Parking Review Issue 379

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February 2024 | #379

www.parkingreview.co.uk

A CLEAR PATH Footways are for feet* (the clue is in the name) *and paws of course

PA R K I N G • T R A F F I C • K E R B S I D E

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Making Complex Parking Processes Simple.

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WELCOME FEBRUARY 2024 | #379

New cars are getting wider, meaning they are outgrowing many streets and car parks

MAYOR OF PARIS

Can parking fees slim down oversize cars?

Paris voted for an SUV parking tariff

Paris has voted for a SUV parking tariff. Will the UK follow suit?

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he problem of accommodating cars on roads and in parking areas is one that is literally growing as new models are getting ever wider. One way to tackle the expanding girth of cars is to make it more expensive to park the bulky forms of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) as a way to encourage the use of smaller vehicles, public transport and active travel.

Headlines were made when the citizens of Paris voted for a plan that will triple the price of parking for heavy and large cars in a referendum held on 4 February. The Paris SUV parking fee has been championed by the city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, who sees deterring the use of larger cars as a way of tackling air pollution and climate breakdown.

Could we see SUV parking tariffs in the UK? This comes down to political will, and there are signs some leaders are open to the idea. While the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan does not have power over parking fees in the capital, he will be monitoring the effectiveness of the Paris scheme. The mayor has also acknowledged work being done by a number London boroughs to address the impact of high-emission vehicles and larger cars. Khan said: “SUVs take up more space and we know there’s issues around road safety, we know there’s issues around carbon emissions and so forth. We know some councils in London are taking bold policies in relation to parking fees, in relation to your tickets and so forth. It’s really good to work with those councils.”

Mark Moran Editor

Parking Review online: www.parkingreview.co.uk COVER IMAGE: CITY OF EDIONBURGH COUNCIL

cdergroup.co.uk PARKING REVIEW | 3

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Egis ‘Dispatch’ technology: The Future of Parking Enforcement Digital transformation through technical innovation, driving efficiencies and improved compliance.

Instant Efficiency VRN scans and real-time contravention alerts

Geotargeted Alerts CEOs patrol smarter, not harder

Strategic Insights Powerful dashboards guide intelligent enforcement

Fully Operational Scalable, feature-rich technology

Proven Globally Trusted in major cities across the UK and Europe

Discover how Egis’ dispatch technology can work for your Local authority - schedule a no-obligation demo with one of our experts today. nigel.coltman@egis-group.com gavin.manager@egis-group.com

www.egis-group.com

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CONTENTS

JLL: All Change for Car Parks?

26 28 29 30 32 36 38

Words on PATROL From moving traffic to Clean Air Zones, Laura Padden explores key issues affecting parking and traffic regulation

Delivering justice Caroline Hamilton sets out how the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is committed to being a transparent and efficient service

Traff-iCase

Making legal history Caroline Sheppard OBE looks back on her pivotal role as head adjudicator of both the London and national appeals services

Creating a place for cases The Traff-iCase website will be an online home for people seeking details of key parking and traffic appeals cases

Caroline Sheppard OBE

The appeals of London London Tribunals provides drivers challenging penalties issued by highways authorities with an independent appeals service

All change for car parks?

Mobility hubs… EV charging… Property specialist JLL shines a spotlight on the possible future the car park

CitiPark Leeds Dock

A mark of excellence The police-backed Safer Parking Scheme recognise secure and well managed car and truck parking facilities

EVolution The latest developments in electric vehicle infrastructure

Editorial Managing editor: Mark Moran Tel: 020 7091 7871 mark.moran@landor.co.uk Deputy editor: Deniz Huseyin Tel: 020 7091 7872 deniz.huseyin@landor.co.uk Editorial director: Peter Stonham

Production and design production@landor.co.uk Advertising, sponsorship, marketing and exhibition packages Jason Conboy Tel: 020 7091 7895 jason@landor.co.uk

Subscriptions Christina Pierre Tel: 020 7091 7959 subs@landor.co.uk Accounts Irina Cocks Tel: 020 7091 7854 irina.cocks@landor.co.uk Managing Director Rod Fletcher Tel: 0191 280 1410

Parking Review was launched in 1989. It is the only independent magazine dedicated to the UK parking sector.

Published by: Landor LINKS Ltd, Apollo House, 359 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY

ISSN: 0962 3599

© Landor LINKS Ltd 2024

The Independent Press Standards Organisation www.ipso.co.uk

www.landor.co.uk

The Professional Publishers Association www.ppa.co.uk

Printed by: Pensord 1 Goat Mill Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 3TD

Registered members of:

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

PAVEMENT PARKING

Pavement parking presents a hazard to blind and partially sighted people, obstructs parents with pushchairs, older and disabled people, as well as damaging the footway

Government needs to step up Pavement parking powers are needed now, says Local Government Association

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owers to ban pavement parking need to be extended to all areas across England to save lives and make streets safer, argues a new report published by the Local Government Association (LGA). The Path to Inclusive Footways points out that it is now more than three years after a government consultation to introduce them ended.

The LGA says that older and disabled people, including those who use wheelchairs, as well as parents with pushchairs and younger children are all forced to navigate around vehicles which are mounted on the kerb or across the footway, potentially risking their lives by stepping into the road and oncoming traffic. This also presents a hazard to blind and partially sighted people.

Parking on the pavement can also crack and damage the surface, creating trip and injury hazards as well as leading to costly repairs and maintenance.

Pavement parking is currently only banned in London, where councils have powers to exempt certain roads. The government held a consultation on extending this ban to all councils in the rest of England, which ended over three years ago but an announcement has yet to be made.

In Scotland, a nationwide parking ban has just started to be enforced by some councils, and a consultation is also set to take place in Wales on introducing restrictions on pavement parking.

The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said a change in the rules is now long overdue and would help councils meet national targets to encourage more walking and cycling, while protecting older and vulnerable people from injury.

The independent report, produced by Sustrans and Transport for All and commissioned by the LGA, details the barriers faced by people using the footway and challenges for councils in

6 | PARKING REVIEW

making them accessible. This includes the lack of space commonly caused by pavement parking, poor surface quality, trip hazards and not enough places to cross the road safely.

Lack of funding, difficulties in maintaining a clear picture of the condition of footways and bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), are also identified as challenges for councils in The Path to Inclusive Footways.

Poorer quality pavements can also lead to lower footfall at local businesses and injury claims from people tripping and falling. For those who are older or impaired, it could also lead to reduced independence, social isolation and exclusion, which could worsen their condition. Even where people are able to catch buses, the state of some pavements mean they are not always able to board or step off from them safely, says the report.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, transport spokesperson for the LGA, said: “Pavement parking is one of the biggest complaints from pedestrians, but three years on, councils outside of London still do not have the powers they need to tackle this scourge. Vulnerable and disabled people, including wheelchair users as well as parents with pushchairs are forced into the road due to some drivers’ inconsiderate parking, presenting a real hazard and potential danger to life.

“Repairing kerbs and pavements damaged by pavement parking is also expensive and this funding could be better used to resurface our roads and pavements, support local buses and provide more suitable parking. If we are to meet the government’s ambition for half of all trips in England’s towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030, then it makes sense to give councils across the country the same powers as in the capital, making our streets safer and footpaths open for everyone.”

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said the consultation response will be published in “due course”. The DfT spokesperson said: “While local authorities already have powers to prohibit pavement parking through local regulation, we have consulted on further helping them take action.”

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PAVEMENT PARKING

A path to inclusive footways

Scottish pavement ban is live Edinburgh becomes Scotland’s first local authority to enforce against pavement parking

To enable management of footways that deliver fully accessible walking and wheeling, The Path to Inclusive Footways makes the following recommendations.

Edinburgh is freeing pavements of obstructive parking

National government 1. Involve disabled people 2. Ensure capital and revenue funding awards for highways improve accessibility of footways 3. Prohibit parking on the footway in England 4. Align powers to tackle temporary street clutter 5. Issue clear guidance 6. Create national guidelines 7. Review guidance and practice 8. Research, test and improve designs.

Local government 1. Commit to the principle that the function of the footway is to provide space for walking and wheeling. Appropriate management of footways and footway space should flow from this core principle.

2. Develop current Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans by incorporating specific plans to support walking and wheeling, including targets for participation and comfort of different footway users, where these are not already present.

3. Follow government guidance on inclusive footway design, including ‘Inclusive Mobility’, the ‘Planning for Walking Toolkit’, and ‘Key Principles of Inclusive Street Design’, while not allowing this to replace site-specific engagement with disabled people.

4. Involve disabled people using a pan-impairment approach to inform local monitoring, plans, policy and prioritisation decisions relating to the footway. Engage disabled people in local design decisions being careful to follow government guidance to ensure designs are universally understood. Ensure that disabled people are recognised as experts and compensated for their time and contributions. Work with specialist organisations, such as DPOs, where appropriate.

5. Conduct and publish Equality Impact Assessments for all footway improvement work.

6. Take steps to reduce existing areas of shared space for walking and cycling, especially in areas of high footfall, to minimise conflict and increase safety.

7. Ensure that partners, contractors and subcontractors retain continued footway accessibility during and after street or public realm works, including works on the footway itself. This may be through contracts, training, guidance or penalties.

8. Consider kerbside space as an asset, and better consider how this space can be used for purposes other than as parking for private vehicles to remove pressure on footways.

9. Reduce and manage footway clutter, especially in the context of increasing pressure to deliver on-street charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

10. Commit to placing cycle and e-scooter parking and electric vehicle charging points in positions that avoid obstructing the footway.

11, Ensure maintenance regimes are sufficient to address footway hazards such as slippery surfaces, tree roots and broken paving.

12. Ensure that local systems for reporting issues with footways are accessible and well publicised to the community.

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dinburgh has become the first Scottish local authority to enforce against parking on pavements, parking at pedestrian crossing points and double parking. City of Edinburgh parking attendants have begun monitoring streets across the city, along with existing duties. Anyone found to be contravening the new rules could be subject to a £100 fine, reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days.

National regulations giving councils the power to enforce the new rules came into effect on 11 December. The change addresses the inconvenience inconsiderate parking causes to all road users, in particular those with mobility issues, visual impairments, and people with pushchairs.

On 29 January Cllr Scott Arthur joined parking attendants to see the impact of the changes. He also met representatives from Guide Dogs Scotland and Living Streets, with whom the council collaborated to lobby for the introduction of controls in Scotland.

Cllr Arthur said: “We’re leading the way as Scotland’s first local authority to enforce against pavement parking, as well as parking at crossing points and double parking. This is a change that we’ve wanted to make for a long time, and I’ve heard from many people who say it will make their day-to-day life much easier.

“It will make our streets safer for everyone, in particular those with visual impairments or mobility issues, and I’m delighted that reports of pavement parking are already coming down. Now the restrictions are in place, we are relying on the public to park safely and considerately, making sure not to block any roads. We’ll continue to monitor streets across the city to make sure the impacts on the wider network are minimal.”

Officers have identified a number of streets where there is significant pavement parking and have written to these properties to help them prepare for the measures. Now the ban is in place monitoring will continue to ascertain whether any mitigation measures are required to minimise potential negative impacts on the wider road network.

It is planned that the restrictions will help ensure Edinburgh’s roads and footways are accessible for all, which is central to its City Mobility Plan.

The prohibitions first featured in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, though the necessary regulations required to support the enforcement and appeals procedures have only recently been finalised by Transport Scotland.

David Hunter, convener of the Living Streets Edinburgh Group, said: “It’s been a long road to getting a ban on pavement parking.

Living Streets has campaigned for this for well over ten years so it is gratifying to see the day arrive when we should no longer see this kind of anti-social parking. Pavements are for people and cars don’t belong on them. We are especially pleased to see the City of Edinburgh Council leading the way by applying the ban to every street, without exception.”

Mike Moore, policy and campaigns manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said: “We applaud the City of Edinburgh Council’s swift and decisive action to use its new powers to tackle pavement parking in the city. These measures will be a huge help for people with sight loss, who are often discouraged from getting out and about by the fear of badly parked vehicles.”

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NEWS

Westminster launches emissions-based charges City council revises cost of pay-to-park stays and residents permits Westminster City Council is introducing emissions-based charging for residents and visitors who drive into the city.

New schemes will be introduced for residents with parking permits and people who pay-topark in Westminster.

The emissions-based charging schemes will see vehicles being charged based on their levels of CO2 emissions. Vehicles that produce lower levels of CO2 will be charged less in comparison to those which produce more.

The City of Westminster says it has some of the highest carbon emissions and worst air quality of any national local authority.

The changes are designed to help Westminster reach its goal of becoming a Net Zero City by 2040 and tackle poor air quality that contributes to thousands of premature deaths in London each year.

The council has already installed more than 2,500 electric vehicle charging stations across the city, which is more than any other local authority in the UK. The aim is to encourage residents and people who drive into the city to switch to low polluting vehicles and improve air quality.

Westminster residents with an

Westminster is encouraging switch to electric vehicles EV will pay the equivalent of £1.50 a week to park outside their home, and visitors with EVs who pay-to-park in Westminster will still be paying less than those driving petrol or diesel cars.

Westminster joins several other London boroughs in introducing an emissions-based scheme, as the popularity of electric vehicles continues to grow. In addition, the council is launching a consultation to hear the views of people who use the new charging schemes. From 25 January, people will be able to share their opinions and ask questions about the scheme for a three-week period.

Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, cabinet member for city management and air quality, said:

“Westminster City Council has invested heavily in electric vehicle infrastructure to encourage people to switch to EVs and low polluting vehicles.

“Westminster has more than 2,500 electric vehicle chargers across the city which is more than any other local authority in the UK. And 50% of our waste collection fleet is now made up of zero-emission electric vehicles.

“Until now, pay-to-park charges for EVs in Westminster have been extremely low, and to keep up with the increasing demand for EVs the council is moving to an emissions-based charging system. The new scheme will support the growth of electric vehicles in the city while keeping charges fair, proportionate, and as low

PCN error costs Croydon Council £150,000 in refunds Cancelling penalty charge notices (PCNs) for up to 3,100 people due to a printing error has cost Croydon Council £150,000, says the south London borough.

The drivers never received initial PCNs stating they could pay a discounted rate or lodge an appeal. The council said the problem affected 3,138 PCNs issued between mid-October and mid-December.

The council said the PCNs would be cancelled and refunds issued to those who have already paid.

People who believe they may have been affected by the PCN error in Croydon, including those who have already paid a charge, are being asked to get in touch with the authority.

Cllr Jason Cummings, cabinet member for finance, said the council was able to “absorb”

8 | PARKING REVIEW

the cost. Speaking to BBC Radio London, Cllr Cummings, said the error had been caused by a “conflict in the software that prints out the letters” sent to residents but he was “confident” the issue had now been resolved.

Croydon Council has been in financial difficulty for several years. When asked if Croydon could afford the cost of compensating residents for the PCN error, Cllr Cummings said: “I wouldn’t describe Croydon as being able to afford to lose a pound, let alone £150,000, but

councils are big organisations.

We have contingencies in place for when things go wrong and, although £150,000 is a lot of money, it’s not going to have any impact on our residents in terms of the over £300m budget that we operate each year.”

Last year the government gave Croydon permission to raise Council Tax by 15%. This year the borough, which is under no overall control but has a Conservative directly elected mayor, plans to raise council tax by 4.99% in April.

as possible. To encourage more people to switch to an EV, the cost of parking an EV in Westminster will remain much lower than driving or a petrol or diesel car.”

The council said that pay-topark charges for EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles are currently so low (from 8p an hour in Paddington to just 24p an hour in the West End) as to be virtually nominal. Until 2017, these vehicle types were granted free parking at pay-to-park bays in Westminster.

For resident permits, ‘eco’ permits are currently free-of-charge.

As the EV charges are increasing from an extremely low base, it is inevitable that any change to fit the aims of the new scheme would result in a large percentage increase.

Under the new scheme, the cheapest charges in each of Westminster’s parking zones will be lower than Brent, Camden, Hammersmith and the City of London.

