Residents Parking Zone (RPZ) Policy

For newer developments, consideration of parking and car ownership levels should be considered at the Planning application stage, reducing the need for resident parking zones.

Requests for individual roads may be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as a significant road safety problem, or unique situations to the area, but not arising from an individual household. Other options to address the issue on an individual road will be investigated first.

Eligibility criteria

The Council will investigate requests to provide new RPZ upon request from a residents group or association, a community group or stakeholder association. Prior to an investigation, all requests must be able to demonstrate the following:

• high demand for on-street parking due to factors like nearby parking charges
• availability of alternative parking such as off-street car parks
• limited or no off-street parking for residents, resulting in at least half of the properties in an area relying on on-street parking
• difficulty for residents to find a parking space near their homes that is not caused by neighbours, other residents, or visitors
• parking issues that are not related to school traffic or high use areas such as leisure facilities and parks
• parking issues that are not temporary due to construction works or enforcement of existing restrictions
• a proposed area that consists of clearly defined streets to prevent parking displacement to surrounding streets
• affected roads must be adopted highway
• evidence of support in principle from local Ward Councillors

Investigation

If all of the above criteria are satisfied, the Council would progress an investigation to include:

• formal parking survey to determine:
  • the on-street capacity and demand, considering both traffic and pedestrian needs
  • extent and source of non-resident parking in the area
  • if there is sufficient on-street capacity to accommodate capacity demands
• officer survey to determine minimum carriageway widths as follows:
  • a minimum of 3.25 metres between bays marked on both sides or between outer edge of bay and kerb line for bays marked on one side only
  • a minimum of 5.05 metres for marked bays on one side only or 6.85 metres for marked bays on both sides
• support from the Civic Enforcement Team, including Parish Council or Business Improvement District where appropriate
• support from two thirds of respondents supporting the proposed scheme in the consultation

A scheme will not be progressed if it fails to meet the specified criteria.