Manchester City Council is consulting on proposed changes to city centre on-street parking.

The proposed changes, the first since June 2011, are designed to reduce congestion and balance out demand for parking across the city centre by maintaining the turnover of the best-used spaces while making less-used spaces more attractive.

It is proposed to increase the number of zones from the current two to four. Those areas with lower demand, zones three and four, would see a price reduction with the hour tariff in zone three reducing from £1.35 per hour to £1.25 per hour and zone four reducing from £1.35 to £1. In addition, in zone four motorists will have the option to park all day (up to a maximum stay of 10 hours) Monday to Friday with a weekend option to enable vehicles to be parked all day Saturday and Sunday for a total cost of just £10 for the whole weekend, which should be attractive to residents and visitors alike.

The areas of highest demand, zones one and two, will continue to have a two-hour maximum stay and prices would be slightly increased from £2.70 per hour to £3 for zone one and £2.70 to £2.90 for zone two.

The overall average price of parking in a bay, taking into account the whole city centre parking zone, is broadly the same – increasing by less than one per cent.

The changes will also allow for more flexibility in the residents’ parking scheme. Residents will also be given the option to purchase permits quarterly, six-monthly or annually.

Analysis of the impact of the last set of changes to on-street parking – introduced in June 2011 – shows that the number of people paying for parking increased by more than a quarter, while improving the availability of on-street parking spaces and reducing the congestion associated with people driving round looking for a vacant spot.

City centre councillor Kevin Peel said:

“I welcome improvements to the residents’ parking scheme that are being proposed in this consultation. I have been working to deliver an even better scheme for residents since the introduction of phase 1 of the new scheme in 2011.”

For more information, including a map of the proposed zones, people should visit www.manchester.gov.uk/parking

The consultation closes on 25 April, 2013. If adopted, the proposed changes would come into force in June.

The part-time bollard installed on Sackville Street after a campaign led by your Labour councillors has been fixed following weeks of technical problems.

Residents first complained that the bollard wasn’t working properly in February, but contractors were slow to identify the problem and several weeks went by before it was able to be fixed.

Councillors intervened and the work was finished this week, meaning the bollard should be fully operational from 20.00 to 05.30 on Fridays and Saturdays.

City centre councillor Kevin Peel said:

“I am frustrated and angry with the length of time contractors took to identify and fix the problem and I have asked council officers to investigate whether any punative action can be taken.

“However the bollard is now fixed and residents should once again be able to get a decent nights sleep free from the sound of honking taxi horns on Sackville Street.”

City Council licensing enforcement officers will be out this weekend to monitor the situation and issue fixed penalty notices to any taxis not playing by the rules.

Motorists will soon be able to find vacant parking spaces in Manchester city centre using their mobile phones.

Manchester City Council is testing exciting new technology, used in American cities, with electronic sensors placed in parking bays in the Northern Quarter and Chinatown areas.

In what will be the first major trial for a UK city, motorists will be able to download a mobile phone app which will enable them to see in real time which bays are available, reducing the need for people to drive around looking for spaces.

The free Parker app, available for iPhones and Android devices, can also act as a sat nav directing motorists to the nearest available bay and is voice-activated so can be used while driving.

The app, which recently won an innovation award at an international award ceremony in Barcelona, will also be linked to the City Council’s existing pay by phone system.

Meanwhile, it will also enable parking bosses to see detailed information about which bays are being used at what times, and for how long.

The City Council, along with its contractor NSL, is working with US-based company Streetline to trial the new system, which is currently being used successfully in cities such as Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York.

The company is providing the equipment free of charged for the six-month trial set to start in March.

The sensors are being placed in 200 bays but if the trial is successful, the system could be extended to other parts of the city centre.

Councillor Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council’s executive member for the environment, said:

“This technology has proved very successful in US cities, where it has been welcomed by both businesses and motorists who say it has made finding parking spaces much easier and reduced the need for people to drive around looking for available bays.

“I believe motorists coming into Manchester to shop, eat in restaurants or go to the theatre will find it just as useful. Manchester was the birthplace of the computer and continues to be a dynamic place keen to take on technical innovations, and so it is entirely fitting that we should be the first British city to properly test this new system.”

‘Keep Clear’ signs are to be painted on the road at the entrance to the car park of the W3 building on Whitworth Street West following a series of near-accidents.

Residents contacted local councillors to complain about taxis at the rank outside Sainsbury’s parking illegally across the car park entrance, restricting the view of cars exiting the building and causing a series of near collisions with traffic on Whitworth Street West.

Councillors asked the highways department to explore options to keep taxis out of the entrance area and the ‘Keep Clear’ signs will be painted in April.

If the signs do not deter taxis further enforcement measures will be considered.

- Victory for residents as parking scheme is approved by Manchester City Council.

- Labour hail successful 12 month campaign.

City centre residents can now join a more flexible, less restricted and better value for money parking scheme following a successful campaign by your City Centre Labour team.

Manchester City Council approved the changes this week following a consultation with residents and businesses in the city centre.

