Ernest Davies Award highly commended their areas. However, we know that public transport providers are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, and that the public is currently favouring private vehicle travel. Therefore, parking for private vehicles is still vitally important. As the highway authority, Cornwall Council must very carefully consider the vital role that some car parks play in supporting good traffic management in an area before deciding whether to prioritise its devolution aspirations. After all, the transfer of a car park to an organisation other than the highway authority could lead to the same residents and visitors being unable to access goods and services if good traffic management is no longer at the heart of its operation; consequently, the risk of obstruction and congestion issues on the highway increases without the opportunity to control any mitigating measures. If you wish to know more or discuss any issue raised in the article, please feel free to contact Craig at craig.taylor@cornwall.gov.uk Pros and cons of double devolution Advantages Disadvantages Parking and environmental services can be delivered at a more local level, enabling the communities that use the devolved assets to have a greater say in what happens, and how they should be operated. Parking charges are set by the unitary authority to mitigate against traffic management issues that may arise through charges being too low or too high. A town/parish council may not have regard for this issue when setting its own charges, which has the potential to impact on traffic management within the area of the car park. Parking charges can be set at a local level, within an Off-Street Parking Place Order (PPO) that is separated from the wider unitary authority PPO. It may be easier for the town/parish council to target consultation exercises better in relation to any potential PPO changes, for those most affected to be able to feed back. Town/parish councils generally have little knowledge of the legal governance required to make PPOs, leading to initial/ ongoing support being required from the unitary authority in relation to the making of new orders. If the unitary authority is also the highway authority, it may object if proposed charges impact on traffic management. Car park operating infrastructure, such as pay and display machines, tickets, cash collections, card-payment facilities, and pay-by-phone services can be handled/procured separately from the larger-value contracts required by the unitary authority, leading to potential cost savings in terms of operation of services. Town/parish councils generally have little knowledge of the operational challenges involved with parking operations, meaning that the unitary authority will need to fully brief, train, and potentially be on hand to provide advice and guidance for a period after handover. Local events arranged within a car park, such as farmers markets or concerts, can be facilitated much more easily at a local level during quieter operational periods, perhaps when there is not such a need to effectively manage parking through charging. Less regard for the impacts that such events may have on traffic management in the vicinity may lead to roads becoming congested, poorer air quality, and reductions in road safety. Town/parish councils may choose to alter the operation of a car park, perhaps to facilitate permit parking for the benefit of local residents. Permit schemes can be managed at a local level, without the need to invest in expensive back-office systems that may be required by a larger authority. Town/parish councils may not understand the negative impact of reducing the number of spaces that turn over more frequently, such as fewer visitors to local shops or services, or greater levels of congestion on the highway network. Car parks operated by local communities lead to a reduction in the carbon footprint of the unitary authority, through reduced travel times and greenhouse gas emissions relating to car park maintenance, cash collections, and enforcement provision. These services are often delivered from further afield, leading to staff having to travel considerable distances to deliver services. May lead to a reduction in the necessary workforce of the unitary authority, resulting in potential job losses, although Transfer of undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) may apply. Surplus income derived from the car parks can be used for the purposes of a highway/road/environmental improvement projects in the local area. This is often more difficult where any potential surplus is often used to help maintain strategic highway networks, rather than local facilities. The unitary authorities highway maintenance budget may be negatively affected through surplus income reduction resulting from the devolution of the car parking asset. 38 britishparking.co.uk PN Apr 2022 pp36-39 Double Devolution.indd 38 24/03/2022 14:11