The council also operates a tradesperson’s permit scheme whereby a tradesperson can obtain a zone-specific permit to park in that zone all day in any pay-to-park bay, or in any resident bay between the hours of 8am and 5.30pm. The proposed new price starts at £20.90 per day which works out at less than £3 per hour.

Guidance on letting motorbikes use bus lanes The Department for Transport has published new guidance for local authorities on allowing motorcyclists to use bus lanes.

Motorcyclists Using Bus Lanes (TAL 1/24) states councils should consider safety implications involved in restricting motorcyclists to general traffic lanes against the possible problems of allowing motorcyclists into the bus lane.

Other factors are: the impact on other vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists; possible impact on bus journey time reliability due to additional traffic in the bus lane; reduction in congestion for other traffic on routes currently used by motorcyclists; and potential for overall improvements in transport efficiency.

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NEWS

83% of motorists want to ditch parking apps More than four-in-five drivers dislike using the many parking apps available in the UK. A survey by motoring magazine Autocar found that 83% of the 1,387 UK motorists who were surveyed said they preferred to use contactless card payments or cash to park rather than downloading and creating accounts for different apps.

Autocar found some apps were regarded as overly complicated.

The survey also revealed that drivers were concerned about online fraud. Only 14% of drivers preferred using parking apps over any other form of payment.

Concerns about ageism have been raised by campaigners, such as the over-60s campaign group Silver Voices. Its director, Dennis Reed, said elderly and vulnerable people struggle to download and navigate the plethora of apps necessary to park and describes the decision to abandon pay & display machines as “blatant ageism”.

There are 30 parking apps across the country, with specific

RAMI AL ZAYAT

Autocar: Drivers dislike the number of separate apps needed to park

Only 14% of drivers prefer parking apps over other forms of payment apps having to be used in different towns or destinations.

One solution to the fragmented nature of phone-based parking is the National Parking Platform (NPP), a system that will enable drivers to pay via the app of their choice when parking providers join the scheme. The NPP featured in the Plan for Drivers unveiled by prime minister Rishi Sunak and transport secretary Mark Harper last year. The government’s plan states that the NPP will be live

by Autumn 2024.

Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw added: “The British public clearly believe there are simply too many of them and they can be

very complicated to use. The government’s proposal to streamline the parking app system into a single point of access will be welcomed by many.”

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Paying for parking should be one of the simplest things any driver has to do, yet the reality has been anything but with people forced to download and register a plethora of different mobile apps depending on where they are in the country.

“The roll-out of the National Parking Platform therefore brings about some much-needed simplification and should make drivers’ lives easier. However, we remain concerned about the fact

Edinburgh proposes ‘pay-as-you-go’ road pricing Future Streets plan sets out net zero vision, reports Deniz Huseyin A ‘pay as you go’ road user charge for central Edinburgh is among city council proposals to create healthier transport links and support net zero 2030 goals. The Our Future Streets plan examines how space is allocated on the city’s streets, focussing on neighbourhoods, key transport corridors and the city centre.

This seeks to deliver the aims and objectives of the council’s City Mobility Plan (CMP), which envisions sustainable, safe and effective movement of people and goods around Edinburgh.

City of Edinburgh said the ‘pay-as-you-go’ scheme would involve a road user charge where drivers pay to use certain roads. The aim is to reduce the number of cars in a city through economic disincentives, encouraging drivers to switch to public transport, walking/wheeling

and cycling. Revenue generated from pay-as-youdrive schemes can be used to improve sustainable travel modes, said the council.

In Spring 2022, the Scottish Government consulted on a Route Map to achieve a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030 with interventions framed around reducing the need to travel, living locally, switching to sustainable travel modes, and combining/sharing trips. The Scottish Government’s final Route Map and supporting research on road user charging are expected later this year and will support a national Car Demand Management Framework by 2025.

Scott Arthur, transport and environment convener, said: “I know that many people in Edinburgh can’t afford a car or are not able to drive – making it easier for these residents to move around Edinburgh is at the heart of these plans.

“We’ve learnt lessons from

progressive cities around the world who are adopting strategic approaches to redesigning their streets and networks. Reallocating space, where possible, will support transport options designed for everyone, as well as delivering the most attractive and competitive environments for businesses to operate in.”

Responses to market research undertaken during the council’s ‘Actions to Deliver Edinburgh’s City Mobility Plan’ consultation in 2023 showed 64% support for investigating more restrictions to throughtraffic in the city centre.

Cllr Arthur said: “Our proposals for the city centre build on Edinburgh City Centre Transformation to further reduce traffic whilst improving public transport, with short term trial measures to help test the impacts on the wider city.”

In a 2005 referendum, threein-one Edinburgh residents voted against introducing congestion charges.

some councils seem intent on removing all physical parking ticket machines in favour of apponly payment – something research tells us a clear majority drivers are resolutely against.”

In June 2023, an RAC survey found that a fifth of drivers accuse councils of scrapping, or planning to scrap, parking payment machines in favour of mobile apps. The survey of 1,900 UK drivers found that one-in10 (11%) reported some or all parking payment machines had already been removed by their local councils with an extra 8% saying their local authority was consulting on doing so.

The plan to scrap machines and force people to pay by app triggered a strong reaction among drivers surveyed by the RAC’s with 59% – and 73% of those aged 65 and over – saying they feel angry at the idea of physical parking machines being removed as they believe they should be able to pay for parking however they want.

A fifth of all drivers (20%) felt discriminated against as they simply cannot use mobile apps to pay for parking in the first place, a figure that rises to 30% of those aged 65 and over.

York Blue Badge parking ban lifted Restricted access to the city centre of York for disabled drivers has been lifted.

The restrictions were introduced in 2019 as an anti-terrorism measure. They were made permanent in 2021 by the previous Liberal Democrat/Green-run council, but attracted strong opposition from disability groups.

The Blue Badge ban was reversed by the new Labour administration in October and formally lifted on 4 January.

Blue Badge holders can now access the city centre via Goodramgate and exit via the bollards at Colliergate. Motorists are also be able to drive along Church Street and turn at the junction with Silver Street.

Once installation of anti-terror measures is completed later this year, access will also be available via staffed sliding bollards at Blake Street, through St Helen’s Square and out through CCTV-controlled sliding bollards at Lendal.

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Electronic Document interchange (EDI)

An appealing solution Making the appeals process digital using a secure EDI platform

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anaging appeals to penalty charges for parking, bus lane and moving traffic offences can be time-consuming and complicated. The appeal process needs to handle a variety of diverse document formats, as appellants tend to attach images and other evidence such as a statement of events and other details to support their appeal. Despite the relatively low percentage of appeals compared to the overall number of PCNs issued, handling the appeals process can take up considerable resource. For example, in the last year, over 43,000 appeals were submitted in London alone. It is estimated that each appeal takes around an hour to manually create and upload an appeal pack through the London Council website for hearing by the London Tribunal.

Over the last two years, Taranto has been working with London Councils to roll out a digital approach to the PCN appeals process through the implementation of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Although evidence packs related to the appeal can be created by back office administrators within the Case Management function of Taranto’s Parking Enforcement Solution, the evidence pack still needed to be manually uploaded and any subsequent discussions

related to the outcome needed to be handled outside the system. In collaboration with London Councils, Taranto has focused on improving the appeals process for both the appellant and appeals administrators. Using the EDI platform reduces manual intervention and streamlines data exchange between Local Authorities and the London Tribunal. The EDI platform facilitates the electronic transfer of notifications, such as new appeals, decisions or adjournments and documentation (such as evidence packs) between a Local Authority and the adjudication bodies for London.

“The technical design behind the Taranto EDI interface means that we can install the solution into a client’s Taranto environment and work with London Councils to obtain new test credentials for each operation that wishes to use it. After a period of testing, it is easy to switch on the service and use in a live environment,” said Antony Small, Project Director, Taranto Systems.

Taranto has spent a considerable amount of time and effort in testing the platform. Initially it was rolled out within the London Road User Charging contract. As Barry Johnson, Senior Technical Director, Taranto Systems explains: “In partnership with London Councils and Capita, Taranto has focused on ensuring that the solution worked technically, as well as operationally. We applied many test cases and once the platform was installed, we supported it to ensure it

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Appeals EDI workflow

delivered the time savings the solution was designed for. It’s important that it works well both for the parking authority when logging appeals and for London Councils in receiving appeals.

Together we have built a solution which can be extended to the rest of the parking market to the huge benefit of every local authority that uses it.”

Using the EDI platform makes the appeal process far quicker and more efficient with less manual processing, which not only saves time and effort, but the digital process also minimises human error.

The EDI platform also has embedded security protocols to ensure that the documents are transferred securely and cannot be interfered with.

Authorities that have access to this system receive an electronic notification of an appeal instead of a manual notification. The original PCN is automatically attached to the appeal for the back office team to review in the Taranto system. The back office team produces an appeal pack in the Taranto system which is automatically sent to the London Councils. Once the Tribunal hears the appeal, the outcome is sent electronically to the Taranto system and is automatically attached to the case for action by the local authority.

The Taranto solution is used by 12 London boroughs, City of London as well as Transport for London. Taranto is working with its other clients to roll out the electronic appeals process across London. Using the EDI platform not only ensures the secure transfer of complex documentation, but also saves busy parking back office teams a considerable amount of time in processing appeals. The result is a secure, electronic transfer of files in various formats between the Taranto system and the London Council for a more efficient, digital PCN appeals platform.

“London Tribunals has successfully integrated the EDI solution

between our own Case Management System, ‘NAS’ and Taranto and have been exchanging appeal data and documents since November 2020. Taranto is the first enforcement back-office system to have been integrated with NAS after extensive testing. EDI has significantly reduced the amount of user time and effort in scanning and indexing documents at both ends of the process as data and documents are passed directly from one system to the other,” commented Garry Hoy, London Councils Contracts Manager for Transport and Mobility.

Taranto is working on implementing the EDI system with a number of its other London Borough clients.

For more information on Taranto’s Parking Enforcement Solution visit: www.tarantosystems.com

Taranto Taranto leads the market in traffic enforcement and management solutions, with over 20 years’ experience of delivering innovation in the parking sector. Taranto works with local authorities, private parking companies and fleet firms to provide comprehensive parking, environmental and traffic management systems to keep traffic flowing smoothly and improve air quality, as well as reduce the administrative burden on back-office teams.

Taranto’s award-winning parking enforcement and traffic management systems are used by over 60 UK central and local government organisations, with over 12 of London’s 32 boroughs using our solutions.

Taranto is part of the global Modaxo Group, which specialises in new technologies and innovation in the transportation sector.

tarantosystems.com

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ENFORCEMENT

Rising offence levels Home Office data from 2022 showed that FPNs issued to drivers for ‘neglect of traffic signs and directions and of pedestrian rights’ increased from 78,900 in 2021, to 105,500 a year later. This was an increase of 33.8%.

Road casualties throughout 2022 increased by 7% on the previous year, with 30% of total pedestrian deaths occurring at junctions.

Another change to the Highway Code rules closed a loophole used by drivers who were using their mobile devices while behind the wheel. Analysis of the 2022 data showed that 37,900 FPNs were issued over mobile phone usage – an increase of 93%.

However, half (51%) of drivers still feel unsure whether changes to the Highway Code – made two years ago today – have made the roads safer for pedestrians, RAC research shows. In addition to the majority who feel unsure if the Highway Code changes have made any difference, only a fifth (18%) of drivers believe the new rules have increased pedestrian safety, while a third (31%) think pedestrians face even greater danger at junctions since the measures were published.

A lack of awareness Research from the RAC’s Report on Motoring, published to coincide with the hierarchy’s second anniversary, suggests the reason for the confusion is the message simply hasn’t

RAC

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hanges made to the Highway Code in January 2022 gave pedestrian and cyclists priority at junctions.

This has seen a rise in fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued to drivers, according to figures released by the Home Office.

On 29 January 2022, the government announced the creation of a new ‘hierarchy of road users’ that ensures those who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others.

Data from the government’s latest road casualty statistics found that 30% of pedestrian fatalities occur at a junction, compared to 39% of serious injuries.

One of the most notable changes advises drivers turning into or out of a junction to give way to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders who are either crossing or are waiting to cross the road. This rule was part of a new hierarchy of road users designed to improve the safety of the most vulnerable.

Those who can cause the most harm, such as large goods and passenger vehicles, vans, minibuses, cars, taxis and motorcycles, now have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to others.

The updated rules also included information on new safe passing distances. This covered more specific rules about giving more space to pedestrians, horses, and cyclists.

Pedestrians are now at the top of a new hierarchy of road users

Drivers feel uncertain about new road user hierarchy Changes to the Highway Code have been followed by a sharp rise in the issue of fixed penalty notices, reports the RAC got through to drivers.

While Highway Code Rule 170 states drivers should give way to pedestrians when turning in or out of junctions, less than a quarter (23%) of drivers say they always do. Nearly half (48%) say they give way most of the time but alarmingly, a fifth (19%) admit they don’t stop very often while 6% never do.

But when the same pool of respondents were asked if, as pedestrians, they notice other drivers stopping to give way, just 2% said they see others stop all the time, while two-thirds (65%) said drivers rarely or never stop for them.

The findings correlate with a report from the government’s Public Accounts Committee which, in November 2023, declared that messaging around the changes had not been communicated effectively enough to encourage public participation.

Drivers’ confidence in the 2022 rules also differ significantly between young and more experienced motorists. Over a third (37%) of drivers aged 17 to 24 believe the changes have made the roads safer for vulnerable users, whereas just 13% of those aged 65+ agree with them.

Similarly, only 13% of motorists with at least 25 years of driving experience believe pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders are safer now the rules are in place, compared to 37% of those with up to nine years of driving experience who feel more confident about the safety of vulnerable users. And across every UK region, at least two-in-10 pedestrians (21%) claim drivers never give way to them at junctions, with those in Wales (25%) and Yorkshire (24%) feeling least certain a car would stop to let them cross. www.rac.co.uk

A state of confusion RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “When initially introduced, we welcomed the major Highway Code changes because they were set to make the roads much safer for the most vulnerable users. However, two years on, it’s concerning to see there’s still so much uncertainty, with most drivers not stopping for people crossing when they should and therefore many pedestrians seeing no change to their safety at junctions.

“It’s interesting that when respondents described their experiences as pedestrians, a high proportion still don’t see enough other drivers doing the right thing and giving way to those on foot at junctions. Conversely, when reflecting on their own actions as drivers, their responses were different, and a higher proportion feel confident they always let pedestrians cross. The updates are only as good as a universal understanding of them. If a driver turns into a junction as a pedestrian is crossing, it’s already too late, because that’s when confusion could turn into a collision.

“Part of the reason may be that drivers simply don’t know that the changes have been made, least of all the consequences of ignoring them. Most drivers probably rarely refer to the Highway Code once they’ve passed their tests, and that’s where the problem could lie. We urge motorists to take another close look at the changes – either by visiting the Highway Code or RAC websites, or by picking up a printed copy. We’d also urge the government to make another concerted effort in communicating the changes to all road users.”

PARKING REVIEW | 15

PR379_P16-17_News SUV.qxp_PR379_p16-17 14/02/2024 16:26 Page 16

AUTOBESITY

Cars are outgrowing roads Over half of new vehicles are too wide for street parking spaces, Transport & Environment reveals

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ars are getting too big for British roads, exceeding the 180cm minimum for on-street parking. New research from clean transport campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E UK) has revealed that, on average, cars were found to be getting 1cm wider every two years. The average width of new cars expanded to 180.3 cm in the first half of 2023, up from 177.8 cm in 2018, the research finds.

Data compiled by the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT) confirms the same trend in the two decades up to 2020.

The UK was the country with second-widest cars on average just behind Germany which is higher than the average across Europe and the UK. New cars in the UK are subject to the same maximum width, 255cm, as buses and trucks. T&E UK says that unless the UK width limit for cars is reviewed, large sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and pick-ups will continue to expand to the cap meant for heavy-duty vehicles.

