Reasoning behind proposed restriction of Motorcycle parking in The Hornet, Chichester

The request was partially successful.

Dear West Sussex County Council,

Yesterday afternoon, I was made aware of an email between Mr Andy Ekinsmyth - Head of Transport at West Sussex County Council, and the owner of another business in the Hornet who, it appears, are attempting to ban motorcycles in the Hornet in Chichester.

Owners of a few of the other businesses object to the Motorcycles, quite simply because they then are unable to park their own vehicles there instead....which they do, on regular basis, until moved along.

I see this as a direct attack on an independent business - a motorcycle shop - where so many people come to visit on bikes! As one of the oldest family-run businesses in the town - they have been operating in the same spot for over 60 years - it is deeply disappointing that Mr Ekinsmyth is colluding with one trader to ban all motorcycles from parking on our street. Why should motorcyclists not have the same rights as a car driver? And where does the injustice stop? If they ban motorcycles from The Hornet, right outside a motorcycle traders, will they soon ban motrocycles from the entire town? There is no reference in the email to extend the parking restriction for cars /vans etc or other businesses- only motorcycles. this is clearly further alluded to in its conclusion.

Further, and even more shockingly, Mr Ekinsmyth in his email states clearly that he has secured "staff resource "(at what cost and why?) and "required funding" (again at what cost and why?) to ultimately "remove the Motorbikes."

This appears to be clear evidence of bias from a paid member of the County Council towards one business in favour of another. This is not fair and just behaviour from a representative of all. There has been no transparancy of proposed actions/no discussion of intended proposals with a business likely to be affected, but instead an email sent with clear intention to ensure minimum time for involvment or objection from CMW Motorcycles. This email was forwarded to every other trader in the Hornet except for CMW. The only reason they were made aware is because of a few kind traders on the street who brought it to their attention.

Why has Mr Ekinsmyth not used his professional services and expertise equitably for ALL the businesses involved -and that also includes CMW Motorcycles?

Please can you provide copies of all transcripts, emails, letters - any correspondence - and evidence that clear public consultation and advertisement procedures have been followed. Specifically, any communications sent from/to Mr Ekinsmyth on this topic.

Yours faithfully,

Mr G Allan

Freedom of Information Act,

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Dear Mr Allan,

 

Thank you for your enquiry, which has been forwarded to the appropriate
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Yours sincerely,

 

 

Duncan Macdonald

Customer Relations Officer

 

 

Freedom Of Information |  [1]West Sussex County Council | Location:
County Hall, Chichester PO19 1RQ
E-mail: [2][email address]

 

 

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Dear Freedom of Information Act,

You have not responded to my request in the timescales allowed by law. Please update this request with the current status of your response.

Yours sincerely,

G Allan

CI Group FOI,

3 Attachments

Ref: 327706/1073897

 

Dear Mr Allan

 

I refer to your request dated 18^th June 2018 which has been dealt with
under the FOIA.

 

Your request related to Reasoning behind proposed restriction of
Motorcycle parking in The Hornet, Chichester

 

We have now completed a search for the information which you requested and
confirm that this Authority holds some data relevant to your request.

I am now able to respond to you with the following:

 

Each year WSCC makes amendments to parking restrictions and Traffic
Regulation Orders (TROs) across the county.  For those amendments that
relate to parking and are promoted by WSCC funding can come from the
Highways budget or in some cases the On-Street Parking Account.  Such
amendments are promoted to ensure that where parking space is limited, it
is managed and that the competing demands of all road users are
appropriately balanced.   WSCC is responsible for on-street parking only
i.e. not district / borough council run off street car parks.  The parking
account is made up from income derived solely from on-street parking
management e.g. on-street permits and pay and display. The use of
on-street parking income is limited in law and cannot be used for general
council expenditure.  Such TRO amendments (when financed by the parking
account) are therefore not carried out at cost to the council taxpayer. In
this instance the proposal is to be funded from the On-Street Parking
Account.

 

WSCC employs a number of officers who are responsible for the legal
process associated with TRO amendments across the county.  The staffing
resource referred to in Mr Ekinsmyth’s email are contained within this
team.  There are no new specific resources associated with the proposed
amendments for the Hornet.  Mr Ekinsmyth’s comment relates to time being
available in the annual work programme of this team.  Where WSCC carries
out the legal process for 3^rd parties a charge of £7140 is required as
the full cost of an individual TRO amendment (please see attached
application form).  This is the expected full cost of the proposal for the
Hornet which includes public consultation, resolution of any objections
and other required legal processes.  The proposals for the Hornet have not
yet been made and remain subject to full public consultation i.e. the
statutory TRO process has yet to commence. As such approvals to make any
changes are yet to be made.

 

The proposals for the Hornet are not prepared and remain subject to full
public consultation / advertisements i.e. the statutory TRO process is yet
to commence. There are no transcripts of conversations or proposal
documentation in respect of this matter evidencing public consultation.
Correspondence relating to evidence of public consultation are copied
below.

