Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000: Request for information

Thank you for your request for information relating to FOI/4281 In which you state:

Please refer to the original request (FOI4269), which quite clearly asks how the motorcycle parking charges are revenue-neutral. (A full response was given in FOI3837, but this response was not to the question "how is the motorcycle parking charge revenue neutral").

“Please provide the total amount of money raised from the motorcycle parking charge and the total of the money spent on motorcycle parking to date. If the two amounts are the same, I will accept that the charges are revenue neutral. If the two amounts are different, please explain why and how Cllr Chalkley claims the motorcycle parking charge can be revenue neutral”.

In response to your request I can advise you of the following:

Please refer to the figures detailed in Cabinet Member Report, dated 12 May 2009, for the latest financial information:

http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/committee/index.cfm?c_docs=Cabinet%20Member%20Decisions/Former%20Cabinet%20Member%20Portfolios/Environment_and_Transport/2009/31%20-%20Motorcycle%20Charging%20Scheme Paragraphs 6.1 and 6.2 of the 12 May 2009.

It is acknowledged that the experimental scheme has raised significantly more revenue than originally forecast. It is for this reason that the Cabinet Member agreed to reduce the on-street charges by approximately one third from 1 June 2009 and to make off-street motorcycle bays free of charge.

Calculations before the launch of the scheme had assumed that regular motorcyclists would take advantage of the relatively cheaper, longer-term parking options such as monthly or annual permits. However, 82% of scheme transactions involved the motorcyclist purchasing a daily permit, resulting in more income being generated than originally projected. However, although the scheme is intended to be revenue neutral, it is not possible to accurately forecast take up of permits by type.

Whilst tariffs should be kept under review, it would not be practical or cost effective to continually amend the tariff and, therefore, if the scheme still generates a surplus after taking account of the price reductions and all the associated costs of maintaining the scheme and associated infrastructure, the Council will reinvest this back into the Parking Place Reserve Account to fund wider parking and transport infrastructure related schemes and projects in accordance with Section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Some projected costs are proving to be higher than the stated budgetary position. For example, an increase in the vandalism of motorcycle bay signage has resulted in a significant increase in signs and lines expenditure. Furthermore, the continuing involvement in this scheme by members of the Client team (including policy work and responding to correspondence and Freedom of Information requests) has resulted in a Parking Services Client overhead.

If you do have a complaint about the handling of your enquiry please contact me at:

Customer Relations

PO Box 396

Warrington

WA55 1EL

Phone: 0207 641 1743

Fax: 0207 641 1744

Email: [email address]

Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625-545-700

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Andrew Daly

Departmental Records Officer