More than half of new cars sold in 2023 were too wide for the minimum specified on-street parking space (180 cm) in major UK cities. Off-street parking is now a tight squeeze even for the average new car (180cm wide), while large luxury SUVs often make it impossible. Measuring around 200cm wide, large luxury SUVs leave very little space and, as much of the UK is densely populated, it piles yet more pressure on roads from competing uses. The growing width of these cars is going to exacerbate those pressures, suggests T&E.

16 | PARKING REVIEW

The growth in size is very pronounced among large luxury SUVs: in the most egregious cases, the Land Rover Defender grew by 20.6cm and the Mercedes X5 by 6cm in just six years.

In 2023, Volvo went 4.1cm wider with its EX90. Carmakers are using this growth of the largest SUVs to also increase the width of vehicles in the midsize and compact segments.

Richard Hebditch, UK director for T&E UK, said: “The trend of cars getting wider has been progressing for decades and that trend will continue until the UK sets stricter limits. Currently we allow new cars to be as wide as trucks. This has meant our roads are now home to big SUVs and American-style pick-up trucks that are parking on our footpaths, endangering pedestrians and cyclists and making everyone else on our roads less safe.

“The trend towards wider vehicles is reducing the road space available for other vehicles and cyclists while parked cars are further encroaching on footpaths. The wider designs have also enabled the height of vehicles to be further raised, despite crash data showing a 10cm increase in the height of vehicle fronts carries a 30% higher risk of fatalities in collisions with pedestrians and cyclists.”

The UK has inherited EU legislation on vehicle width, which has not been changed since Brexit, explains Transport & Energy.

“The UK seeks to keep EU derived legislation under review and to reform it where it can support domestic UK objectives but an explicit reason cited by the government for leaving the EU was to have the power to diverge from EU rules,” says Hebditch T&E UK is calling on a mandated width limit for cars with an approval process that is consistent with EU regulations, to reduce compliance costs for car makers. It is calling for the regulations to come into effect from 1 January 2030 which

PR379_P16-17_News SUV.qxp_PR379_p16-17 14/02/2024 16:59 Page 17

AUTOBESITY would be consistent with the changes to EU regulations proposed

by T&E. Transport & Environment’s research and recommendation have been welcomed by a range of campaign groups.

Sarah McMonagle, director of external affairs at Cycling UK, said: “In general, people driving wider vehicles are more likely to pass people cycling more closely than those driving narrower ones. This is particularly the case on narrow rural lanes or on residential streets with lots of parking, where those on bikes are often bullied off the road to make way. We need government action to stop motor manufacturers fuelling our addiction to ever more obese cars. Bigger cars are not better, they’re less sustainable, make our roads more dangerous, and take up more space, increasing congestion.”

Oliver Lord, UK head of the Clean Cities Campaign, said: “Our dense cities are already dominated by cars so the last thing we need is for ever larger luxury SUVs. The growing number of cars that don’t fit on our streets is absurd and it should ring alarm bells in every town hall. Unless we act now, more and more of our public space will be taken away.”

Dr Rachel Lee, policy and research manager, Living Streets, said: “Design standards for lane widths and parking bays haven’t changed, but vehicles keep getting wider. They take up too much space already. Both vehicle widths and road space allocated to them urgently need to be reviewed and updated, to stop yet more pavement being taken away from people walking and wheeling.”

Leo Murray, co-director of climate charity Possible, said: “This analysis shows that the profit-driven trend to autobesity can be measured in cars’ expanding waistbands as well as their increasing weight, and the negative impacts have become impossible to miss on any crowded inner city street, with new SUVs spilling out of their parking spaces and blocking footways and other vehicles. Previous research has found that ‘downsizing’ policies to limit the size and weight of new private cars could be surprisingly effective at driving down carbon emissions too, so we are delighted to join T&E’s call for a new width limit on UK car sales from 2030. In the meantime, forward looking local authorities can help by only issuing on-street residential parking permits for cars that actually fit inside the spaces provided.” www.transportenvironment.org

Putting a price on size Transport & Environment points to action being taken in Europe to curb the use of SUVs On 4 February Paris held a referendum in which residents voted to set specific parking tariff for heavy cars such as SUVs. The new rules will triple the price of parking (to €18 per hour in central districts, and €12 in other areas) but do not apply to Paris residents’ parking. The city organised a similar vote last year on the prohibition of shared electric scooters, following which it became the first European capital to impose a ban.

A survey for Clean Cities and Respire carried out by OpinionWay in January 2024 revealed that 61% of Parisians supported the implementation of parking pricing by weight, a figure which rose to 70% if this measure is applied under conditions (revenues reinvested in the improvement of mobility in Paris, application to non-residential parking only.).

The French city of Lyon has also recently adopted higher parking costs for heavier vehicles, requiring SUVs to pay €15 more per month than an average car and €30 more than electric vehicles. Tübingen, Germany, has been applying a 50% mark-up on residential park charges since 2022.

The association of German cities has also come out in support of higher parking charges based on the size of the vehicle.

At a European level, the EU Parliament’s transport committee is set vote on an amendment to the Weights and Dimensions Directive that would mandate a review of the maximum width for new cars. The review clause would not specify new limits, but would require the EU Commission to examine the issue.

Stopping cars from eating Paris Parisians vote to treble parking fees for SUVs

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arisians voted for a plan that will triple the price of parking for heavy and large cars in a referendum held on Sunday 4 February. The ‘SUV tariff’ has been championed by Paris’ Socialist mayor, Anne Hidalgo, who sees deterring the use of larger cars as a way of tackling air pollution and climate breakdown.

“Parisians have made a clear choice, other cities will follow,” she said following the vote. “We’re proud of having posed an eminently environmental question at a time the environment is presented as the source of all evil. It’s a form of resistance here in Paris to this very concerning movement.”

The cost of on-street parking for the heaviest vehicles will rise to €18 (£15) an hour in the centre of Paris and €12 an hour in the rest of the city. The prices will apply to vehicles weighing more than 1.6 tonnes with a combustion engine or hybrid vehicles, and to electric vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes.

The plan will have a particular effect on sports utility vehicles (SUVs), large 4x4 cars with a high driving position and an off-road capability that have become popular with urban drivers.

The new fees will not apply to Paris residents’ street parking.

Instead, the move is mainly aimed at people from the suburbs who drive into the centre of the capital for the day. There are exemptions for fully electric cars, taxi drivers, tradespeople, health workers and people with disabilities. Paris’s deputy mayor in charge of transport, David Belliard, of the Green party, said about 10% of vehicles in Paris would have to pay higher parking fees, which could bring in up to €35m for the city each year.

Some 54.6% voted in favour of special parking fees for heavy vehicle, according to provisional results. However, at about 5.7% of Paris’s 1.3 million registered voters, the turnout was lower than green campaigners supporting the ban had hoped for.

During her 10 years in office, mayor Hidalgo has been increasing parking costs and gradually banning diesel vehicles, while expanding the bicycle lane network in the congested capital. Under her tenure, many Paris streets, including the banks of the River Seine, have been pedestrianised. The number of on-street parking spaces has been decreased in order to make drivers use underground parking. Last year another referendum saw Paris become the first European capital to ban electric scooters.

France’s environment minister, Christophe Béchu, struck an ambivalent note. He told broadcaster RTL that the SUV surcharge was a form of “punitive environmentalism”, but said drivers should “opt for lighter vehicles”.

Drivers’ groups and opposition figures alike have attacked the plan, saying the SUV classification is misleading as many family sized cars would be affected.

PARKING REVIEW | 17

School Streets PR378_DPS ad_QXP2022.qxp_PR379_p18-19 14/02/2024 13:49 Page 1

Organised by:

Headline Sponsor:

Supported by:

Supported local authority places*

Improving the quality of life for kids by challenging the dominance of the car The case for School Streets is becoming ever compelling with more and more councils installing them. They are increasingly being seen as a way of effectively addressing the congestion, road safety and air quality concerns that many schools experience.

The number of School Streets in the UK has been rising steadily in recent years. In London there were just 76 School Streets in 2019 – there are now nearly 600 schemes across nearly every London borough, with a quarter of primary schools located on School Streets. Monitoring of schemes has revealed how they are enabling children and families to safely walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school. And by making active travel possible for everyone, they help contribute to efforts to tackle the health crisis and climate change.

Landor LINKS is running a pair of one-day conferences – one in the North and the other in London – to showcase best practice and offer practical guidance. The events will bring together professionals from a range of disciplines. l School Streets South, run in partnership with Lambeth Council, takes place on 29 February at Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton. l School Streets North, in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, will take place on 15 March at Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford.

Key themes A range of issues will be discussed including: l funding l active travel l monitoring l traffic management l enforcement

l partnerships l health and wellbeing l infrastructure design l consultation and engagement

Exhibitions Both conferences will be supported by exhibitions featuring key sector suppliers.

Hurry … last fe w stand s!

Exhibitors include:

Turning the grey green

For details about booking an exhibition space contact Jason Conboy at: jason@landor.co.uk * We are offering a limited number of free places to local authorities (maximum of two per authority) on a first come, first served basis.

School Streets PR378_DPS ad_QXP2022.qxp_PR379_p18-19 14/02/2024 13:49 Page 2

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

STEPHANIE PATHAK

SAMUEL DILLON

TRACY BRABIN

ED CLANCY OBE

LUCY ATKINSON

DR ANNA MOORE

IDOWU EREOAH

ZAHRA ALI

Hosted by:

Hosted by:

Thursday 29 February 2024 Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton, London

Friday 15 March 2024 Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford

The opening speaker at the London event will be School Streets champion Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth Council’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air.

School Streets North will be opened by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin.

Panellists at School Streets North will include:

Panellists at School Streets South will include:

l Ali Campion, School Streets Co-ordinator, Sustrans North

l Stephanie Pathak, Strategy and Planning Manager, Transport for London

l Idowu Ereoah, Traffic Enforcement Manager, Haringey Council

l Samuel Dillon, School Streets Officer, Lambeth Council

l Scott Patient, Cabinet Member for Climate Action/Housing/Active Travel, Calderdale Council

l Zahra Ali, Transport Projects Officer, Hounslow Council

l Peter Carlill, Lead Member for Active Travel and Sustainable Transport, Leeds City Council

l Lucy Atkinson, Programme Manager, Urban Design and Engagement, Sustrans

Richard O’Malley, Strategic Account Director North, Marston Holdings, will explain the challenges of managing and enforcing School Streets schemes.

l Liz Brooker MBE, Road Safety and Sustainable Transport Manager, Lewisham Council Dr Anna Moore will offer two, inter-linked perspectives as a Respiratory Specialist Registrar at the Royal London Hospital and a member of campaign group Mums for Lungs.

Book your place now: landorlinks.uk/school-streets-south

Asa Thomas, Research Fellow in Active Travel and Micromobility, University of Westminster will share the key findings of his PhD on School Streets.

Special guest speaker at School Streets North will be Ed Clancy OBE, Olympic cycling gold medallist and Active Travel Commissioner, South Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Book your place now: landorlinks.uk/school-streets-north

PR379_P20-21_Business.qxp_PR379_p20-21 14/02/2024 16:30 Page 20

BUSINESS NEWS

Trimountain Partners invests in Horizon Funding injection will help parking company grow its business The Horizon Parking Group is to accelerate its growth plans after attracting investment from Trimountain Partners and partners including Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management.

Headquartered in Chelmsford, Horizon Parking provides parking solutions to a broad base of customers in the retail, leisure, residential, education, transportation, municipal, government, social housing and healthcare sectors, and manages over 3,000 car parks in both the public and private sectors.

With an annual turnover approaching £40m, Horizon manages around 600,000 parking spaces, dealing with approximately 400,000 motorists every day.

Services provided by Horizon include overseeing, patrolling, securing and enforcing clients’ car parks. It provides services including car park design, repair and construction, marshalling, EV charging, surveying, project

Ali Khanbhai management and facilities management.

Horizon Parking’s founder and managing director Bernie Dickson said the company’s focus will remain on supporting its existing and new clients whilst also pursuing carefully selected bolt-on acquisitions to drive growth in parallel with an investment in staff and infrastructure to support its expansion plans.

The company plans to actively develop its client portfolio in the wider private and public

sectors, and accordingly continue to expand its geographic footprint.

Dickson said: “Since formation in 2012, Horizon Parking continues to grow year on year, this success comes from understanding the needs of customers and being innovative in our solutions. The collaborative relationships our teams create with customers are at the heart of this exciting growth.

“After getting to know each other over the past couple of

RingGo partners with Creative Car Park Creative Car Park has appointed RingGo as its exclusive ondemand cashless payment provider.

Drivers using the RingGo app at Creative Car Park sites will be able to locate spaces, make payment and extend their stay remotely.

Creative Car Park currently manages 1,800 sites in multiple sectors including retail, hospitality and healthcare.

Formed in 1995, Creative Car Park was among first UK operators to use ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras in car parks.

Stuart Cummings, chief executive of Creative Car Park, said: “Our partnership with RingGo will truly enhance our paid parking service, which in turn will benefit our clients and the motorists who use their car parks. We are committed to innovation and this partnership with the UK’s leading cashless parking provider ensures we will continue to deliver industry-leading solutions for our clients. Through RingGo’s

20 | PARKING REVIEW

Peter O’Driscoll integration we will also be able to improve and expand our services based on valuable driver data.”

The announcement expands RingGo’s network to include up to 1,800 new UK locations.

Peter O’Driscoll, managing director of RingGo, said: “The collaboration between RingGo and Creative Car Park expands our services across key touchpoints in the UK, as we look to integrate availability

with Creative Car Park’s estate.

UK motorists are not only adapting to new technologies but also expecting them to be readily available, so cashless parking at these new sites is likely to prove very popular.”

Last year JustPark was appointed to manage prebooking and reservations, with RingGo now appointed to manage on demand parking exclusively across the Creative Parking estate.

years, the board and I are delighted to welcome Ali and Trimountain Partners on this exciting journey.

“They complement our ambition and the culture we have created here at Horizon, and their experience and resourcefulness will help continue to develop our offering to deliver customers the best value for their infrastructure.”

Ali Khanbhai, partner and cofounder of Trimountain Partners, said: “Horizon is one of the clear leaders in the UK parking solutions and services market, with the team, scale and technology systems in place to support significant further growth.

“We are absolutely delighted to have the privilege of partnering with Bernie and the highcalibre senior management team at Horizon Parking, with a view to supporting them in the company’s next phase of development and growth, whilst importantly working with the team to continue to provide Horizon’s existing and prospective blue chip clients tailor-made solutions with the highest levels of service.”

Orbility hires Issad as group COO Parking payment system provider Orbility has appointed Boussad Issad as group chief operating officer.

Boussad will join a new leadership team, the group executive committee, made of Yves S Schoen (chief operating officer), Jean-Sébastien Guilleux (chief financial officer), Denis Brazzolotto (chief commercial officer) and George Morosan (chief technical officer).

In what is a newly created role, Boussad will be responsible for procurement and supply chain, manufacturing and production, installation and projects and after sales across the whole group.

Issad holds an engineering degree in Industrial Management from ISAE-Supmeca Paris, complemented by a Master’s degree from EM Lyon. He holds an executive MBA from HEC Paris.

Since 2013, Boussad has worked as director of industrial operations on the executive committee at LUMIPLAN, a provider of connected solutions for smart mobility and smart cities.

PR379_P20-21_Business.qxp_PR379_p20-21 14/02/2024 16:30 Page 21

BUSINESS NEWS

Q-Park aims to build NHS portfolio Parking operator joins NHS sustainable transport framework Q-Park has secured a place on the Sustainable Transport and Infrastructure Framework which is managed by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS).

Q-Park is an established provider of NHS hospital parking, running car parks at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Sandwell Hospital, Birmingham City Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

Q-Park secured a place on the DBFO framework (design, build, fund, and operate) alongside its partner, Prime plc. This means that Q-Park and Prime can bid for and secure contracts for new Healthcare parking schemes.

