Unofficial city car parks will be given chance to keep operating

Plans to regulate the spread of unauthorised city centre car parks that have sprung up without planning permission will come before senior councillors this week.

The council wants to limit their spread so as not to encourage more people to drive to work and park in the centre.

Many of the unauthorised car parks are in and around the Holbeck Urban Village and are used as long-stay car parks by workers.

Some of the unregulated car parks have cheap rates which may discourage people from using trains and buses, according to the council.

At a meeting of Leeds Council’s Executive board on Wednesday this week officers will recommend that a number of previously unauthorised parking spaces are made legitimate as long as improvements are made to their appearance and security.

The overall number of spaces at these car parks will be limited to 3,200 to ensure that commuting by car into Leeds does not increase and add to congestion on the roads into the city centre.

The recommendation follows council proposals last year to take enforcement action against unauthorised car parks in the city centre, containing around 1,900 parking spaces.

However, it was recognised that an immediate clampdown would penalise commuters who have not had the benefit of previously-anticipated public transport improvements.

Since then the council has consulted widely with both commuters and car park operators on the best way forward.

The report to the Executive board says that there are as many as 6,000-plus unauthorised car parking spaces available

Not all of them will get permission to stay, as the council is considering a cap of 3,200 spaces.

Operators will be given three months to submit their applications for permission to remain open.

The applications will then be considered together.

Preference will be given to sites that generate the least localised congestion or junction problems.

The council will also give preference to sites which display safety features, such as good clear sight lines. Those with good landscaping, including greenery, will also be preferred.

Some car park operators complained that the physical improvements expected by the council will make the business non-viable.

Officers suggested that costs of between £1,500 and £3,000 per space could be accommodated by increases to parking charges which would keep per-day parking fees competitive with public transport prices.

The report said: “Overall, it is considered that the extra cost would be worth it to make the car parks more visually attractive.”

Coun Richard Lewis, the executive member responsible for city development, said: “We listened to the concerns of commuters, businesses and the car park operators and understand that these car parks provide valuable commuter car parking spaces, particularly around the south side of the city centre, and that this can help support local businesses.

“It is also the case that major public transport schemes which were anticipated – such as Supertram and the park and ride proposals – have not yet materialised.

“However, the council has a duty to tackle the congestion caused by cars coming into the city centre to park. This is to reduce pollution in the city and meet targets to reduce carbon emissions.

“The 3,200 cap on spaces will help control the number of cars coming into the city, encourage more people to use the city’s existing public transport and improve the appearance, security and appearance of the city’s car parks.

“We look forward to working with the car park operators to deliver this.”

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