 

Hi Nick

 

Forgive me sending an email rather than calling - I can discuss this
further on Monday before 3pm if that helps.

 

My apologies for not updating you sooner.  I do have some good news. I
have now been able to secure the staff resource and required funding to
amend to the Traffic Regulation Order that governs what is enforceable for
that bay.  I have also gained approvals from the local County Councillor
and Sussex Police to proceed so that's most of the steps now taken.  What
happens next is for WSCC to publically advertise the amendment and this
needs to be for a period of three weeks.  Anyone can respond in support
and also to object during this time.  If we have fewer than 5 objections
the local County Councillor can then sign off the order without the need
to take a decision report to the County Local Committee and we can then
enforce.  Can I assume that the only likely objection we get would be from
the motorbike shop as the other traders would be happy that the motorbikes
are removed?

 

Best Regards

 

Andy

 

Response sent to those emailing WSCC objecting to the Facebook reported
ban on motorcycle parking

 

I would like to apologise for the concerns raised about parking issues on
The Hornet in Chichester following publication of an email between
officers and a local business.

 

Please be assured that the County Council is not now and never has
considered banning motorbikes from the Hornet or Chichester: we are merely
suggesting bringing motorbike parking in line with other vehicle
restrictions in the Hornet while also trying to help all businesses.

 

The County and District Councils have received feedback from a number of
sources regarding parking restrictions in the Hornet. On investigation it
came to light that vehicles are allowed to park for up to 30 minutes,
whereas motorbikes can be parked in the bays there without restriction. 
This can sometimes limit the amount of parking space available for all
road users.

 

The Council is considering a consultation on possible changes to the
parking restrictions that would equalise the rights for all vehicle types
and so give everyone who wants to use the shops there an equal chance to
use the bays. This cannot in any way be considered a motorcycle ban. 
After consulting with local businesses and the local County Councillor,
Jamie Fitzjohn, it has been agreed that the proposals will also include a
motorcycle only bay outside the shop.  The bay will be for the use of
motorcycles only and free for use with no time restriction.  These are
proposals only and will be subject to full public consultation.

 

Our approach to consultation is and always was going to follow the formal
process required for any change to a Traffic Regulation Order. The
consultation will be open to the public and will be advertised locally on
street, on the Council’s web site and in the local press.  Frontages to
the street will be contacted directly as part of the consultation as will
statutory consultees and local councillors.  The final decision will
either be by the local County Councillor if there are fewer than 5
objections or it will be referred to the County Local Committee.  This is
the only process by which a Traffic Regulation Order can be changed.

 

Email received from a local business.

 

Hello Andy

 

We spoke on Monday regarding the furore about the parking along here in
the Hornet... hope that it has all calmed down for you!

 

As mentioned, I work with the Chichester BID and my particular interest is
of the independents, of which we are predominately in The Hornet.

 

As you had suggested that the free parking limit is potentially being
reviewed imminently through a Traffic Regulation Order to increase the
free parking time, I thought it very necessary that you had an informal
opinion from the businesses that are actually based here.

 

I have managed to speak with a good proportion of the businesses and this
is the overview below.  The business owners that I have not managed to
speak with I will endeavour to, and happy to update you further if you
like.

 

- Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to go
into town and this will not help our businesses

-  Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to
go into town and this will not help our businesses

-  Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to
go into town and this will not help our businesses

- Half an hour free is great, I think an area for loading only might help
ease some congestion - CMW, Mail Boxes, Countrystile and Helter Skelter
Records often have heavy deliveries. 

-  Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to
go into town and this will not help our businesses

- Short and free

- 15 mins to half an hour

- Motorcycyle Provision and half an hour limit

- short free parking, and please a LOADING bay

-Half an hour free is great - 2 hours would block it out

- LOADING bay and longer parking

- One car lengths for motorbikes, and short and free parking

-  Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to
go into town and this will not help our businesses

- you will have every tom dick and harry parking there to go into town if
its free for an hour or two

- Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to go
into town and this will not help our businesses

- Half an hour free is great - longer will see people using the area to go
into town and this will not help our businesses

 

So it would seem completely against the consensus of opinion to increase
free parking from half an hour to longer, and in doing such will be
detrimental to the businesses this is designed to assist.  

 

I think that everyone is in consensus also that motorbikes should not be
treated differently to any other vehicle in terms of parking
contraventions. 

 

Is it possible that we could have a quick chat so I may understand exactly
what happens next and how we might have our collective voices heard
please?

 

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Yours sincerely

Paula

 

 

Paula Buckland

Customer Service Officer

Communities Directorate

West Sussex County Council

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Freedom of Information Act,

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Dear Mr Allan,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

I have just checked your request on the ‘WhatDoTheyKnow’ website and see
that a response was sent today. 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Duncan Macdonald

Customer Relations Officer

 

 

Freedom Of Information |  [1]West Sussex County Council | Location:
County Hall, Chichester PO19 1RQ
E-mail: [2][email address]

 

 

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