NHS Shared Business Services was created in 2004 by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to deliver corporate services to the NHS. It is a joint venture with Sopra Steria, a European provider of digital services and software

Q-Park City Hospital, Birmingham development.

The Sustainable Transport and Infrastructure Framework, which runs until November 2027, is designed to support the NHS in lowering its carbon output and achieve its 2040 carbon net zero emissions ambition.

The procurement framework agreement provides the NHS with a one-stop solution for all car parking needs, allowing trusts to find and appoint the services of fully vetted providers

quickly and compliantly.

James Pollock, head of acquisitions and real estate at Q-Park UK said: “We are delighted that alongside our strategic partner Prime, to have secured a place on the NHS SBS Sustainable Transport and Infrastructure Framework.

“We have a proud history in the creation and operation of Quality Healthcare parking facilities so we look forward to continuing this in the future.”

SVP completes purchase of APCOA Holdings Strategic Value Partners (SVP) has completed its acquisition of APCOA Parking Holdings.

SVP is a global alternative investment firm with over $18bn in assets under management.

SVP has been a minority shareholder in APCOA since 2014.

Last October SVP announced that it would acquire shares from majority shareholder Centerbridge and other minority shareholders.

APCOA Parking is one of Europe’s leading parking operators, managing 13,000 locations in 13 European countries, including the UK and Ireland.

In December, the company announced that it would be shortening its name to APCOA. Going forward the parking services provider said it will deliver services via four distinct business lines – ‘Parking’, ‘Charging’, ‘Technology’ and ‘Urban Solutions’.

The development of urban mobility hubs is emerging as a key element of its business plans.

Parkopedia China lead will drive growth of connected car services We currently supply and have vacancies around the UK for Permanent and Temporary positions: • Civil Enforcement Officers • Environmental Enforcement Officers • Parking Back Office (Appeals/Notice Processing/Correspondence) • Parking Change Management • Interim Parking Managers • Car Park Attendants/Marshalls/Stewarding • Parking Supervisors (Both Enforcement and Back Office) • Parking Management (Both Enforcement and Back Office) • Heads of Parking/Directors

Iris Xu

• Parking Technologies (Business Development and Project Managers/

Connected parking services provider Parkopedia has appointed a new general manager to lead its business in China. Iris Xu will lead the roll-out of Parkopedia’s expanded mobility products in the Chinese automotive market.

Xu has experience in navigation, mobility and cloud computing, having worked in senior roles at leading Chinese enterprises, including Tencent and NavInfo.

Parkopedia established its China business in 2014.

Xu said: “I am excited to represent Parkopedia and further

increase awareness for the company’s market-leading services in China. Chinese drivers want seamless connected car services and the latest driving experiences to improve their journeys.

“I look forward to facilitating Parkopedia to work with even more automotive OEMs in China and providing these services to as many drivers as possible. The Chinese automotive industry is growing rapidly, with EVs becoming increasingly popular around the world, I see huge potential for Parkopedia as part of this growth.”

Field Service Engineers/General Managers)

• Off Street Parking (Business Development, Contract Managers and Regional Managers)

• CCTV Operators – SIA and BTEC qualified

Looking for staff or need employment?

Please contact our experienced team on: Tel: 0203 668 5680 Email: parking@unity-recruitment.co.uk Web: www.unity-recruitment.co.uk

***Parking Experience Essential***

PARKING REVIEW | 21

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ar parking continues to evolve, with changes seen in both how consumers use car parks, and how car park owners make the best use of their location. More recently, the adaptation of technology within car parks is increasing, for example, with the introduction of Smart Lockers and the drive to more sustainable ways of parking. As the owners of car parks are looking to meet the future needs of the UK public, the next decade is expected to be dominated by the transition to electric vehicles.

In 2013 Intelli-Park launched the Parking Matters report (produced under its original UKPC company). Parking Matters provided a definitive view of retail parking from the perspective of UK drivers and retail industry professionals. The insights provided helped Managing Agents, Landowners, Tenants and Retail Management teams improve and refine their existing parking services.

Ten years later, Intelli-Park and Opinium have recreated the research with the same audiences to understand how attitudes have changed but also begin to identify the expectations and needs for the future.

The new Parking Matters report indicates that cost and security are the main priorities for drivers when seeking a place to park, more than two in five (42%) are spending less than £5

Parking Matters

on parking a month in 2023 vs 46% in 2013. More motorists (26%) are also satisfied with the level of security available today compared to 18% in 2013.

Despite cost-of-living increases across many aspects of UK budgets, it’s good news for motorists, as Intelli-Park’s report reveals car parking spending has not significantly increased over the past ten years: More than two in five (42%) are spending less than £5 per month on parking compared to 46% in 2013 However, the percentage of drivers paying £30 or more per month has risen from 8 to 13% in the past decade.

Cost is the number one priority for today’s motorists, which has risen in significance from 37% to 61% over the last decade.

However, despite prices being relatively static over time, overall satisfaction with the cost of parking has decreased. The report indicated that the driving factor for this attitude could be that motorists are feeling the pinch in other areas due to rising inflation and cost-of-living demands. Improving the cost and experience for car park users could help to combat this for car park owners, improving the overall experience of using the car park could lead to more frequent use and therefore spend being increased.

Meanwhile, satisfaction with car park security has increased over the last ten years, which has been linked to increased car park surveillance, with vehicle crime rates decreasing by 8.7% from 2015 to 2021 (Uswitch). Car park security was hailed an

Cost and security are the most important factors for drivers when considering using a car park.

Satisfaction with cost has decreased since 2013, whilst satisfaction with security has improved.

Despite security improving since 2013, drivers still often worry about leaving their vehicle in car parks. Having more visible security would be a reassuring presence, whilst being ‘Park Mark’ accredited would also be an effective way of attracting more drivers.

There is a growing need for EV charging infrastructure, with the majority of EV owners opting to charge their vehicle away from their home and many feeling there are not enough charging points available. High charging speed and low charging price are the most effective ways of attracting EV drivers into car parks.

Satisfaction with accessibility has seen a decline since 2013.

Finding convenient car parking spaces is more difficult and the size of spaces continues to be a big problem especially for Blue Badge holders and parents.

Balancing the growing demand for EV charging whilst not neglecting the space required for non-EV drivers will be an interesting challenge for site owners over the coming years.

important factor by 90% of motorists, with three quarters (76%) saying they would be more likely to choose a car park if it was Park Mark-accredited. However, some car parks could benefit from improvements, as only 1 in 4 drivers stated they were ‘very satisfied’ with the last car park they used.

Other priorities when choosing a car park included lighting (63%), security (60%) and cleanliness (54%).

The Parking Matters report explores proposed investment in car parks to meet the needs of users. One in five car park owners plan to increase investment over the next year, with the focus being on sustainable travel planning (79%), last mile delivery (75%), tech and data integration (71%) and autonomous vehicles (39%).

And while the number of car parking owners who have invested in Electric Vehicles (EV) charging points currently stands at 71%, 63% of EV drivers believe there are not enough UK-wide points. This comes at a time when 74% of EV drivers would be more likely to visit destinations with charging facilities.

The diversification of car parking spaces is key for owners in order to create more commercial opportunities and effectively optimise space that is not currently in use. From Amazon lockers to dark kitchens there are many options for car park owners, managing agents, private landowners and tenants to utilise to spaces and drive further usage.

A total of 1,000 UK motorists (defined as those holding a valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle) were surveyed between 05/12/2022 and 12/12/2022 and 104 private Car Park Owners, Managing Agents, Private Landowners and Tenants were surveyed between 02/05/2023 and 23/05/2023.

Parking Matters

The electric vehicle market is booming. According to recent vehicle stats, the sale of EVs has increased by 40% from 2022.

This figure is now only second to petrol cars sold in the UK. By December 2022. A huge 32.9% of new vehicle registrations were for EVs and this demand shows no signs of slowing down. (source: DfT, SMMT).

These stats demonstrate the growing need for charging infrastructure in the UK. Just 48% of EV drivers in our study preferring to charge their EV at home, whilst others opt for places outside of the home. It is vital that car parks are able to meet this demand and encourage UK electric vehicle motorists to charge outside of their home, where it is currently cheaper, and the infrastructure is better able to support this.

Even though the majority of car parks offer EV charging points, EV drivers would like to have more availability with many struggling to find a way to charge on a weekly basis. With this in mind, car park owners plan to provide more charging points at their locations and should be looking to prioritise the most important factors that EV drivers consider when looking for a place to charge their vehicle.

of car parking landowners currently offer EV charging points on their sites

– rising utility costs and the cost-of-living crisis mean this is always a key driver of choice

believe that there are not enough charging points across the UK

– a minimum charging speed of 50kw – the charging point needs to be conveniently located in a safe space – to locate where a charging point is

“Continuous innovation and sustainability is undoubtedly central to shaping and creating car parks of the future that are responsive to ever-evolving needs and integral to helping achieve a more environmentally responsible landscape. The Parking Matters report highlights the undeniable evolution of electric vehicles and the pressing need to bolster the required infrastructure within the mobility sector. The move to EV is not the only diversification that is needed within the industry, in order to keep up with consumer habits and demands car parks must look to create additional usage drivers such as, postage lockers, drop-off points and rentable commercial spaces.”

of EV drivers would be more likely to visit destinations with available electric vehicle charging points

The way we use, power and park our vehicles is evolving more rapidly than at any other time in history. At IntelliPark, we are not only keeping pace, we are leading the charge.

We are designing our business and our technologies to provide ever more intelligent ways to manage parking solutions. What we do creates value for our clients and delivers ease, simplicity and convenience for drivers. Quite simply, our technologies make the business of parking better.

We connect businesses, enabling synergies and innovative ways to grow both revenue and asset value, while simultaneously generating data that enables a richer, more insightful view of the customer.

intelli-park.com contactus@intelli-park.com

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On PATROL

From moving traffic to Clean Air Zones, PATROL director Laura Padden sets out key issues affecting parking and traffic regulation outside London

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arking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL) is a joint committee of over 300 local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales that enforce traffic restrictions.

Each authority elects a representative councillor who is responsible for making decisions on behalf of their council. During 2023 more than 100 newly elected councillors joined the committee, which reflects the change in leadership across many local authorities.

PATROL’s core regulatory function is to make provision for independent adjudication in respect of appeals against penalties issued by its authorities provided by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT).

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The adjudicators of TPT decide appeals against traffic penalties issued for contraventions, including: • Parking, bus lanes and moving traffic • Clean Air Zones • Littering from vehicles • Other road user charging schemes (including the Dartford-Thurrock and Mersey Gateway bridge crossings).

Around 35,000 appeals are decided each year by independent, part-time adjudicators overseen by chief adjudicator Caroline Hamilton. PATROL provides the administrative staff, support services and accommodation. www.patrol-uk.info

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PARKING POLICY Moving traffic powers English local authorities outside London can now implement moving traffic enforcement under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. We have had two tranches go through and are now into the third. There is a strong emphasis on consultation in the guidance provided by the Department for Transport (DfT).

However, indications on the government’s Plan for Drivers hints at a rolling back on this. This is something we are keeping a keen eye on.

We are encouraging every moving traffic authority that comes on board to learn from adjudicators decisions and to seek out guidance either through PATROL or by looking at collaborating with other local authorities that have gone through already.

Derby, for example, has a lot of information about they introduced their scheme.

Clean Air Zones The majority of the Clean Air Zones that were proposed have been introduced. This is unusual in that it is Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that is responsible for the consultation and preparing business cases with local authorities.

The Clean Air Zone consultations have brought some challenge to local authorities. For example, Leeds actually abandoned its plans based on the consultation. Manchester, meanwhile, has had issues in introducing their planned scheme.

There has been some public backlash, largely due to what has been happening with ULEZ in London where there have been protests. This underlines the importance of making sure that you have public and political support in place well before you embark upon introducing schemes such as these.

Those schemes that have been introduced are pretty much bedded in. There are a few more that are still on the horizon.

Authorities implementing Clean Air Zones are encouraged to get in touch with PATROL’s Iain Worrall, who runs the Clean Air Zone Forum which is connecting local authorities.

Key cases website Key cases from all UK traffic tribunals will be collected in one place for the first time via a new website called Traff-iCase.

PATROL has supported and funded the Traff-iCase project with the intention that it will be an excellent educational tool, whether to improve consistency among local authorities approaching cases or the awareness and understanding of restrictions among motorists.

Laura Padden is director of PATROL

Consultation and engagement Here are some suggestions on how to make engagement with communities and stakeholders more effective: • Make sure you build consultation periods, including time to analyse responses, into your new scheme planning.

• Gather evidence to really support what you are doing and demonstrate to councillors and committee members that you are not doing it because it is the latest fad but because you have been asked to by the electorate.

• Collaborate with other authorities to learn from what they have done. PATROL can help with that.

• Learn from past adjudicator decisions. There is a new initiative that will give local authorities and the public greater access to adjudicator decisions.

• Remember that there will be a potential focus on motorists as part of election campaigning – and some of the information will not be accurate. So build relationships with your councillor and use data to counterbalance perception.

• Use time to prepare your response to a consultation on the Plan for Drivers. Start looking at the Plan for Drivers and start evidencing so that when you come to submit a formal response on behalf of your authority it will have as much information as possible to contest items in it that might not ring true.

Penalty charge revision PATROL, the LGA and BPA have been engaging with the sector and ministers on the cost of PCNs

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here has been growing concern over the effectiveness of current civil parking penalty charge levels. Earlier this year PATROL, the British Parking Association (BPA) and the Local Government Association (LGA) got together to respond to some of the approaches that had been made directly to us by local authorities about the cost of a penalty charge notice (PCN).

There was a sense of urgency on this outside London. We decided that we should look into this issue and see whether there is anything we can actually do. We know from our research that many authorities have raised prices for their on-street and offstreet amenity parking (e.g. car parks, pay & display), in order to offset the increase in the costs of enforcement. Put simply, all motorists – particularly those who follow the rules – are subsidising the cost of enforcing against those who don’t.

PATROL, the BPA and LGA jointly wrote to transport ministers to advise them of the situation and our intention to conduct research into what is the scale of this problem, how big is it and what can we do. Ministers wrote back saying they welcomed and looked forward to seeing the research and findings.

During Spring and Summer 2023 we started research, surveying English and Welsh local authorities and reviewing financial data.

Our research showed that authorities are increasingly concerned about the adequacy of income generated to maintain enforcement services at a sufficient level. Additionally, they are worried about the diminishing financial deterrent effect of the penalty levels, which have not kept pace with inflation. These concerns are further exacerbated by a significant rise in the number of vehicles on the roads in recent years, which has stretched enforcement resources still further.

Some compelling insights came back from the survey, pointing to an urgent need to reconsider the current levels of civil penalty charges, as well as bolstering the mechanism for enabling charge levels to keep pace with inflation moving forward. Furthermore, the research identified opportunities to allow efficiencies in enforcement through relatively simple legislative and regulatory changes.

While proposals to address the research findings may on the face of it seem contrary to the ethos of greater freedom for motorists set out in the government’s Plan for Drivers, we believe they actually align with the Plan’s objectives of responsible driving and road safety. Setting penalties at a level that better reflects current economic conditions would reinforce the message that road rules are to be taken seriously. We hope this greater deterrent will not only deter habitual rule-breaking, but also help revive a culture of responsibility, benefitting all road users.

Further, we hope to ensure enforcement services are financially viable for the future, without being reliant on generating surplus revenue. This approach aligns with the Plan by promoting a balanced model whereby traffic enforcement is primarily about ensuring compliance, public benefit and safety, rather than being driven by financial necessity or revenue generation.

PATROL, the BPA and LGA have now shared the research findings with the Department for Transport, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as the Welsh Government and shadow ministers, and will communicate more on the response and next steps in the coming months.

In the meantime, we want to encourage local authority officers to strengthen relationships and understanding with their own councillors, ensuring your nominated councillors are aware of your financial situation, your objectives for new enforcement schemes and have tangible evidence to show there is a demand for that service in your communities.

