country parks - ew0403

							                                                 AGENDA ITEM ..................6.................


                                                         EW/04/03
committee Environment and Waste Policy Development Group
date           6 February 2003
 _____________________________________________________________________
INCOME GENERATION IN THE COUNTRY PARKS


Report by Mary Bagley, Country Parks Manager
(Contact Tel: 01245 437706 E-mail: mary.bagley@essexcc.gov.uk)


1.       Purpose of the Item

This report is intended to provide information on the work consultants are undertaking in
respect of the car parking charging policy in the Council’s Country Parks.

2.       Background

2.1 The Cabinet Member for Environment Culture and Heritage has asked that
consideration be given to raising additional income in the country parks service.
Consultants are being appointed to look at raising this income through

        The extension of car parking charges in the Country Park car parks.

        wider income generation opportunities including events in the Country Parks and
         Cressing Temple.

2.2 The timescales:

        the Car Parking Charges Review will report to the PDG in March and a
         presentation by the consultants will be given to PDG Members on 12 March
         2003 to ensure that decisions can be made in time for the new financial year.

        the wider Income Generation Report will report to PDG in July 2003.

2.3 This report will consider the details of the brief for the consultants’ Car Parking
    Charges Review.

2.4 The County Council has 8 country parks of which 6 currently charge £1.50 on
    Sundays and Bank holidays from April (or Easter, if earlier) to the end of October.
    Disabled visitors and motorcycles are free.




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3.       Options and Proposals

3.1 The proposal is that the income is raised through charges for parking vehicles in the
country park car parks.
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3.2 The income generation the consultants will be assessing will be that raised through
daily charges to visitors who wish to park their car at the country parks. All visitors who
walk or bicycle to the country parks will have free entry. This policy will reinforce
sustainable transport options and clean air policies in Essex under the Essex Approach
objectives ‘care for the environment’ and ‘for travelling around’.

3.3 The consultants will report on

        how the income can be raised
        what charges may be necessary
        which system would be best to collect this income
        the most cost effective means of setting up the system
        the timescale for implementing the proposals
        oversee the implementation of the agreed scheme

3.4 Comparisons will be made throughout the country parks services in England and
with local car parks charges in Essex.

The proposals are in line with the national trend for country parks. The following
information has been provided by the Country Park Network. The data has been taken
from the information provided on questionnaires by Country Park Managers during
February 2002. As Country Parks in England come under increasing pressure to
generate income, car parking charges are one of the first areas to be considered. This
also reflects the wish to become more sustainable and rely on public, rather than
private, transport. There is evidence to suggest that charges have been made for car
parking by some sites, for example, Durlston Country Park, since the early 70s, with the
majority introducing this charge during the mid-90s.

3.5 The consultant’s charges of £9,700 (plus expenses) will be funded from existing
budgets. The financial implications and costings of any proposals arising from the
review will be reported to PDG in March 2003.

4.       Conclusion

Detailed conclusions await the completion of the consultants report. Any proposed
increases will allow the Country Parks to continue to offer a quality service to visitors at
competitive prices.


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