Have your say on Colchester’s Positive Parking Review strategy

Date issued: 29 June 2020

Today, Colchester Borough Council is launching a three-week consultation on its Positive Parking Review, which includes a proposed new five-year parking strategy.

The proposed strategy can be found at www.colchester.gov.uk/parkingstrategy and includes a range of ideas to support and deliver improved and smarter parking services in Colchester, which also support the council’s climate emergency declaration.

The strategy includes ideas and suggestions to influence motorists’ behaviour to have a positive impact on air quality by reducing congestion and CO2 emissions. For example, the strategy highlights that if motorists in the town centre make one small change just one day a week, this could reduce traffic during peak times by 20%, improving air quality and reducing congestion and CO2 emissions.

Other ideas within the strategy include innovative measures such as changes to payment methods, offers and incentives to support steady footfall in the town centre throughout the day, as well as improved methods of customer communications.

The proposed new strategy also supports the national Positive Parking Agenda (PPA), which aims to raise standards, improve communication, encourage innovation and promote transparency in the delivery of parking management and prioritises improving traffic congestion, safety, air quality, accessibility, technology, working together and fairness.

Councillor Mike Lilley, Colchester Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, said: “It’s important that the council’s parking strategy for the next five years has a positive impact on the environment, town centre and parking experience for customers and I would encourage the public to view and submit their ideas on the proposed strategy by 20 July.”

To view the strategy, including an easy-read version, visit the council’s website. Any feedback should be sent to parking.strategy@colchester.gov.uk by 20 July 2020.

Once the public consultation finishes, the results will go to the council’s Cabinet for consideration.