Please collate all the complaints about bad parking, requests for enforcement, things they probably don’t see, and let them know the real picture – and that it is not just about going out and issuing tickets and that you are doing it in response to demands from those affected.

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Delivering justice Caroline Hamilton was appointed chief adjudicator at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) in June 2022. Her new annual report covers the period running from April 2022 to March 2023

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t has been a busy and productive period for the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. The adjudicators’ annual report not only provides an insight into the volume and type of work completed, but also serves to update the PATROL Joint Committee and appraise readers of some of the achievements and initiatives put in place in the reporting year.

Coming from my role as chief adjudicator at London Tribunals, I was very familiar with the work of the adjudicators at the TPT. As a group, adjudicators acknowledge the benefits that each tribunal inherited from the dedicated focus and insights that my predecessor, Caroline Sheppard OBE, as founder and chief of each tribunal in turn, contributed to the tribunal systems generally, parking and traffic appeals in particular, and the work and ethos of the independent adjudicators during her tenures.

Appraisal and training

Caroline Hamilton

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he Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) decides motorists’ appeals against penalty charge notices (PCNs), issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England outside London and Wales for traffic contraventions. The adjudicators hear appeals against PCNs issued by over 300 local authorities in England and Wales for parking, bus lane and moving traffic contraventions, as well as for Clean Air Zones and, in England only, littering from vehicles. The TPT also decides appeals against penalties from other road user charging schemes in England, including the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing (Dart Charge) and the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge Crossings (Merseyflow).

Appeals to the TPT are decided by 24 part-time adjudicators, all of whom wholly independent lawyers, whose appointments are subject to the Lord Chancellor’s consent. The chief adjudicator is Caroline Hamilton. She and her team of adjudicators are supported by a small team of administrative staff.

The independent TPT is funded by a joint committee of the 300plus local authorities and charging authorities that enforce the traffic restrictions. The committee is called Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL). These authorities are fulfilling a statutory duty to make provision for independent adjudication against the civil enforcement penalties they issue. www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk

Traffic Penalty Tribunal: Key facts • The Traffic Penalty Tribunal decides appeals against around 30,000 PCNs each year.

• 80% of appeals are completed fully online, with attendance hearings (via telephone or video) available, if necessary.

• Appellants unable to get online receive assisted digital support by phone, live chat or post for appeals to be completed by proxy • 50% of cases are completed within 14 days, with over 70% within 28 days.

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My first task on appointment was to meet the independent adjudicators, the impartial office holders charged with determining appeals brought by motorists in England (outside London) and Wales. The adjudicators at the TPT, all part-time, fee-paid lawyers, are well established and experienced, working at a high level of specialism and expertise. Appraisals of their work and skills included discussions on the function of the administrative tribunal, generally, the application of the law and the use of the digital case management system.

Once our appraisal discussions were complete, we were able to put an informed annual training programme in place, providing the cohort of adjudicators with the opportunity of sharing case management processes with colleagues, while hearing and contributing to presentations on best practice, tribunal skills and the function of the independent, impartial adjudicator. The training event took place in Manchester during December 2022 and was well attended by adjudicators

Cross-deployment: ‘One tribunal’ Adjudicators at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal and at London Tribunals have always adopted a collegiate approach. Coming from London Tribunals I have been keen to work towards the further harmonisation and strengthening of our links and working practices. To that end, nine London adjudicators were crossdeployed to the TPT, allowing judicial experience and expertise to be further shared. The joint aim of each (albeit currently separate) tribunal is to provide an accessible, cohesive and consistent application of the regulations and law governing the appeal process – to the benefit of our users – that working together can only promote.

Key cases website To promote our joint aims, the TPT is creating a ‘key cases’ website, which is aimed at providing a go-to online destination for traffic enforcement cases and information serving to advise and clarify the law and issues that frequently confuse or perplex motorists and tribunal users in and out of London. The expectation is that the new website will allow users to benefit from consistent advice and information, putting an end to appeals based on mistaken beliefs gleaned from inaccurate, if well-meaning, reports published by newspapers and appearing on public websites.

Transparency and efficiency Tribunal users are entitled to the swift delivery of justice and I am committed to ensuring that appeals are determined justly, efficiently and consistently by the adjudicators charged with carrying out

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PARKING APPEALS their independent and impartial judicial function.

The independent adjudicators are tasked with making all judicial decisions, but playing a crucial role in access to justice and the effectiveness of the tribunal is the operational partnership between the judicial decision makers and the dedicated administrative arm of the TPT. The united commitment to the work of the tribunal we enjoy at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal contributes to its quality and function, allowing our users to benefit from a competent and efficient jurisdiction.

The cases The number of cases registered in the 2022-23 reporting year has increased slightly, reflecting some return to normality after the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Total appeals, 2022–23 (Previous year shown in brackets) • Cases registered by adjudicator: 22,063 (20,300) • Statutory Declarations/Witness Statements: 1,648 (1,677) • Appeals (PCNs) determined: 31,327 (27,849) • Appeals allowed:16,549 (18,144), of which 12,245 (13,276) were not contested • Appeals refused: 6,621 (4,260), of which 226 (240) were withdrawn

e-Decisions e-Decisions refers to a decision processed through the Tribunal’s digital case management system. These are determined by the adjudicator on the evidence provided by each party to the appeal, without further oral evidence or submissions. Under the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Representations and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2022, the adjudicator has the power to require the attendance of ‘any person including a party to the appeal’.

The nature of TPT’s proceedings are such that the just and proportionate determination of an appeal is achieved following the consideration of evidence and representations submitted by the parties, without the need for further oral evidence or submissions.

This is all the more so now that high-quality CCTV evidence, photographs and documents can be readily uploaded to the digital case management system for viewing by the parties and the adjudicator, providing effective access to justice without the need for attendance.

Total e-Decisions 18,043 (17,632)

Telephone and video hearings Many appeals were determined by the adjudicator with telephone or video attendance having been selected by the appellant and/or an authority representative. Witnesses may also take part in telephone and video hearings. Telephone and video hearings take place using the Microsoft Teams video-conferencing platform, accessible from computers, tablets or smartphones, with the option to either turn the camera on (for a video hearing) or off (for a telephone hearing).

Telephone/video attendance hearings Total: 2,137 (1,914) Telephone: 1,493 (1,382) Video: 644 (532)

Costs Under the regulations governing the tribunal, the adjudicators shall not normally make an award of costs or expenses, and may only do so if the party against whom the order is made has acted in a way that is frivolous, vexatious or wholly unreasonable with regard to the appeal. This is a high threshold of improper conduct to meet.

There is no power to make an award of compensation.

Annual Report

2022–23

Then and now…

Caroline Sheppard OBE looks back on her time as lead of the London and national appeals services Caroline Sheppard OBE was responsible for establishing the first decriminalised tribunals addressing parking and other traffic appeals in England and Wales. This was achieved first in her role as chief adjudicator at the Parking Appeal Service in London in 1992, then replicated as chief adjudicator at the National Parking Adjudication Service (now the Traffic Penalty Tribunal) from 1999.

Sheppard was ultimately responsible for the TPT’s innovative end-to-end digital case management system, held up as an exemplar by senior members of the judiciary, leading academics and legal commentators, globally. In 2017, she was awarded the OBE for her services to motorists.

She retired as chief adjudicator at the TPT in 2022, but remains actively engaged in dispute resolution and justice reform.

Q. What is keeping you busy at the moment?

A. Retirement has not been as relaxing as I thought it would be. I was worried that I would be at a loose end, but I have been keeping very busy.

I am a member of the Administrative Justice Council, which has oversight of the whole of the administrative justice system, and I am currently chairing a working party looking at the digitalisation of the court and tribunal systems, with a view to promoting practical and accessible processes. I am also a member of Justice, the law reform and human rights organisation, and am currently engaged in discussions regarding the legal framework around private parking.

Q. What are your memories of setting up the decriminalised appeal systems?

A. Starting afresh, without any legacy, meant I could adopt an approach that focussed on the users’ needs, creating an appeal system that was accessible and user-friendly from scratch. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal was created with a focus on the values of the judiciary and due process principles, without the unnecessary burdens of officialdom and inherited practices that usually plague tribunals. With such a fresh start there is a huge benefit to progress and innovation. We were also fortunate to have a joint committee (now Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London – PATROL) that was united and entirely supportive of the independent tribunal.

Q. What were the main challenges?

A. Designing an inclusive system, accessible to users and reflecting their needs, was paramount, and moving from dealing with 33 London boroughs to a nationwide body of 300-plus councils (including in Wales) was a scale that required a high-level of organised thinking and planning.

Q. Is there anything you would have done differently on reflection?

A. Probably lots of things! The systems were set up relatively intuitively in an agile manner. I am certainly proud of leaving a female-centric heritage and pleased that TPT and PATROL remain organisations led by women.

Current TPT chief adjudicator Caroline Hamilton says: “As a group, adjudicators acknowledge the benefits that each tribunal inherited from the dedicated focus and insights that my predecessor, Caroline Sheppard OBE, as founder and chief of each tribunal in turn, contributed to the tribunal systems generally, parking and traffic appeals in particular, and the work and ethos of the independent adjudicators during her tenures.”

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Designs for the Traff-iCase website: the homepage and examples of key cases and regulations search pages

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Introducing Traffi-Case New website will be the online home for key parking and traffic appeals cases

• Clean Air Zones (outside London) • Dart Charge (Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing) • Merseyflow (Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridge Crossings).

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The key cases published will be searchable by penalty type and issue, alongside common facts, Q&As and points of law.

The website will make applicable legislation and regulations accessible in a single user-friendly, interactive portal. Motorists will benefit from searching for cases involving similar issues to their PCN, allowing for an informed decision on their next steps.

It is hoped that by providing accurate information and case law related sources, use of the site by other interested parties, for example the media and motorist groups, will result in a consistent understanding of current regulations and the application of the law.

ey cases from all the UK’s traffic tribunals will be gathered in one place for the first time via a website designed to provide answers to common questions and fact-checking myths about traffic enforcement.

The independent adjudicators who have driven the Traff-iCase project hope that it will become a go-to online destination for traffic enforcement cases and information serving to advise and clarify the law and issues that frequently confuse or perplex motorists and tribunal users in and out of London.

The Traff-iCase website will allow users to benefit from consistent advice and information, putting an end to appeals based on mistaken beliefs gleaned from inaccurate, if well-meaning, reports published by newspapers and appearing on public websites.

The Traff-iCase website is set be launched in March.

Developing Traff-iCase Development of the key case website was driven by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT), which hears appeals relating to penalty charges issued by local authorities in England outside London and across Wales.

Traff-iCase will also present key decisions issued by the London Tribunals, Transport Appeals Scotland and Northern Irish Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

Caroline Hamilton, chief adjudicator of TPT, says: “I hope that by outlining and clarifying common issues in appeals, along with the legislation and regulations governing civil traffic enforcement – all in one accessible location – the Traff-iCase site will become a valuable resource for motorists, local authorities, the media and other stakeholders.”

The website is backed by Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London (PATROL), a joint committee of over 300 local authorities.

PATROL’s director, Laura Padden, says: “PATROL has supported and funded the Traff-iCase project with the intention that it will be an excellent educational tool, whether to improve consistency among local authorities approaching cases or the awareness and understanding of restrictions among motorists.”

Curation of cases The key cases on the site have been selected because they are felt to explain and clarify the law on issues that confuse, divide opinion and are often misinterpreted. The cases that have been chosen are in the public domain, available on each tribunal’s statutory register, but the site will present cases in a readily accessible format, with a summary as to the elements of a contravention that they serve to illustrate.

The cases on Traff-iCase relate to appeals against traffic penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish local authorities, as well as Transport for London, for a range of contraventions, including: • Parking • Bus lanes • Moving traffic • Road user charging.

The road user charging cases relate to: • Congestion Charge (London only) • Ultra Low Emission Zone and Low Emission Zone (London only)

Searching for key cases The website’s search function allows filtered results when accessing decisions. Case results are presented with key information and a short summary pulled from the database, with the option to view and download the full decision.

Traffic enforcement legislation and regulations are condensed with key regulations highlighted.

The Traff-iCase website will offer: • Jurisdictions and separate regulations for England, Wales and more, easily navigated by tabs • Accordion navigation to condense large amounts of information on the same page • In situ links to Legislation.gov.uk for reference and further reading.

An evolving resource The Traff-iCase website will be regularly updated with new key cases, the latest legislation and regulations, further frequently asked questions (FAQs) and more.

Local authorities will also be encouraged to flag up cases they think important so these can be shared with colleagues.

The aspiration is to integrate local authorities and the tribunal bodies to provide consistent, clear and accurate information, all available online.

There are also plans to include video content to improve engagement and understanding via Q&As and talking heads explaining the facts of a case or the reasons behind enforcement.

Chief adjudicator Caroline Hamilton highlights: “Most penalty charge notices that reach appeal are issued as a result of a motorist’s error or ignorance rather than an intended or targeted breach of regulations. This leads to a degree of frustration when it comes to paying a penalty, under what is a strict liability ‘fixed penalty scheme’, where intention is not a required element of the contravention and mitigation is not a statutory ground of appeal. Providing clear information, explaining the law and requirements, with straightforward case related illustrations, will allow for a better understanding of regulations and shared responsibilities.”

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PARKING APPEALS Welcome to London Tribunals London Tribunals supports the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators and the Road User Charging Adjudicators, which are the independent tribunals which consider appeals against Penalty Charge Notices issued by the London Local Authorities and Transport for London. ! Learn more about London Tribunals

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Environment & Traffic Adjudicators

Information about Penalty Charge Notices for parking, bus lane, moving traffic, London Lorry Control Scheme, littering or waste receptacles

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Online appeals

You may now submit your appeal against a PCN online.

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Road User Charging Adjudicators

Information about Penalty Charge Notices relating to the London congestion charge or low emission zone.

Register of appeals

View the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators and Road User Charging Adjudicators official statutory registers of appeal cases.

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The appeals of London London Tribunals provide drivers challenging penalties with an independent appeals service

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rivers who receive penalty notices when parking and driving in London can appeal to a panel of independent, legally trained adjudicators. The appeals service was established under the Road Traffic Act 1991 as the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (or PATAS). London Tribunals continues to provide this support under the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Appeals against parking, bus lane, moving traffic and littering penalties issued by the 33 London local authorities are heard by the Environment and Traffic adjudicators. This group of independent lawyers also listens to appeals involving the London Lorry Contol, a scheme operated by London Councils, and the Direct Vision Standard for heavy good vehicles, which is run by Transport for London. (A separate panel of adjudicators hears road user charge appeals.)

Over 32,700 appeals were determined by London Tribunals during 2022-23. The outcomes were fairly evenly balanced, with drivers’ appeals being upheld in 14,757 cases and 18,008 cases were refused, according to the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators’ Annual Report 2022-23.

The overall number of parking, bus lane, moving traffic and littering appeals heard in 2022-23 was similar to the previous reporting year. However, the balance of appeal types changed, with there being a reduction in the number of moving traffic appeals and an increase in parking appeals. The annual report suggests reasons for this, including publicity, the improvement of signage after successful appeals and some authorities modifying the restrictions after consultations may have contributed to the reduction in moving traffic contraventions.

The annual report reveals that there is a preference for telephone appeals. Of the 45,722 appeals received, just under 30% were personal (face-to-face or telephone) hearings. This represents a slight drop in the proportion of personal hearings than in the previous reporting year. The annual report states the use of telephone appeals has been largely successful, with adjudicators being able to consider and assess oral evidence and submissions using a conference call facility where necessary, allowing both parties to attend without the necessity of travel. When adjudicators were able to resume face-to-face hearings in December 2021, they continued to offer telephone hearings to those who prefer them. www.londontribunals.gov.uk

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The year in review Anthony Chan looks back at a year of appeals London Tribunals’ adjudicators have continued to work effectively and efficiently. There is a slight reduction in the overall number of appeals received. The balance of the workload has shifted towards parking where there was a 12 % increase in caseload. The increase in moving traffic appeals in the previous reporting year has been reversed. There is a 15% reduction in moving traffic appeals.

