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Issue 239 - 16 January 2012: News
Westminster scraps evening and Sunday parking charge plan

Westminster scraps evening and Sunday parking charge plan
Mark Moran

Westminster City Council is abandoning its plan to introduce evening and Sunday street parking charges. The proposed charges attracted protest from a loose alliance of local businesses, unions, churches and the London Evening Standard newspaper. There were concerns that extended charging hours would drive away shoppers, tourists, theatre-goers, restaurant customers, late shift workers and worshippers. “We have listened to Londoners in the... continue

Alexander Armstrong to host British Parking Awards 2012

Alexander Armstrong to host British Parking Awards 2012

Comedian Alexander Armstrong will reveal the winners of the British Parking Awards, sponsored by Equita, in London on Friday 9 March. Over 80 entries have been received for the 2012 competition, organised by Parking Review magazine. The annual awards recognise excellence and innovating in the management and design of both on-street and off-street parking operations. Launched in 2002 by Mark Moran, managing editor of Parking Review, the awar... continue

Operational

Olympics could cause ‘traffic chaos’ despite P&R, report warns
The London Olympics opening weekend could be a “perfect storm” of traffic chaos, warns traffic analysis company INRIX. The firm predicts... continue

Car park charges to offset Dartmoor’s funding shortfall
Dartmoor’s national park authority is set to introduce seasonal parking charges at its car parks to help generate income. The authority is... continue

P&D coin upgrade too costly for Edinburgh
It is no longer possible to pay for parking at Edinburgh’s pay & display machines using 5p and 10p pieces because the city council says the... continue

End of parking tariffs hits Aberdeen hospital
Parking problems have worsened at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) since the stopping of parking charges at hospitals in Scotland in 2009, according to... continue

Business News
Bailiff code updated as MOJ prepares review of fees

Bailiff code updated as MOJ prepares review of fees
Deniz Huseyin
The national standards for civil enforcement agents have been updated in a bid to give the public more protection against rogue bailiffs. The... continue

Contract Wins

Q-Park moves into Birmingham and expands Leeds portfolio
Q-Park has started the year by signing two major city centre leases. Q-Park has signed a lease with Hines Global REIT and Moorfield Group to manage... continue

VINCI Park to run parking, security and grounds maintenance at Plymouth hospital
VINCI Park UK has been awarded a seven-year contract by Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust to provide a combined parking, security management and grounds... continue

Edinburgh partnership awarded EV funding
The Scottish Government has awarded £270,000 funding to a public sector partnership in Edinburgh to promote electric vehicle (EV) take-up.... continue

Sefton hires NSL to enforce parking
NSL services has been appointed by Sefton Council in Merseyside to provide on- street parking enforcement services in a five-year contract with the... continue

Creative opens car park at Watford Junction
Creative Parking Solutions has opened a car park opposite Watford Junction train station, which is on the Virgin Trains’ Midland Mainline... continue

Sidcup hospital seeks parking operator
South London Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking a company to run parking at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. The contract will be for five years... continue

Enforcement News
Westminster leader Colin Barrow resigns

Westminster leader Colin Barrow resigns
Mark Moran

Colin Barrow is to step down as the Conservative leader of Westminster City Council. Barrow has been closely identified with the council's controversial plans to introduce on-street parking charges across the West End in the... continue

Councils press for traffic enforcement powers

The Local Government Association is pressing the DfT to reconsider its decision not to give local authorities outside London powers to enforce moving traffic contraventions. Transport minister Norman Baker announced in... continue

Parking Policy
Retail lobby dismisses Portas parking proposals

Retail lobby dismisses Portas parking proposals
Patrick Mcdonnell

Calls by retail expert Mary Portas for tougher planning controls on new out-of-town developments has been dismissed by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The BRC said it backed the report’s recommendations on... continue

Crime
'Slash and grab' on raids on soft sided HGVs

'Slash and grab' on raids on soft sided HGVs

Thieves are using specially converted lorries to make ‘slash and grab’ raids on goods-laden lorries. The thieves use secret hidden doors in the side of trucks, which are the same height as the curtained freight... continue

Safer Parking
Secure approach in Trowbridge earns a Park Mark

Secure approach in Trowbridge earns a Park Mark

The 247-space car park serving the Gateway Shopping Park in Trowbridge has been awarded a Park Mark. The roof-top parking area is leased to Gallan Parking by owner Standard Life Investments. Its part of a retail development that includes blue chip companies Boots, Next and Argos. The pay & display facility has floodlighting and regular security patrols. It is open daily from 6am-8pm with a maximum charge of just £4 for a stay of over... continue

Construction
‘Cubist’ car park will provide spaces for Nottingham station

‘Cubist’ car park will provide spaces for Nottingham station
Patrick McDonnell

A 950-space multi-storey car park is due to open at Nottingham rail station as part of the £67m redevelopment of the station to be known as The Hub. The cube-like car park is a collaboration between Network Rail, East... continue

An observer's guide to car park cracks

An observer's guide to car park cracks
John Taylor

The reasons why cracks develop on car park decks are numerous, but generally stem from the fact that concrete is relatively weak in tension. Cracking itself is not usually an indicator that serious structural problems are... continue

Developments

Crewe rail station makeover will include new car park
Patrick Mcdonnell
The redevelopment of Crewe rail station is to include plans for a 251-space car park as part of the £6.2m scheme in addition to existing car... continue

Stop car-based urban sprawl, urge MPs
The government must make significant changes to the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for England to prevent it opening the door to... continue

Park & Ride

Private operator set to run Cambridge park & ride sites
Cambridge County Council is seeking to open up competition in the management of its five park & ride sites  in a bid to save over... continue

Low tariffs hinder South Yorks P&R
Pressure to keep down the cost of town centre car parking is likely to hamper the delivery of new bus-based park & ride facilities in South... continue

People News

Equita staff sign up for Skills Pledge Partnership
Debt recovery specialist Equita and its parent company Capita are supporting 40 employees on a vocational qualification programme through the... continue