National news Round-up of stories affecting the profession across the UK Government to consult on pavement parking ban Update issued for Traffic Signs Manual The Department for Transport has updated a section of the Traffic Signs Manual, which provides guidance to traffic authorities and sign designers on good practice. Part 3 of Chapter 8 contains requirements and advice for those designing temporary traffic management. It has been revised, based on feedback from industry, to clarify the design requirements to maintain safety for both road workers and road users, and to expand on the recommended specifications for signs and equipment. You can read the manual at bit.ly/PNApr20TSM The government has put forward proposals to tackle pavement parking, which it will open up to public consultation during the summer. The 12-week consultation includes options such as allowing local authorities with civil parking enforcement powers to crack down on unnecessary obstruction of the pavement. Currently, outside London, only police have this power. It will also consider how a nationwide ban on pavement parking, enforced by local authorities, might work allowing for any necessary exceptions or designated spots for pavement parking where needed and how a tailored approach may be required. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: I welcome the Transport Select Committees recent report and share its drive to tackle pavement parking. Thats why I am taking action to make pavements safer, and I will be launching a consultation to find a long-term solution to this complex issue. In 2019, the Department for Transport (DfT) concluded a review that looked at the problems caused by pavement parking, the effectiveness of legislation, and the case for reform. It found that pavement parking was problematic for 95 per cent of respondents who are visually impaired and 98 per cent of wheelchair users. The BPA has been campaigning with Guide Dogs and Living Streets on the issue. Its work on the TRO Discovery project alongside the DfT, Ordnance Survey and Geoplace explored the process of making traffic regulation orders and how this data is used and made available. This will assist the government in looking at options to streamline and digitise TROs for pavement parking. A legislative review is now under way to find ways to improve it and make it easier for local authorities to implement restrictions. Guide Dogs has published research on the impact of pavement parking on peoples lives. You can read the report at bit.ly/PNApr20pavement You can read more about the BPAs lobbying on the issue on page 40. London drivers underpay for residential spaces First electric vehicle charging forecourt to open in summer Renewable energy solution provider GRIDSERVE has announced that the first in a planned nationwide network of more than 100 EV charging stations is now under construction. The first Electric Forecourt, located near Braintree, Essex, will be able to charge 24 electric vehicles at once, with superchargers that can deliver up to 350kW of power, enabling charging within 20-30 minutes. It will be powered by clean, zero-carbon solar energy and battery-storage projects. While their vehicles charge, drivers will be able to relax or shop in a state-of-the-art building that will house a range of facilities, including a coffee shop, supermarket, and airportstyle lounge. Car owners across London are underpaying for their on-street residential parking space, according to a new report by think tank Centre for London. The report calls on councils to act more strategically with parking controls, promote alternatives to car ownership and use, and reallocate parking space for other uses, such as cycleways, disabled bays and green space. The report, Reclaim the kerb: the future of parking and kerbside management in London, found that the annual cost of operating residential parking spaces far outstrips the price that drivers pay for residential permits. On average, it costs councils 336 to operate a parking space in inner London (compared to average resident permit costs across councils of between 51 and 230), and 295 in outer London (compared to average permit costs of between 29 and 154). Pay and display, and enforcement charges subsidise lost revenue from resident permits. The report argues that the time has come to rethink parking policies and support the shift towards sustainable modes of transport. It recommends that councils: S et residential permit charges at a level that fully covers operating costs R eview the coverage, size and operating hours of Controlled Parking Zones regularly M ove towards an emission-based charging structure for resident permits, and escalate charges for additional vehicles. Joe Wills, senior researcher at Centre for London, said: With a climate emergency on our hands, the time is right to rethink the way councils approach parking and reclaim the kerb. Julian OKelly, the BPAs head of technology, innovation and research, said: There is an urgent need to transform the way we travel. We encourage the wider adoption and smarter use of technology to manage the kerbside more effectively, and we want to ensure that our members have the tools they need to work with communities and deliver solutions. Read the report at bit.ly/PNApr20lonpark 8 britishparking.co.uk PN Apr20 pp08-09 News.indd 8 24/03/2020 14:03