Remote working is a facility that the adjudicators have adopted during the last reporting year. Adjudicators are now conducting remote hearings of postal appeals when the workload permits. In the reporting year, remote hearings took place two to three days a month.

Adjudicators have continued to offer telephone hearings so that parties can chose to be heard without attending at the Hearing Centre.

The tribunal has also trialled the use of hearings by video. We received positive comments from appellants as well as adjudicators. We shall work on issues revealed during the trial with the aim of rolling out video hearings in 2024.

Four adjudicators returned to the tribunal after a decision was taken to raise the retirement age of adjudicators to 75 in line with other judicial office holders. The tribunal has also appointed three adjudicators who already hold appointments at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

The adjudicators would like to thank the Proper Officer team who continue to provide able and dedicated administrative support, maintaining access to justice for tribunal users and allowing the adjudicators to sustain their independence and focus on decision making.

Anthony Chan is chief adjudicator for environment and traffic at London Tribunals

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Environment and traffic appeals: The numbers

Resolving contested charges

Total appeals (Previous year in brackets) Appeals received 43,836 (45,722) appeals were registered 7,143 (5,344) statutory declaration/witness statement referrals Total: 50,399 (51066) 32,765 (42,256) appeals were determined 14,757 (18,131) appeals were allowed, of which 7,366 (7,161) were not contested 18,008 (24,125) appeals were refused

Parking Appeals decided 16,821 (14,702) appeals were determined Allowed: 8,129 (7,496) appeals were allowed, of which 4.542 (4,303) were not contested Refused: 8,692 (7,206) appeals were refused

Bus lanes Appeals received 1,293 (1,556) appeals were received 102 (247) referrals were made Total: 1,395 (1,803) Appeals decided 980 (1,246) appeals were determined Allowed: 616 (639) appeals were allowed, of which 354 (371) were not contested Refused: 364 (607) appeals were refused

Moving traffic Appeals decided 15,749 (23,362) appeals were determined Allowed: 6,135 (8,948) appeals were allowed, of which 2,702 (3,913) were not contested Refused: 9,614 (14,414) appeals were refused

London Lorry Control Appeals received 68 (94) appeals were received 0 (0) referrals were made Appeals decided 66 (126) appeals were determined Allowed: 46 (55) appeals were allowed, of which 27 (24) were not contested Refused: 20 (74) appeals were refused

Litter and waste Appeals received 0 (13) appeals were received 0 (0) referrals were made Appeals decided Allowed: 0 appeals were allowed Refused: 0 appeals were refused

Direct Vision Standard Appeals received 636 (690) appeals were received 0 referrals were made.

Appeals decided 612 (690) appeals were determined Allowed: 472 (359) appeals were allowed, of which 464 (337) were not contested Refused: 140 (331) appeals were refused

RUCAT listens to ULEZ appeals

The road user charging adjudicators listen to appeals relating to Transport for London schemes

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he Road User Charging adjudicators form an Road User Ch arging Adjud icators’ Annual report independent tribunal which 2022-23 decides appeals against congestion charge, low emission and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) penalties in London. The Road User Charging Adjudicators’ Tribunal (RUCAT) is an independent judicial body of experienced lawyers deciding appeals where Transport for London (TfL) has rejected representations made against the issue of penalty charge notices in London under the road user charging schemes operated by TfL that fall under the adjudication provisions set out in the Road User Charging (Enforcement and Adjudication) (London) Regulations 2001.

RUCAT’s 33 adjudicators are appointed by the Lord Chancellor.

They are supported by administrative staff and have facilities provided for them to enable them to sit and determine appeals. The Greater London Authority (GLA) is required to make provision for these services and undertake this through appropriate outsourcing.

Road User Charging Adjudicators try to make appeal hearings available for people to attend outside of working hours. Therefore, some days adjudicators start work at 7.30am, so that the first hearing can take place 8am. Other days adjudicators sit until 7pm.

There are also hearings on Saturdays from 9am until 2pm.

Appeals can be dealt with either as postal appeals, where the appellant and TfL put forward their evidence and submissions in writing or as a personal appeal where, as well as considering documents, the adjudicator will also speak directly with the appellant and/or a representative of TfL. Personal appeals can take place either with the physical attendance of the parties before the adjudicator in a hearing room at Chancery Exchange in central London or via a telephone hearing.

The relatively recent introduction of telephone hearings, which were initially introduced to allow adjudicators to continue hearing appeals during the COVID lockdowns, has allowed appellants who do not live near London, or who would struggle for whatever reason to attend in person in central London, but who wish to have a personal hearing to participate far more easily.

Road User Chargi

ng Adjudicators ’ Tribunal London Tribun als PO Box 10598 Nottingham NG6 6DR

Phone: 020 7520 7200 Email: querie s@lon Website: www.lo dontribunals.org.uk ndontribunals .gov.uk The Road User Charging Adjudi cators form appeals agains an independent t Congestion tribunal which Charge, Low Emission and decides Ultra Low Emissi penalties in on Zone London.

Road user charging appeals 2022-23 (Previous year in brackets) Appeals received: 22,053 (16,921) Total appeals closed: 20,296 (13,671) Appeals withdrawn: 427 (410) Appeals not contested by TfL: 5,713 (4,093)

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PR379_P34-35_Huber Rebrand.qxp_PR379_p34-35 14/02/2024 14:13 Page 34

Combined Know-How. Complete Solution

Three Companies.

One Name.

T. + 44 (0) 1753 980 050 info@huber-parking.com www.huber-parking.com

Huber Parking UK Limited 8 Waterside Drive Langley SL3 6EZ

PR379_P34-35_Huber Rebrand.qxp_PR379_p34-35 14/02/2024 14:13 Page 35

HUBER car park systems rebrands and becomes...

Huber Parking As of January 2024, our design and build companies, with offices in UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, are trading under one name: Huber Parking.

For decades, our three companies have shared enthusiasm for multi storey car parks, as well as values, know-how, professionalism and ambitions for the future. We now look forward to doing so under one name. We strongly believe that this move will enhance our internal communication, cooperation and collaboration and combine our joint reputations to cement our standing as one of the market leading specialists in the design and build of multi storey car parks in the local and international markets.

“The rebranding is both recognition and appreciation of our clients, our business partners, and especially our employees,” explains managing partner, Valentin Rüther.

HIB Huber Integral Bau GmbH (HIB) was founded in 1990 in Germany as a family business, specialising in the design and build of multi storey car parks. Concentrating on innovation and bespoke solutions from the start, the HUBER

Naoum Karikas

system was developed to provide an adaptable, value-driven and attractive product.

The HIB soon became a strong competitor in the German car parking sector and continued to develop and enhance their offer, providing an all-round concept, from conception and planning to construction, operation and maintenance.

With the HUBER name firmly established in the German car park industry, Huber car park systems international GmbH was founded in 2008 to focus on the international car parking sector, building multi storey car parks in the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Luxembourg and increasingly in the UK. In preparation for the changes Brexit would bring, a UK-based subsidiary, named Huber car park systems UK Ltd., was founded in 2018. Since then, our UK branch has successfully adopted a leading role in the British parking sector.

Since 1990, the three companies combined have completed over 300 projects and have contributed decisively to changing the image of a multi storey car park: it is no longer a dark, cramped and purely functional facility; a HUBER

Markus Lauble

car park is innovative, user-friendly, light, sustainable and attractive. The stunning facades and bespoke solutions ensure they have become buildings communities can be proud of.

Importantly, all HUBER companies operate with the same values and principles at their core: Progress – Trust – Quality – Added Value.

“We are very proud of our success. Each company has worked hard to develop, adapt and perfect their performance to suit their relevant markets, while remaining true to the fundamental Huber values that are at the core of our high standards,” says Markus Lauble, Managing Director.

Together we look forward to working ever more closely to research and develop carbon neutral solutions, sustainability in car park construction and our product. Forward-looking and solution-driven, we will focus on adapting and enhancing our product to suit current and future demands of mobility. Car parks will change to become important mobility hubs, enabling smooth transition from one form of mobility to the other.

“In a modern world featuring ever-faster innovation and development, we are confident that the combined expertise at Huber Parking will guarantee that we remain at the cuttingedge of the industry,” says Naoum Karikas, Managing Director.

Three Companies. One Name, One Brand: Huber Parking Tomer Meirom, Managing Director, adds: “We look to the future of Huber Parking with great optimism. The combined know-how within the company will ensure we continue to offer our clients an exceptional product. We will continue to meet our clients with understanding and insight, open to their bespoke requests, and deliver products which they and we can be proud of.”

Watch our rebrand video here

Tomer Meirom

ADVERTISING FEATURE

PR379_P36-37_Build JLL.qxp_PR379_p36-37 14/02/2024 16:13 Page 36

CAR PARKS

All change for car parks?

Property specialist JLL shines a spotlight on the potential of the car park sector

T

he emergence of sustainable development policies means that the future of many car park sites is now being reconsidered, says real estate services company JLL in a new report. All Change for Car Parks? offers an in-depth analysis of the future of the car park sector in an evolving urban mobility landscape.

The research draws in opinions from a range of experts including investors, operators, architects, specialists and property agents.

According to JLL the 23,000 car parks nationwide equate to roughly 54 spaces per 100,000 people. The report estimates that total car parking income for UK local authorities in 2019-2020 hit £1.7bn, while total running costs for these car parks equates to £854m.

Colin Chan, head of car park solutions and investments at JLL says: “Throughout the 20th century, car parks emerged as prime real estate investments with steady income streams and capital value appreciation. However, a shift towards sustainable growth in cities means that these brownfield sites are now being assessed for potential redevelopment and repurposing – with a particular focus on mixed-use projects that align with sustainable urban planning principles.

“This is particularly topical following the unveiling of Labour’s regeneration plans a few months ago which proposed tackling the UK’s housing crisis through the release of greenbelt brownfield sites, such as car parks. Through the new proposal, many disused car parks will likely be identified as greyfield sites, similarly to in the United States.”

All Change for Car Parks? also explores how the car park sector is playing a pivotal role in supporting the transition to electric mobility with the provision of charging points and how car parks can be transformed into mobility hubs, and considers alternative uses for these structures.

36 | PARKING REVIEW

The transformation of car parks JLL’s research found that some car parks are being transformed into vibrant cultural centres. Emerging as more than just parking facilities, these car parks instead enhance the area’s cultural and social landscape. This shift in use and perception underscores the potential of car parks beyond their traditional role, marking a promising direction for their future.

As the car park sector experiences a dramatic shift driven by social, technological, commercial, and environmental forces, it presents itself as an attractive investment and development opportunity. According to JLL, this shift will trigger the need for innovative redevelopment strategies and investments, ensuring that car parks continue to be profitable assets in the urban landscape. This could lead to more collaborations with local authorities, increased uptake of technology, or adopting new business models focussed on sustainability and user experience.

Chan says: “We foresee a transformation in the car park sector characterised by innovative new designs, forward-thinking repurposing, initiatives driven by sustainability, and optimisation powered by data. An increasingly vital aspect is the seamless integration with new mobility services alongside mass adoption of

Car parks in numbers Key facts and figures about the UK car park sector: • 23,000+ car parks nationwide • 3.5 million parking spaces • 54 parking spaces per 100,000 people • Typical car park occupancy rates vary between 50% and 80% • Total car parking income for UK local authorities in 2019-20: £1.746bn • Total car park running costs for UK local authorities: £854m • Typical hourly rates charged in cities: £2-£10 • Typical daily rates charged in cities: £15-£30 • 61,000 EV charging points in 22,000 locations.

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CAR PARKS electric vehicles. The demand for efficient parking solutions is set to only increase, making the car park sector a promising realm for investment.

“There are 23,000 car parks in our cities and towns. The first question to ask is whether the car park has the potential to be transformed into a mobility hub of the future. It is important to assess if the car park is operating optimally and providing a seamless and convenient experience for customers. Embracing new technologies and applications that, for example, offer special discounts, is also crucial in attracting people to the area.

“Repositioning can involve optimising the car park’s location and utilising underused space. The roof, often underutilised, can be transformed to serve urban farming, sports or other leisure activities. However, issues like dynamic loading and planning need to be taken into consideration.”

Property professionals’ perspectives All Change for Car Parks?s features the opinions of property investors and parking operators, including Michiel Gerritsen, director at Orange Investment Managers, who says: “From a landlord’s perspective, if the car park is already in a good location and leased out long term, owners can discuss with operators how to optimise things they can’t change for investment reasons.

Redevelopment decisions should be influenced by whether it’s beneficial to keep the car park in its location with the expansion of pedestrian and non-car zones. However, if the car parks are part of a larger portfolio that serves offices or shopping centres, owners may have different motivations for keeping the car park.

Ultimately, it’s a calculation and returns game for investors, but if it aligns with the priorities of the city, it can be a win-win situation.”

Speaking from the perspective of a car park operator, Adam Bidder, managing director of Q-Park UK, says: “As an operator, our focus is on maintaining the car park to ensure it functions effectively. Regarding the question on whether to redevelop or repurpose, the approach taken depends on whether the owners have a capital-light or capital-heavy approach. Some owners believe in investing more in their car parks to generate higher returns, while others aim to minimise capital expenditure.

Landlords also need to assess the potential of the existing infrastructure. It is important to have a realistic perspective and understand the broader mobility infrastructure of the city. The goal should be to contribute to the overall benefit of the city rather than solely focussing on maximising car capacity.”

Drivers of change Ten key drivers of change within the sector: • The car park sector is evolving to meet the changing needs of the general population as well as the shifting priorities of town and city authorities.

• The need for car park owners and operators to provide EV charging points and infrastructure is becoming increasingly urgent.

• Smart technologies and advanced parking management systems including sensors, data analytics and mobile apps are transforming the sector.

• Apps and contactless payment systems are driving a broad shift towards cashless and ticketless solutions.

• The concept of the car park as a mobility hub integrated with a wider network of transportation options is fast becoming the dominant model.

• Shared mobility services such as car sharing and ride-hailing are impacting the sector, prompting partnerships between car park owners/operators and these new businesses.

• Car park owners are increasingly focussing on security and safety measures including lighting, surveillance, and accesscontrol technologies.

• The pandemic has had a significant impact, prompting operators to explore alternative uses and revenue streams.

• Data-driven technologies and analytics are accelerating optimisation, innovation and efficiencies within the sector.

Exit the car park, enter the mobility hub?

Car parks were the solution for the 20th Century.

Are they still a solution in the 21st?

H

istorically, car parks have played a significant role in the urban landscape as functional structures and valuable real estate assets. In the 20th century, parking facilities provided a quintessential solution to the increasing demands of private vehicle ownership and urban congestion challenges. However, as we progress into the 21st century, the dynamics of urban development, increasing environmental concerns, changing mobility patterns and the need for sustainable regeneration demand a re-evaluation of car parks as adaptive assets in the built environment This is being affected in turn by changing attitudes towards cars themselves, exemplified by the recent expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone, and the government’s proposed 2035 ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

Throughout the 20th century, car parks emerged as prime real estate investments with steady income streams and capital value appreciation. Landlords recognised the value as they capitalised on the demand for parking in bustling city centres. Car park capital values soared, fuelled by land scarcity and the convenience offered to commuters. However, as cities strive for sustainable growth, the regeneration of brownfield sites has become a key consideration. Car parks, often occupying valuable urban land, present opportunities for transformation.

Redeveloping these sites into mixed-use developments or incorporating green spaces aligns with the principles of sustainable urban planning. Landlords are recognising the potential for repurposing car parks and collaborating with local authorities to regenerate urban areas and create vibrant, community-oriented spaces. With the rise of ride-sharing services, electric vehicles, and alternative modes of transportation, car park operators must innovate and adapt in response to changing mobility patterns in order to remain relevant. By incorporating electric vehicle charging infrastructure, flexible parking options, and integrating with mobility-as-a-service platforms, car park operators can position themselves as key players in the evolving urban mobility ecosystem.

