Agenda item

Purpose of the Report:

Taking forward the decision made by the Executive Member for Economy and Transport to consult on moving the parking estate to cashless payments only and agree to a review of the current number of parking ticket machines and a procurement for parking ticket machines.

The Executive Member will be asked: To make a number of decisions based on the officer recommendations outlined in the report as follows:

i. To review the cashless parking consultation results;

ii. To agree one of the following options:

A – To remove the acceptance of cash across the parking estate, which is in line with the budget decision made in March 2023;

B – To continue to accept cash payments across all the parking estate;

iii. To agree to the removal of some of the on street parking based on an annex that will be included in the report;

iv. Agree to the Parking Services to go out for the procurement of a new supplier for parking ticket machines and pay on exit systems where the decision as to whether cash will be accepted or not will inform the specification for cashless or cash accepting machines.

The action date for this item has changed from 16 January 2024 to 20 February 2024. Reason: To allow further time to consider the consultation results and review recommendations.

Resolved:

a.           That the cashless parking consultation results contained with annexes B to P of the report be noted.

Reason: To ensure that decisions are informed by and give due regard to the views of residents and the impacts of any change.

b.           That cash payment be removed and offer pay by phone as the only way to pay on street for pay and display.

Reason: To give effect to the Full Council Budget Decision. These are the machines most in need of replacement, the level of investment required to replace them and add debit, credit and pre-paid cash card and contactless cannot be justified.

c.           That cash payment be retained at Bootham Row and Castle Car Parks, for those who cannot use the app or do not have access to a card.

Reason: Gives effect to the consultation that has identified impacts of going cashless on people, some of whom will have protected characteristics. The two car parks recommended are the Gold Standard car parks identified in the access review.

The Director of Transport, Environment and Planning and the Head of Parking Services presented the report.

The Director of Transport, Environment and Planning issued a correction to the report, confirming that paragraph 10 should read “The Executive Member is asked to review the report and the consultation results to inform decisions on the following 3 items” and not “the following 5 items” as stated.

He stated that while the report recommended removing the coin paytment option from car parks and on-street parking, Bootham Row and Castle car parks would retain cash payment as a concession to those who did not wish to lose this option. He added that the report did not recommend expanding pay on exit.

The Executive Member noted that the prior Executive had committed to cashless payment, and the current Executive had put this to consultation. Responding to Councillor Warters point in Public Participation, the Executive Member stated that the decision that two car parks would now be retaining the cash option was the direct result of public feedback at the consultation stage.

The Executive Member noted that appropriate signage should be offered for the nearest coin payment location at all on-street parking locations, since coin payments here will no longer be available.

Resolved:

i.             That the cashless parking consultation results contained with annexes B to P of the report be noted.

Reason: To ensure that decisions are informed by and give due regard to the views of residents and the impacts of any change.

ii.            That cash payment be removed and offer pay by phone as the only way to pay on street for pay and display.

Reason: To give effect to the Full Council Budget Decision. These are the machines most in need of replacement, the level of investment required to replace them and add debit, credit and pre-paid cash card and contactless cannot be justified.

iii.          That cash payment be retained at Bootham Row and Castle Car Parks, for those who cannot use the app or do not have access to a card.

Reason: Gives effect to the consultation that has identified impacts of going cashless on people, some of whom will have protected characteristics. The two car parks recommended are the Gold Standard car parks identified in the access review.