Residents have the option of either purchasing a permit covering the chargeable hours outside 9am-5pm Monday-Friday and 8am-8pm Saturday and Sunday or a 24hr permit covering Monday-Sunday 8am-8pm (in zone 3).

Residents can also purchase a permit for zone 3 even if they live in zone 2.

Permits will be available to any resident who can show proof that he/she owns a car, lives in the city centre and does not have a current off-street parking space. Restrictions limiting permits to those in buildings built before 2004 and without any parking provision in the building have been lifted. Residents can also purchase more than one permit per household.

Permits can be paid for quarterly, 6 monthly or annually providing more flexibility for residents.

City centre resident and Labour campaigner Joan Davies said:

“This is a real victory for residents who have long been asking for a more flexible scheme that is easier to join and better value for money. I’ve already spoken to many residents eager to sign up.”

City centre Labour & Co-op councillor Kevin Peel said:

“I made this a priority when I was elected last May and I’m delighted that we were able to deliver for city centre residents.

“There’s more to do and I called on the council to look urgently at re-zoning and creating more spaces in zone 2. However what we have in this initial phase of the new scheme is far better than what we had before.

“I think this really highlights what Labour councillors working with a Labour council can deliver for city centre residents.”

For more information about the city centre residents parking scheme, visit the parking section on the council’s website here.

Victory for city centre residents as new parking scheme goes out to consultation following year long Labour campaign.

City Centre residents are to get a brand new parking scheme after a 12 month campaign by your local Labour team. The scheme, which will replace the poor existing provision, was designed following focus groups with city centre residents organised by city centre Labour & Co-op councillor Kevin Peel.

Your city centre Labour team started the campaign for a better residents parking scheme 12 months ago to ensure that city centre residents were not affected by changes to parking charges in the city centre following Lib Dem-Tory government cuts of £178m to the council’s budget – cuts backed by local Lib Dems.

The new city centre residents parking scheme:

• Easier to join, with less restrictions on who can purchase permits

• More flexible, with the ability to purchase a permit for a cheaper zone and different times

• Better value for money, with a range of different options and ways to pay for your permit

Long-standing city centre resident and local campaigner Joan Davies, who has been actively involved in the campaign, said:

“While local Lib Dems try to score political points by blaming cuts on Labour and fail to respond to the needs of city centre residents, we’ve been busy getting things done.

“The new scheme we successfully fought for is easier to join, more flexible and better value for money.”

The consultation is now open. View the details of the proposed new scheme and have your say here. You have until Friday 2nd March 2012 to submit your comments. Want to share your views with us? Get in touch.

Labour & Co-op Councillor for the City Centre Kevin Peel and local resident and campaigner Joan Davies have been working hard to secure a deal on a new residents parking scheme for several months. Dozens of residents have made representations and attended focus groups to hammer out a draft proposal. This proposal will go out to consultation before the end of the year and we hope to see a new scheme in place early in 2012.

Be the first to hear about the consultation – Get in touch with Kevin and Joan.

- New City Centre Labour & Co-operative Councillor Kevin Peel promises to deliver a better residents parking scheme for city centre residents.

- City Centre Lib Dem Councillors

fail to submit any response

to consultation on changes to parking zone hours.

Kevin has had a dozen meetings and conversations with council officers and councillors since the election to press for a new city centre residents parking scheme.

Kevin said:

“Getting a better deal on parking for residents is a top priority for me. I want to see a better value, more flexible scheme with fewer restrictions that will encourage more residents to sign up.

“I am making the strongest possible representations about the need to use increased revenues raised from changes to the zone hours to improve city centre roads and footpaths and deliver crucial highways schemes.”

UPDATE: Have your say on a new residents parking scheme at one of two consultation events organised by City Centre Spokesperson Councillor Pat Karney at 7pm on Tuesday 13th September and 12pm on Sunday 18th September at Manchester Town Hall. Contact Kevin if you can make it or send in your comments and Kevin will make sure your views are represented.

Watch Kevin’s video about his campaign and let us know what you want to see in a new residents parking scheme below.

Long-standing city centre resident and local campaigner Kevin Peel has been elected as the first ever Labour & Co-operative Councillor for Manchester City Centre.

Kevin is already working hard to deliver on his promises to local residents. Since the election on 5th May, Kevin has:

- Met with senior councillors to discuss reform of the residents parking permit scheme.

- Asked council officers to look at his proposals for tackling dodgy managing agents.

- Called for action on transforming derelict city centre sites into urban green spaces.

Kevin said:

“I want to thank everyone who voted for me, it’s a great honour to represent my local community.

“I don’t make empty promises – I intend to deliver on everything I pledged to do during the election campaign.”

City Centre resident and Labour campaigner Kevin Peel has secured a wholesale review of the residents parking permit scheme.

Kevin said:

“The current scheme is not fit for purpose. It is poorly advertised, inflexible and expensive.

“I asked the council to set up a working party to consult with residents on a new scheme and this will now be taking place.”

Give is your views by posting a comment below.