Landlord considerations also come into play as the traditional model of long-term parking leases evolves. Operators need to reassess lease agreements by incorporating flexibility and shorterterm options to cater to the changing needs of tenants and endusers. By embracing technology such as smart parking systems, AI, and data analytics, operators can optimise space utilisation, improve operational efficiency, and deliver enhanced experiences.

The 21st century presents both challenges and, arguably, more opportunities for car parks as real estate assets in the built environment. Car park landlords and operators can navigate the evolving urban landscape by recognising the potential for adaptive reuse, working with local authorities, and embracing innovative strategies. As we reimagine the role of car parks, we lay the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready urban environment.

Key challenges Ten challenges to consider when considering new uses: • Regulatory requirements • Height and space constraints • Cost and financing • Operational disruptions • Stakeholder management • Infrastructure capacity and upgrades • Accessibility and transportation planning • Environmental impact • Community acceptance • Changing market dynamics.

Extract from All Change for Car Parks? www.jll.co.uk

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SAFER PARKING Pawel Leputa, CitiPark’s Leeds area manager, Victoria Cayzer, head of car park management and Mohammed Khan, Leeds Dock supervisor, with Ryan Davey, BPA senior area manager

CitiPark leads the way in Leeds CitiPark has been awarded two national accreditations for Leeds Dock Multi-Storey Car Park. The Park Mark Plus is an enhanced version of the Park Mark, while Park Access is the successor to the Disabled Parking Accreditation.

John Gautrey, chief operating officer at CitiPark, said: “We are immensely proud to announce that our Leeds Dock branch has earned both the Park Mark Plus and Park Access awards. This achievement is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing a safe and accessible parking experience for all our valued customers and is a reflection of the dedication and hard

work of our exceptional staff who consistently go above and beyond to ensure that Leeds Dock remains a secure and inclusive car park. We believe that everyone should have equal access to our facilities.”

Ryan Davey, BPA area manager, said: “CitiPark Leeds Dock is a very impressive multi-storey car park that incorporates all of the criteria for Park Mark Plus including design, environment, management and customer experience. The staff deserve recognition for the hard work they put into ensuring the car park’s high standards are continuously met. They create a welcoming and safe environment for customers and are on hand to help if required.”

A mark of excellence The national Safer Parking Scheme recognises secure and well managed parking facilities

T

o achieve a Park Mark a car park has to achieve standards set out by the police. The Safer Parking Scheme sees facilities undergo a risk assessment that covers the management and maintenance of a facility, ensuring that there are appropriate levels of surveillance, lighting, signage and cleanliness. Car parks that pass the assessment can use signage featuring the Park Mark tick, so that drivers know exactly where to go for safer parking. Around 5,000 car parks currently have the Park Mark award. Sites in the Safer Parking Scheme are reassessed on a regular basis to ensure that standards are maintained.

The Park Mark was created by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (CPI) as a way of reducing crime and the fear of crime. The scheme is administered by the British Parking Association (BPA), which operates a network of regional managers who liaise with parking operators and local police forces. The Safer Parking Scheme has recently been enhanced via the introduction of two new awards: Park Mark Plus and Park Mark Freight. Park Mark Plus assesses a range of criteria from services and operations to design and build. Park Mark Freight recognises that providing managed parking and driver facilities that help to deter crime and reduce the fear of crime at all times within lorry parking areas.

The scheme is run by the BPA in parallel to the Safer Bus Station schemes and the new Park Access scheme for accessible car parks.

HS1 parking is on the right track National Car Parks has received a Park Mark award for its operations at Ebbsfleet International Station in Kent.

Brian Glover, NCP operations manager said: “The Park Mark Award is a reward for continued hard work alongside station stakeholders to provide a facility that is as safe and secure as possible for all our customers. The award is supported by ongoing training and reviews of our operations to make sure we keep raising our standards.”

Naveed Khalique, senior commercial manager car parks at HS1, added: “This latest accreditation is a clear demonstration of Ebbsfleet International Station’s commitment to providing its customers with a safe place to park – and leave – their vehicles.

It is a testament to the teams at both HS1 and Network Rail High Speed, who have been working hard to provide our passengers with a high-quality experience across all our stations.”

Useful links The Safer Parking Scheme and Police CPI can be found at: www.britishparking.co.uk (for operators) www.parkmark.co.uk (for members of the public) www.securedbydesign.com

38 | PARKING REVIEW

Ron O’Farrell, NCP deputy operations manager, and Ian Wilson, BPA area manager South East

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SAFER PARKING

Green light for Slough car park Green Parking has met national Safer Parking Scheme safety standards at its recent car park opening in Slough. Its Slough Brunel Way car park has achieved the Park Mark award.

Craig Edward, British Parking Association area manager said: “I am very pleased that Slough Brunel Way Car Park has achieved the Park Mark award, demonstrating the hard work and commitment by staff to provide a safer environment for motorists.”

Ben Gill, general manager at Green Parking, said: “Green Parking want our customers to have a good parking experience and the Park Mark shows we take seriously both personal safety and vehicle safety at this location, open 24/7 for customers to take advantage of travel to London from the nearby Slough train station.”

David Lancaster, Park Mark national roaming assessor, said: “Another of Green Parking Ltd’s car parks has been accredited with the Park Mark award. This has been achieved by Ben and his team putting in the effort to ensure Brunel Way is to a high standard for motorists.”

Ben Gill, Green Parking general manager, Craig Edward, BPA area manager, and David Lancaster, Park Mark assessor

Romford Brewery serves secure stays

The Brewery Romford

A shopping centre in the Essex town of Romford has retained its Park Mark, the accredited logo of the Safer Parking Scheme.

Sonny Bhabra, Brewery Centre car park manager, said: “The Brewery is thrilled to have been presented with the Park Mark award. The centre aims to provide a safe, hassle-free and efficient shopping experience for its customers and recently moving to a ticketless and cashless system is a progressive step forward for the centre. Visitors can drive in and park hassle-free as entry and exit to the car park is ticketless and controlled by automatic number plate recognition.”

PC Karl Turton, Metropolitan Police Designing Out Crime officer, said: “The Brewery Romford fully deserves to retain its Park Mark award. It is reassuring to work with the team at the Brewery, who clearly value the principles of crime prevention and working in partnership with the British Parking Association and the police.”

Security is at the centre of things The multi-storey car park serving a major shopping centre in Milton Keynes has achieved the Park Mark Plus standard under the Safer Parking Scheme.

Kevin Duffy, Centre: MK’s centre director, said: “We are delighted to have achieved the Safer Parking Scheme’s Park Mark Plus Award, the highest certification of its kind. Working together with Anchor to achieve this latest accolade has been highly rewarding as it recognises Centre: MK’s commitment to its community, environment, and customer experience. Through our continued investment, we remain dedicated to creating an enhanced experience starting from the moment visitors leave their homes. Our smart technology, multi-storey car park, and its accessibility and green credentials play a vital role in this.”

Antony Powell, BPA area manager, said: “Many congratulations to the Centre: MK and Anchor Group Services in gaining Park Mark Plus accreditation for the Centre: MK`s multi-storey car park.”

Antony Powell, BPA area manager, Kevin Duffy, centre director flanked by team members from The Centre: MK

Delivering safer lorry parking

BPA area manager Ian Wilson presents AIT with its Park Mark Freight award

Ashford International Truckstop (AIT) has received Park Mark Freight, a new assessment managed by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and the British Parking Association Darren Smith, AIT operations director, said: “We work hard to provide a high level of security, keeping our customers safe and wellrested for their journey ahead. Our facilities are 5-star and offer everything a driver needs within their stay including a 24/7 restaurant and bar, retail outlets, shower privacy pods, WCs and vanity areas, laundry, accommodation, a gym, gaming, reception services, and much more. We look forward to greeting you on your next visit.”

Ian Wilson, BPA area manager for the South East said: “Darren and his team run a superb facility and go the extra mile to provide everything their customers need to ensure they are happy and refreshed when continuing on with their journey.”

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Car Parks 2024_PR379 ad_QXP2022.qxp_PR379_p40 14/02/2024 13:53 Page 1

Presented by:

Organised by:

Supported by:

Car Parks 2024 is an event focused on the design, construction, operation and maintenance of parking structures.

The day will offer topical presentations, expert panels and a chance to network with colleagues in an exhibition showcasing the latest systems and services.

CAR PARKS 2024 Thursday 14 March 2024 15 Hatfields, London SE1 Key themes At Car Parks 2024 expert panels will address key issues and answer questions on: l Car park design l Selecting structures l Exterior design

The day will showcase The Institution of Structural Engineers’ new book Car Park Design.

l Fire safety

The publication won the 'Special Jury Award' at the British Parking Awards 2023 as an exceptional entry that particularly impressed the jury, which is a panel of experts drawn from across the parking, automotive, transport and related sectors.

l Renovation and refurbishment

Programme speakers include: l Vaso Vaina, Managing Director, Stripe Consulting l Chris Whapples, Co-author and Overseeing Consultant, IStructE Car Park Design l Jon Elliott, Head of Architecture, Stripe Consulting l Sara Fisher, Head of Operations and Business Development, British Parking Association l Graham Footer, Chief Executive, Disabled Motoring UK

l Circulation and signage l Lighting, CCTV, ventilation and lifts l Managing car parks l Designing out crime l Electric vehicle charging

Exhibition Car Parks 2024 provides your company with the perfect opportunity to carefully target the marketing of your services to the car park design, construction and management sectors.

To participate contact Jason Conboy on: 020 7091 7895 or email: jason@landor.co.uk

Exhibitors include:

l Peter Guest, Director, Peter Guest Consulting l Jess McGregor, Architect, Stripe Consulting l Andrew Potter, Director, Parking Perspectives l David Bewley, Commercial Manager, Concrete Preservation Technologies l Harry Smith, Technical Manager, Stripe Consulting l Russell Simmons, Chief Executive, Ballast Nedam UK If you have an idea for a talk contact the event’s programmer Mark Moran: mark.moran@landor.co.uk

landorlinks.uk/car-parks-24

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EVOLUTION

Charger funding for schools and nurseries RALPH HUTT/UNSPLASH

DfT consults on speeding up charging point installation

T

he UK government has announced grants for schools, funding for councils and a faster planning process as ways of speeding up the roll-out of electric vehicle chargepoint installation. New data released by the Department for Transport (DfT) reveals that over 53,000 public chargepoints have been installed across the UK. The announcement of a package of measures is being framed as delivering pledges to support electric vehicle drivers made in the government’s Plan for Drivers, which was unveiled by transport secretary Mark Harper at the Conservative Party conference last year. This is the second package of measures delivered from the government’s Plan for Drivers and follows last month’s announcement of a crackdown on disruptive roadworks and better digital information to boost sat-nav accuracy.

New laws recently came into force to provide EV drivers with easier and more reliable public charging, mandating that prices across chargepoints are transparent, easy to compare and that a large proportion of new public chargepoints have contactless payment options.

Technology and decarbonisation minister Anthony Browne said: “We’re getting on with delivering our Plan for Drivers, and this latest set of measures will mean EV owners everywhere benefit from easier and more convenient access to chargepoints. This government has already spent over £2bn to ensure a smooth switch to EVs, and we’re committed to supporting drivers as we transition towards net zero in a proportionate way that doesn’t burden working people.”

Fully electric vehicles accounted for over 16% of the new UK car market in 2023, according to industry statistics. The number of plug-in vehicles in the UK has risen to over 1.2 million, of which 770,000 are fully batteryelectric, meaning more and more drivers are making the switch.

Chargepoints for schools A new grant will provide up to 75% of the cost to buy and install chargepoints, up to £2,500 per socket, up from the previous £350. Paid for by the DfT, the grant forms part of the Workplace Charging Scheme and is available for state-funded schools, colleges, nurseries and academies to boost the chargepoint facilities for staff and visitors.

The DfT said this funding could help schools to generate revenue by making their chargepoints available to the public.

The school’s grant is for state-funded schools and education institutions, which must have dedicated off-street parking facilities – applications can be made online.

Independent schools can apply for funding through the Workplace Charging Scheme and the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant for SMEs.

Minister for the school system and student finance at the Department for Education, Baroness Barran, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for schools across the UK to become part of an ongoing move towards a greener public sector. Schools engaging with this grant will be supporting the development of green infrastructure, helping to improve their local environments. Developing a greener education estate is a key element of our sustainability and climate change strategy. The expansion of this grant supports our ambition to improve the sustainability of our schools in the ongoing move towards net zero.”

First LEVI payments made The government has announced that the first payments have been made to local authorities under the £381m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund.

The local authorities approved for a total of £14.2m in capital chargepoint funding to date are: Bedford, East Sussex, North Yorkshire and the London boroughs of Hackney and Hounslow.

The Department for Transport and the LEVI Support Body (Energy Saving Trust, PA Consulting and Cenex) will be providing ongoing support and guidance to all LEVI Fund applicants.

LEVI capability funding will also enable almost 100 dedicated EV officers that have been newly recruited to support chargepoint procurement.

To aid local authorities in building a skilled workforce and delivering their charging projects, the government is also launching the electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) training course for their officers, which will be open to all local authorities from mid-March following a successful trial.

Speeding up charger installation The government has also launched a consultation to look at ways to speed up chargepoint installation across the country.

The proposals would give EV chargepoint operators the right to carry out street works using a permit rather than a licence.

Permits can be issued much faster, taking days instead of months, and are significantly cheaper to obtain than licences, reducing costs for operators and speeding up the chargepoint rollout for drivers.

While the consultation runs, a new good practice guide has been published by the government to improve consistency in processing licence applications across different areas. To help deliver on Plan for Drivers’ commitments, the DfT has also published a list of common questions and answers on the transition to EVs, including battery range and chargepoint availability across the country. To provide further flexibility to individuals and organisations wishing to install EV charging outlets, the DfT is planning to consult on removing the 2-metre limitation so that wallmounted outlets and upstands can be installed anywhere within an area lawfully used for off-street parking.

The view from a county Cllr Neil Clarke MBE, cabinet member for transport and environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, welcomed the announcement. He said: “Through initiatives like the Electric Vehicle Cable Channel Pilot Programme and improving local electric vehicle infrastructure, we’re working hard to help residents without off-street parking, along with road users in Nottinghamshire, to charge their electric vehicles. We are continuing with our ambition to make Nottinghamshire healthier, more prosperous, and greener. Initiatives like this are a step closer to achieving these ambitions.

As a county, we must do all that we can to protect the environment, and that’s why we welcome this continued government support, which helps us to roll out electric vehicle infrastructure more widely across Nottinghamshire.”

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EVOLUTION

UK has over 53,600 public EV chargepoints Government adopts new definitions of charger speeds

are semi-public with some level of access restrictions such as workplace car parks and dealership forecourts.

There has been an increase in the number of public charging devices in all regions of the UK over the past year.

The Department for Transport’s quarterly bulletin on EV charging infrastructure reveals that, as of 1 January 2024, there were 53,677 public electric vehicle charging devices installed in the UK. This means that since October 2023 the total of installed devices grew by 4,457, an increase of 9%.

Since 1 January 2023, the number of installed public devices has increased by 16,622, a 45% increase.

London and Scotland had the highest level of charging provision per 100,000 of population, with 210 and 84 devices per 100,000 respectively. In comparison, the average provision in the UK was 80 per 100,000.

Northern Ireland had the lowest level of charging device provision in the UK, with 24 devices per 100,000, followed by the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, each with 49 devices per 100,000.

The most common location category for charging devices is

The DfT data release presents statistics on the number of publicly available electric vehicle charging devices in the UK, broken down by local authority for October to December 2023. Data is provided by the electric vehicle and charging point platform Zapmap and is correct as at midnight 1 January 2024.

Some 10,118 had 50kW of power or above, which represents 19% of all charging devices.

