate car. Goods vehicles should be clearly delivering or unloading within the permitted times. Using the city centre as a car park is not permitted. Vehicles seen to be parking for longer than is necessary for the delivering or loading of goods are likely to be subject to enforcement action.
There will be no change to the current arrangements. Permission will be given for vehicles that are an essential part of allowing urgent emergency repairs to be carried out. The repair company will need to request a discretionary dispensation for the restrictions by contacting Lancaster City Council’s parking team on 01524 582648. A fee may be payable for the dispensation.
What happens to parcel deliveries?
Vehicles associated with planned repairs and maintenance wherever possible should enter the zone before 10:00am and after 17:00pm and at other quieter times by arrangement. This is to load and unload tools, equipment and materials only. Lancaster City Council will consider discretionary dispensations for the core hours if the vehicle is an essential part of the works being carried out. Please call 01524 582648 to discuss. A fee may be payable for this dispensation. To also gain permission to place skips, scaffolds and to erect hoardings within the pedestrian zone, contact Lancashire County Council on 0845 053 001.
The delivery and collection of parcels / items should be made either by use of the peripheral loading bays or, if essential, outside of core hours within the Zone. The Royal Mail is exempt from the restrictions covered by legislation that protects deliveries by universal service providers. Bullion vehicles are also exempt from the new restrictions.
Accessing the zone for purposes other than deliveries and loading
How do I arrange for emergency repairs to my property which is located within the pedestrian zone?
I am proposing to carry out planned repairs and maintenance to my property which is located within the pedestrian zone?
Emergencies
Events and performances
The restrictions do not apply to the emergency services as long as they are entering the Zone to attend to an emergency situation.
What are the arrangements for events and performances?
Charter Market traders How does this effect the Charter Market? The Charter Market will continue to operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays as normal. Following improvements to street lighting in recent years, the Market now runs as a minimum between the hours of 9:00am and 16:00pm all year - previously this was 3:30pm in the winter. Market traders vehicles will have a dispensation to enter the zone after 16:00pm to help dismantle their stalls and transport away goods. This should enable a clearing of the Zone prior to other delivery vehicles entering from 17:00pm.
Cycling Do the changes to the access restrictions mean that I can now cycle within the zone? No. There are no changes from the existing arrangements. Cycling is not permitted within the busier areas of the pedestrian zone with the exception of the pedestrianised section of Church Street and the upper pedestrianised section of Penny Street betwen Brock Street and George Street.
The organisers of any authorised events and performances will need to arrange for the necessary dispensations in liaison with Lancaster City Council. For enquiries regarding city centre bookings please contact the Property Group on 01524 582967 or email property@lancaster.gov.uk.
Enforcement There are vehicles in the pedestrian zone without permits why isn’t something being done about this? Vehicles should only be in the Zone if permitted e.g servicing vehicles outside of the restricted hours or the driver has obtained a dispensation to enter with a vehicle. Wherever possible dispensations will be for the quieter periods to minimise any potential impacts. Lancashire Parking Services civil enforcement officers and the Police will have access to live records of vehicles with dispensations and will enforce against those with vehicles that should not be in the Zone. Any request for enforcement should be directed to Lancashire Parking Services on 0800 195 2774 or Lancaster Police Station on 01524 63333.
Summary of further information and useful contacts Please remember that this is deliberately an experimental change to traffic management and we invite your questions and comments.
To provide support or object about this ETRO:
Email: tro-consultation@lancashire.gov.uk or write to: County Secretary & Solicitor, Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, County Hall, Preston PR1 8XJ. Stating the reference numbers LSG4/5.49419/RH3 or LSG4/5.49420.
Lancashire Parking Services - Enforcement matters:
Lancashire Parking Services - 0800 195 2774/parking@lancashire.gov.uk Lancaster Police Station - 01524 63333
Lancashire County Council - General Highway enquiries: enquiries@lancashire.gov.uk
Version 1.00 January 2014
Lancashire County Council - for permissions related to skips, scaffolds and hoarding: 0845 053 0011
Lancaster City Council - for vehicular dispensation to access
the Zone related to: Repairs and maintenance: 01524 582648/parking@lancaster.gov.uk Events and performances: 01524 582967/property@lancaster.gov.uk
Car parking facilities in Lancaster city centre: www.lancaster.gov.uk/lancasterparking
Lancashire County Council Permanent Traffic Regulation Orders: www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/env_highways/ptros.asp
Lancaster Square Routes – information regarding street works:
www.lancaster.gov.uk/squareroutes, email: squareroutes@lancaster.gov.uk