Harrogate Town Parking Strategy
Stage 1: Short Term Recommendations
The first stage consisted of undertaking use validation surveys and working with available data outputs to explore a number of lines of enquiry to generate recommendations that could be implemented in the short term. These included questions about parking capacity, pricing, users’ experience, demand management, supporting the local economy, traffic management/routing and considerations regarding times of operation.
The study also examined how roadspace was being used in the town and we examined loading bays, taxi rank times, bus and coach layover to obtain best value and use.
The adequacy and appropriateness of restrictions in residential streets close to the town centre was reviewed. Recommendations included development and application of a process map using surveyed kerbside occupancy and local land use to establish suitable duration of stay restrictions and/or the introduction of charging.
Stage 2: Strategic Recommendations
The second stage of work has provided advice on the parking needs and opportunities arising from three significant land use changes in the town anticipated over the next five years. A parking balance sheet was developed to provide clarification on the parking surplus or deficit arising from multiple inter-connected land use changes in the Station Quarter. The work answered a key question for the Council regarding whether a further deck was required on their existing multi-storey car park and informed discussions regarding the suitability of current parking requirements for new residential developments.
A more strategic view on the longer-term approach for satisfying particular peaks demands caused by major events at the Convention Centre, using temporary park and ride services on specified days, and releasing more of the town’s permanent parking capacity for development, was also explored.
Client: North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council
Recommendations
The recommendations have included a significant change to the number of bays allocated between staff, key staff, visitors, Blue Badge and other uses (loading, short stay, estate vehicles etc) based on an assessment of need. The new distribution consolidates use to improve management and reduce the likelihood that hospital visitors are unable to park first time by reducing the need to hunt across multiple locations to find available parking. The study also included an assessment of hospital overspill parking in nearby unrestricted residential streets. It identified a number of parking abuses on-site and generated suggestions to release existing parking capacity at peak times. Recommendations were finalised following a stakeholder workshop at the hospital.