A further 31,910 had a power rating of 3kW up to 8kW, this represents 59% of all charging devices.

As of October 2023, charging device speed categories have changed. The data release includes new speed category breakdowns: • 3 kilowatts (kW) up to 8kW • 8kW to 49kW • 50kW to 149kW • 150kW and above.

‘destination’ accounting for 24,121 charging devices or 45% of all publicly available charging devices. ‘On street’ charging devices account for 39% of charging devices or 20,705.

Charging device location categories are defined based on both the type of facility they are located in and who can access this, as well as the type of charging service they deliver: On street: Charging devices located on residential streets.

En route: Charging devices located for charging to continue a journey. Located in motorway service areas, service stations,

electric forecourts and ferry terminals. Additionally 50kW and above charging devices in hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Destination: Charging devices located at the end of an electric vehicle journey or where a driver may typically stop for an extended period of time. Consists of both 50kW and above and 49kW and below charging devices located in retail car parks, car parks, leisure, education areas and transport (except ferries), in addition 49kW and below charging devices located at hotels and restaurants.

Other: Charging devices which

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) is working with industry on the naming conventions for these new categories.

Until these are determined the DfT will refer to the new categories by their power rating.

Council for Net Zero Transport seeks to accelerate decarbonisation A new Council for Net Zero Transport has been formed with the aim of helping the decarbonisation transition. The council has been convened by Zemo Partnership and will be chaired by Lord Deben, formerly UK environment secretary and chair of the Climate Change Committee.

It will engage senior figures from government, industry, environment and academic sectors to help focus the partnership to forge a strategic direction for road transport decarbonisation.

Lord Deben said: “Our generation faces no greater challenge than that of tackling climate change. With transport responsible for over a quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, if we’re going to solve this problem we have to effectively decarbonise transport. We must do this for our environment, and we will reap rewards both politically and economically from doing so.”

Zemo’s new executive director, Claire Haigh, welcomed the formation of council in a new report Delivering Net Zero in a Changing World. She said: “Decarbonising transport is a vital – and particularly challenging – element of the UK’s legally

42 | PARKING REVIEW

Lord Deben binding net zero targets. The policy prescriptions needed to do this are complex, nuanced and cross-sectoral, and achieving a successful outcome will be of huge benefit to the UK’s environment, society and economy. This is too vital a task for us to be distracted by oversimplifications and the short-term vagaries of our political system. We have some world-leading targets but we’re at a key moment in the transition and what we need now is a laser-like focus on delivery. To achieve this, we’ll need the full

participation of government (nationally and locally, to the level of each town and parish council) industry, consumers and operators.”

Zemo Partnership is a not-for-profit organisation that has been working for over two decades to provide unbiased guidance to government and industry around the policy and initiatives needed to accelerate road transport decarbonisation.

The council was announced as the Zemo Partnership made it known that it has been commissioned by the Welsh Government to deliver a bespoke strategy for Wales covering heavy and light-duty commercial vehicles. The Welsh Commercial Vehicle Decarbonisation programme has focus on sustainable fuels, electrification and the potential role for hydrogen. Zemo will be working closely with the Government of Wales to develop the strategy and routes to delivery. Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change in the government for Wales said: “We’re excited by the potential of this project to stimulate and accelerate the decarbonisation of commercial vehicles in Wales which we view as a key challenge on our path to net zero.”

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EVOLUTION

T

he government needs to build consumer confidence in electric vehicles by countering false information, says the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee.

Its report – EV Strategy: Rapid recharge needed – argues that the high cost of electric vehicles and anxiety about whether and where to charge them are also key factors deterring people making the transition to EVs. To address range anxiety, the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund should be extended for three years to support local authorities to roll out public chargepoints. If need be government should bring in new powers to instruct local authorities with insufficient charging infrastructure to take action. The committee recommends that the government introduce targeted grants for electric cars to support consumers and stimulate the market.

The report also recommends that the government should explore options for equalising the VAT differential between public and domestic charging by reducing the 20% VAT rate applied to public charging to 5% in line with domestic electricity.

Challenges The committee states that a successful transition to electric vehicles will be essential for net zero. Surface transport is the UK’s highest-emitting sector, with passenger cars responsible for over half the sector’s emissions, and electric cars can provide dramatic reductions in emissions and improved air quality. But with EVs making up about only 3% of all cars currently on UK roads, concerted government action to get people to adopt electric cars is urgently needed.

The report recognises that government has committed to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, and there has been some progress towards this target. However, the committee say this is not happening fast enough, and major barriers remain. These include: • electric cars are still more expensive than petrol and diesel • the availability of public chargepoints across the UK is highly variable, and the government has missed important targets for the supply of public charging infrastructure • major funding programmes have faced serious delays • many consumers are anxious about whether and where they will be able to charge electric vehicles reliably, affordably and quickly, and about the battery range of second hand cars.

Baroness Parminter, chair of the committee, said both government officials and other witnesses to the enquiry had reported reading disinformation on the subject in national newspapers. “We have seen a concerted effort to scare people,” she told the BBC. “We have seen articles saying that cars are catching fire, but had evidence that the fire risk is absolutely the same as petrol and diesel cars,” she told the BBC. Baroness Parminter said the government needs to step in and provide consumers with reliable information. “In the speech by the PM

Report says VAT for public and domestic charging should be equalised

A call for positivity Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee says the government needs to tackle EV misinformation last year where he said getting to net zero was going to be hard, the message that the public got is that this was less of a priority, I don’t need to worry about this now. But net zero is fast approaching and the sooner we do it the cheaper it will be.”

Giving evidence to the committee, Richard Bruce, director of transport decarbonisation at the Department for Transport, recognised misinformation was a problem. He told the

committee: “I do think there has been an impact from a concerted campaign of misinformation over the last 14 months or so that has been pushing consistent myths about EVs that people absorb and which is reflected in their appetite for purchasing EVs. There is an anti-EV story in the papers almost every day. Sometimes there are many stories, almost all of which are based on misconceptions and mistruths, unfortunately.”

Recommendations

cars to support consumers and stimulate the market. These should apply to more affordable models – not expensive SUVs. As the market matures and the price of electric cars falls equivalent to petrol and diesel cars, these incentives should be tapered and brought to a close.

1. Clear, accurate messaging The committee heard that the government’s messaging has not been clear or consistent enough to give industry and the public the confidence they need.

For example, in September 2023, the prime minister told the public that achieving net zero “is going to be hard”. After the PM’s speech, 37% of consumers surveyed by Auto Trader said they would never buy an electric vehicle.

Recommendation: The government should take a more proactive and leading role in communicating a positive vision of the EV transition to consumers, and promoting comprehensive, clear, authoritative, accurate and balanced information. It should also develop a communication strategy in collaboration with industry partners and consumer organisations to provide clear, authoritative and trustworthy information.

2. Support for upfront costs Though more electric cars are being sold, significant barriers exist for many drivers, particularly those on lower incomes. Some 56% of respondents to a 2023 survey by Auto Trader said upfront cost was the biggest obstacle to them adopting an EV. Recommendation: The government should explore targeted grants for electric

3. Boosting the charging network Insufficient access to reliable charging is the other main barrier to drivers considering an EV. Some 56% of What Car? readers surveyed cited the chargepoint network as a reason for not going electric.

Recommendation: The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund should be extended for three years to support local authorities to roll out public chargepoints. The government should bring in new powers to instruct local authorities with insufficient charging infrastructure to take action.

4. Making charging prices fair In many cases, EV charging costs less than petrol refuelling, and home charging is significantly cheaper.

Recommendation: The government should explore options for equalising the VAT differential between public and domestic charging by reducing the 20% VAT rate applied to public charging to 5% in line with domestic electricity.

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EVOLUTION Britain’s carbon footprint.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “It’s taken just over 20 years to reach our million EV milestone – but with the right policies, we can double down on that success in just another two. Market growth is currently dependent on businesses and fleets.

Government must therefore use the upcoming Budget to support private EV buyers, temporarily halving VAT to cut carbon, drive economic growth and help everyone make the switch. Manufacturers have been asked to supply the vehicles, we now ask government to help consumers buy the vehicles on which net zero depends.”

Market outlook

The million EV milestone Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says an end to VAT on sale of electric vehicles will boost take-up of greener cars

B

ritain’s millionth EV was registered during January, while the new car market grew 8.2% for the month, according to new figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The first month of the year saw 142,876 new cars registered, an uplift of 10,882 units on January 2023, the best performance for the month since 2020 and the 18th consecutive month of growth. The increase was driven entirely by the fleet market, which rose by 29.9%, while private retail uptake fell -15.8%. Fleets accounted for more than six in 10 (63.2%) new cars registered, up from just over half (52.7%) last year.

The market also, albeit narrowly, reached its anticipated milestone of a million battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations since records began. Some 20,935 BEVs were registered in January, a rise of 21.0% year on year, taking the overall total since 2002 to 1,001,677.

BEV market share for January also grew year on year to 14.7%, although this is below the full 2023 performance of 16.5%. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) recorded volume growth of 31.1% to take 8.4% of the market, while hybrid (HEV) volumes fell -1.2% with a 13.1% share.

The SMMT said volatility in BEV supply has been expected and is likely to continue as manufacturers adjust product allocation following the resolution over UK-EU rules of origin, which had threatened to apply tariffs to EVs. While fleet and business demand for BEVs grew by 41.7% in January, registrations by

44 | PARKING REVIEW

private buyers fell by -25.1%. The SMMT said this is an ongoing trend that threatens to undermine Britain’s ability to deliver net zero.

The UK is the only major market to combine a 2035 end-of-sale date with a mandated zero emission vehicle market share, but without any significant consumer incentives. The SMMT argues that private buyers need more support to switch.

Reforming VAT on EVs Ahead of the upcoming Budget, the auto industry is calling for government to support consumers by temporarily halving VAT on new BEV purchases.

The SMMT said such a step would cost the Treasury an average of just £1,125 per car, which is less than the cost of the previous Plugin Car Grant and would put more than a quarter of a million electric – rather than petrol or diesel – cars on the road by the end of 2026, on top of those already expected. Not only would this cut CO2 by more than five million tonnes during that time, it would mean that the next million EVs could be delivered in just two years.

The society argues temporarily reducing VAT on EVs would partly mirror the tax exemption already offered to consumers on other carbon reduction technologies such as heat pumps.

Supporting the EV consumer today would also ensure wider benefits such as increasing the supply of used EVs, enlarging the overall market to make it more attractive for charging and manufacturing investment, and slashing

The SMMT’s latest 2024 outlook for the new car market estimates a total overall volume of 1.974 million units, which is a 4,000 unit increase on the October estimate, but with the BEV forecast reduced to a market share of 21.0% over the year, compared with the 22.3% anticipated in October and the 23.3% expected a year ago.

While myriad factors such as high energy prices, inflation and interest rates, charging anxiety and mixed messaging from government have restricted demand, 100,000 more BEVs will still reach the road in 2024 compared with last year, totalling some 414,000 units – more than one in five new cars. This volume would increase even further if a VAT reduction on EVs was introduced.

Reactions James Court, chief executive of electric vehicle owner’s organisation EVA England, said: “We are pleased to see the UK’s millionth battery electric vehicle announced today. This impressive milestone is thanks in part to the incredible acceleration in sales in the last few years and vital policy support from the government. Yet, as we saw last month, this momentum can easily stall.

“We are one of the rare countries with stringent net zero deadlines but with few to no EV purchasing incentives. We must do everything we can to seize this encouraging momentum, which means providing as many incentives as possible for more petrol and diesel drivers to consider making the switch.”

Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said: “Following a slower December for new batteryelectric car registrations, it’s great that more than one million pure electric vehicles have now been registered from new. While this milestone proves there’s plenty of consumer appetite for plug-in vehicles, there’s increased pressure on manufacturers to make sure supply meets demand this year as 22% of all new cars sold must be zero-emission models.

“The government must also play its part by stimulating demand at scale and making zeroemission driving more affordable. We urge the Chancellor, in March’s budget, to reintroduce a form of the plug-in car grant aimed at the cheaper end of the EV market and cut VAT on public chargers to match the 5% rate levied on domestic electricity. This would make charging significantly more affordable for those who can’t charge at home or those who regularly have to recharge on long journeys.”

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EVOLUTION

Predicting demand for chargers Field Dynamics looks at the UK’s potential energy requirements The UK will need eight times more public electric vehicle chargers to meet demand by 2035, according to a study conducted by Field Dynamics.

The net zero consultancy estimates that if all the cars and vans in Great Britain were converted to electric power overnight, power demand would be 71 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year, with 22 TWh attributed to on-street households who would most likely be dependent on the public network.

Assuming current utilisation and power delivery averages, the public charging network outputs an estimated 0.9 TWh. Looking ahead to 2035, modelling a scenario where a third of the fleet is electric, suggests the network would need to be eight times larger than it is today. The calculation assumes that EVs do not become more efficient, utilisation rates do not improve and vehicle usage stays the same.

Craig Stephenson, director of Field Dynamics, said: “Historically, answering the question of how many chargers we need has been an exercise in speculation based on opinions.

Now, after analysing 140 million MOT records and factoring in EV vehicle efficiency, GigaMap can provide actual kilowatt-hour (kWh) power demand figures for both public and private charging down to LSOA level based on real-world data.

“This completely transforms how our partners look at charging infrastructure requirements.”

Key findings • 71TWh yearly demand: If all cars and vans in Great Britain became electric overnight there would be a yearly power demand of 71 TWh. • 22TWh on the public charging network: On-street households would contribute 22 TWh to the yearly demand.

• 8x more chargers needed: Looking towards 2035, a scenario with one-third of cars and vans being electric suggests that the UK’s charging network would need to expand by eight times.

EVA England is writing an ‘EV Drivers’ Manifesto’ With the UK likely to have a General Election, EVA England is to publish a manifesto. The membership group representing the interests of electric vehicle drivers, says the document will serve as an expression of its stance on key issues, setting out a shared vision on behalf of EV drivers.

The manifesto will form the basis for engaging with political candidates, influencing party manifestos, and ultimately work towards policies favourable to a quicker, easier and fairer transition away from petrol and diesel cars.

The manifesto will be built around three distinct themes – charging, accessibility and EV uptake – and draw the responses to the Great EV Charging Survey ran last summer.

EVA England will be running a policy workshop on each of these themes over the coming weeks.

EVA England was established in June 2020 to offer a voice, services and representation to current and future electric vehicle drivers in England.

BPA launches EV Connect group The British Parking Association (BPA), which represents both public and private sector parking organisations, has set up a group dedicated to electric vehicles.

The aim of the EV Connect group is to share knowledge and best practice with the wider BPA membership, explore future ideas, represent the voice of the EV community, and lead on government consultations and campaigns. Group members will be invited to put forward proposals to speak at meetings and to participate in producing guidance. As well as the networking opportunities the group will be responsible for representing the EV infrastructure industry’s lobbying activities to the government as well as responding to government consultations.

A new EV charging section has been developed for the BPA’s Resource Library and an EV Guidance Hub aims to provide BPA members with a knowledge centre comprising

technical information, best practice guidance, and general information and advice on a range of related topics which may assist in everyday work in parking and traffic management.

The group is chaired by BPA Council representatives Scott Gow, sales director at Urban Fox Networks, and is supported by BPA business development manager Yasmin Jefferies. She said: “At the group’s inaugural meeting we will explore how best we can support the chargepoint operator (CPO) sector moving forward and offer presentations focussed on: myth busting; an overview of legislation and guidance; a look into procurement covering tendering contracts, contract lengths, suppliers and maintenance; smart charging regulations; accessibility and PAS 1899, payment technologies, on-street versus off-street considerations; and an introduction to Park Access, with both CPOs and local authorities contributing to discussions.”

Plug into the Future EVolution is an independent source of news and analysis on planning, creating and operating electric vehicle and zero-emission charging infrastructure.

www.EVolutionMagazine.co.uk PARKING REVIEW | 45

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