Agenda item

Dr Patel asks:

Having a look at the new parking signs around the city I have noticed that the 'Monday-Sat' or 'Monday -Fri' are missing. I am assuming this now means that street parking fees now apply 7 days a week. This was not included in the executive decision report in March 2025. Can the responsible person/City Mayor please address the following questions;

1. Why was this change not clearly stated or highlighted in the relevant Executive Decision report?
2. Do parking charges still apply on bank holidays?
3. Can the signs be changed back so there are no parking charges on Sunday?

Dr Spowage asks:

Why are there no automatic bollards on the Granby Street Pedestrian and Cycle Zone that is between Northampton Street and St Georges Way? 

The bollards are on the plans that were presented to this committee on 13th October 2021 (available in the public reports pack, p.107) and are a part of the tender, and therefore money will have been allocated for them.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership delivery plan for 2022/2023, published on 7th December 2022, notes that the Granby Street scheme is now complete (p.8). 

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Annual Update, published on 7th December 2022, talks of the Granby Street regeneration project as if it were complete (p.4).

However, the automatic bollards have not been installed and I cannot find any public reference to their omission. I have highlighted this issue multiple times on the Love Leicester portal but there has been no tangible improvement. In fact, the situation has been getting worse. This Pedestrian and Cycle Zone is used as a cruising strip by motorists. I have observed and documented up to seventeen vehicles at a time illegally parked and illegally driving along this section of Granby Street. This happens every day, at all times of the day and night. The Civil Enforcement Officers are overwhelmed. There are often so many motor vehicles that the whole street becomes blocked; usually by large SUVs, taxis and luxury track cars. As a cyclist, I have suffered three near misses with motorists on this section of Granby Street, and have witnessed a number of close calls between other cyclists and motorists, and between pedestrians and motorists. It is an incredibly unsafe and unpleasant place for pedestrians and cyclists.

The following question was presented to the commission by Dr Spowage:

Why are there no automatic bollards on the Granby Street Pedestrian and Cycle Zone that is between Northampton Street and St Georges Way? 

The bollards are on the plans that were presented to this committee on 13th October 2021 (available in the public reports pack, p.107) and are a part of the tender, and therefore I expect that money will have been allocated for them.

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership delivery plan for 2022/2023, published on 7th December 2022, notes that the Granby Street scheme is now complete (p.8). 

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Annual Update, published on 7th December 2022, talks of the Granby Street regeneration project as if it were complete (p.4).

However, the automatic bollards have not been installed and I cannot find any public reference to their omission. I have highlighted this issue multiple times on the Love Leicester portal but there has been no tangible improvement. In fact, the situation has been getting worse. This Pedestrian and Cycle Zone is used as a cruising strip by motorists. I have observed and documented up to seventeen vehicles at a time illegally parked and illegally driving along this section of Granby Street. This happens every day, at all times of the day and night. The Civil Enforcement Officers are overwhelmed. There are often so many motor vehicles that the whole street becomes blocked; usually by large SUVs, taxis and luxury track cars. As a cyclist, I have suffered three near misses with motorists on this section of Granby Street, and have witnessed a number of close calls between other cyclists and motorists, and between pedestrians and motorists. It feels like, and I believe this is an incredibly unsafe and unpleasant place for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Chair thanked Dr Spowage for the question and invited an officer to respond.

The Director of Planning – Development Transportation responded noting the following:

• The issues highlighted were known issues.
• The bollard installation was in the pipeline, and this was to be reflected during the current meeting.
• Subject to the programme approval, the bollards should be installed at the Granby Street section and would be similar in nature to the ones already placed with the central area of the city.

In response to a supplementary question form Dr Spowage on whether it would still be the case that plans included bollards at both ends of the section, the Director of Planning, Development and Transportation responded that:

• He would consider Dr Spowage’s thoughts and would come back to him.
• The bollard position had not yet been finalised and Dr Spowage’s input was welcomed.

In response to a further supplementary question from Dr Spowage regarding timescale and whether there was any reasoning behind the delay on bollards in this section compared to the rest of the city, the Director of Planning, Development and Transportation responded:

• The Council had been working closely with the police to prioritise appropriately.
• For the second phase it was necessary to consult and engage with interested parties.
• It was hoped for the Granby Street Pedestrian and Cycle Zone bollards to be installed either later this year or by early 2026.

The following question was presented to the commission by Dr Patel and taken as read, with the questioner not being in attendance:

Having a look at the new parking signs around the city I have noticed that the 'Monday-Sat' or 'Monday -Fri' are missing. I am assuming this now means that street parking fees now apply 7 days a week. This was not included in the executive decision report in March 2025. Can the responsible person/City Mayor please address the following questions;

1. Why was this change not clearly stated or highlighted in the relevant Executive Decision report?
2. Do parking charges still apply on bank holidays?
3. Can the signs be changed back so there are no parking charges on Sunday? 

The Chair invited an officer to respond. The City Highways Director responded as follows:

The application of parking fees to Sundays and Bank Holidays was discussed by the EDTCE Scrutiny Commission on 23^rd April 2025 following the “call-in” of the Executive Decision dated 25^th March 2025 to increase parking fees and charges.

1. Why was this change not clearly stated or highlighted in the relevant Executive Decision report?

The Executive Decision to introduce charges for on-street parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays was taken on 7^th November 2022. The decision report was published on the Leicester City Council website. Paragraph 5.4 of the Executive Decision Report stated that “these proposals are predominantly an alteration to the existing fees and charges and include proposals to charge the standard rates for parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays at car parks and on-street locations”. The Decision was open to being ‘called-in’, but this was not taken up.

The implementation of the changes was subject to a number of activities before it could applied, which included carrying out the statutory Traffic Regulation Order Consultation process required to change the parking orders to include for the application of parking fees on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The timing of the implementation was also linked to the roll out of the “Pay by Phone” option for payment of parking fees due to the changes required to the statutory signage on-street.

The proposals to amend the Traffic Regulation Order were formally advertised on-street and in the Leicester Mercury on 8th June 2023.

The proposals to charge for on-street parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays would: -

i)               Ensure turnover of on-street parking spaces within the City Centre, addressing all-day commuter parking on Sundays in support of short stay retail and visitor parking.

ii)              Help with meeting the operational running costs for managing parking and enforcement services in the city on Sundays and Bank Holidays, and supporting highway and transport improvements more generally.

iii)            Bring on-street parking charging in line with off-street car parks where payment for parking on Sundays is normal practice.

iv)            Disabled Blue Badge holders will still be able to park for free.

After careful consideration of objections received to the proposals, advertised as part of the Traffic Regulation or the section consultation process, the decision to implement the changes was confirmed on 16th April 2024.

The new Traffic Regulation Order came into force on 2nd June 2025.

2. Do parking charges still apply on bank holidays?

The parking charges applied on all days of the week, including Bank Holidays.

3. Can the signs be changed back so there are no parking charges on Sunday?

The rationale for introducing charges for parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays was set out in the Executive Decision report dated 7th November 2022 and there were no current plans to review this again, it was discussed at the last scrutiny commission before the changes were implemented.

The Chair thanked the Officer for his response and invited questions and comments from the commission. Key points to note were as follows:

• A report was scheduled on the scrutiny work programme, which would update the commission on outcomes since the parking charge changes had come into effect. It was too early at present to observe outcomes.
• The Chair noted that she had raised an issue with the Parking Enforcement Team where a member of the public had been confused by the signage on Sunday parking.

AGREED:

1)    For a liaison with Dr Spowage over the siting of the Granby Street Pedestrian and Cycle Zone bollards.

2)    For a response to be passed on to Dr Patel