Councillor Mark Shayer (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Economy) introduced the report.

The Committee agreed -

1.    To note the consultation responses within appendix 1 (summary) and appendix 2.

2.    To approve the implementation of the following changes with effect from 1st December 2022:

2.1 To increase on-street parking fees from £1.50 per hour to £2 per hour, expand the payment options for parking to include credit, debit cards, contactless, android pay and Apple pay, alongside the existing Ringo (payment by phone call, phone app or website) and remove cash as a payment option;

2.2. To introduce a 24 hour on-street tariff of £15 for a 24 hour stay;

2.3. To revise the charging periods to 9am to 9pm (daytime) and 9pm to 9am (evening);

2.4. To remove maximum stay restrictions in the following locations: Armada Way, Basket Ope, Batter Street, Buckwell Street, Catherine Street, Derry’s Cross, Gibbon Lane, Gibbon Street, How Street, Lockyer Street (Lower), Looe Street, Notte Street, Palace Street (East), Princess Street, St Andrew’s Street, Tavistock Place, The Barbican, The Parade, Whimple Street, Hoe Road, and Madeira Road;

2.5. To simplify the off-street car parking tariffs in accordance with the off-street charges schedule (Appendix 5) for the following sites: Derry’s Cross, Elphinstone, Exchange Street, Guildhall, Mayflower House Court, Mayflower East, North Hill, Regent Street, St Andrews, Theatre Royal, Bretonside B and C, Civic Centre, Colin Campbell Court, Cornwall Street, Cornwall Street East and West, Courtney Street, Marks and Spencer’s, Mayflower Street and Western Approach car parks;

2.7. To increase the fee for a Residents Permit from £30 to £41.

2.8. To increase the ‘Long Stay Business Permits’ from £300 to £400 and ‘Short Stay Business Permits’ from £150 to £200;

2.9. To introduce a new ‘Short Stay NHS and Heath Care permit’ at a cost £100 and a ‘Long Stay NHS and Health Care Permit’ at £150;

2.10. To introduce parking terminals within all district car parks and the requirement for motorists to use the terminals to activate a free parking session;

2.11. To reduce free parking from 3 to 2 hours at Mutley Barracks and Napier Street car parks;

2.12. To increase the annual fee of the ‘Accessibility Permit’ from £40 to £60 and expanding the sites at which it can be used to include to the Theatre Royal, Regent Street, Mayflower East and Western Approach;

2.13. To introduce a fee of £150 for the marking of a ‘Disabled Driver Parking Space’ for residents;

2.14. To increase the charge for concessionary rate parking for guests of guest houses and hoteliers from £5 to £7;

3.    From 1st April 2022:

3.1. To provide customers with greater choice of how to pay for parking, through expanding payment options to include credit and debit cards, contactless cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and RingGo (phone call, smart phone app and web);

3.2. To remove cash payments from on-street parking.