Whitby Park car park consultation

Next steps

The Council wants to deter non-park users from parking for lengthy periods and to protect the park for its intended use, by making access easier for park users and users of the other facilities on-site. We wanted to provide a balanced response to all the views expressed during the consultation, with more people against the original proposal to restrict the car park to stays of a maximum of four hours before 6pm, than those in favour.

We are proposing that a length of stay restriction is introduced for approximately two thirds of spaces, to protect them for park users and users of other facilities, while the remaining third will not be subject to a length of stay restriction. The layout of the site is such that it is possible to have distinct areas and the two sections would be clearly marked. The length of stay restriction which would apply to two-thirds of the car park will be introduced and managed by a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).

A Public Notice proposing the restriction will be published on 5 December 2024, with a deadline of 10 January 2025 for any objections or comments.

What this consultation is about

The Council would like to hear your views on a proposal to introduce a four-hour length of stay restriction at Whitby Park car park, Ellesmere Port. The proposed restriction would apply between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Fridays excluding Bank Holidays.

Whitby Park Car Park, Ellesmere Port

Whitby Park is the principal green space in Ellesmere Port, providing the opportunity for a range of outdoor activities and community events such as the local parkrun on Saturday mornings. Whitby Park has been awarded Green Flag status, a prestigious award which is the national benchmark for parks and open spaces.

Whitby Park is free to use and currently there is no restriction on the length of time a vehicle can be parked in the car park. Traffic surveys have shown that the car park is at or near capacity on weekdays when the car park is dominated by long-stay parking, hindering access for park users. At the weekend, except for a Saturday morning peak linked to the local parkrun, the car park is at about half capacity as long-stay demand is less.

Proposal for Whitby Park Car Park

The Council wants to protect the car park for its intended use - making access easier for park users and users of the other leisure and recreational facilities on site.

The Council is therefore proposing to introduce a four-hour length of stay restriction, which would apply between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays, to deter long-stay parking on weekdays and improve access for park users.

The Council is not proposing to introduce any charges to use Whitby Park car park.

Theatre Porto and a small number of offices in an adjacent coach house are also located in Whitby Park. These buildings have 27 dedicated parking spaces, which includes disabled provision. The proposed length of stay restriction would not apply to these parking spaces.

If the proposal is taken forward, the restriction would be introduced by way of a traffic regulation order (TRO). This means that it would be advertised through the statutory TRO process and, if implemented, the parking restriction would become enforceable and subject to the appropriate penalty for contravention.

The four-hour length of stay restriction would apply to all bays, including designated disabled (Blue Badge) bays, and the TRO would also enable enforcement for the misuse of Blue Badge bays and vehicles parked outside of the designated marked bays. The following penalties for a contravention of the TRO would apply: for exceeding the four hour length of stay restriction £50 or £25 if paid within 14 days; for parking out of bay £50 or £25 if paid within 14 days; for parking in a disabled person’s bay without displaying a Blue Badge £70 or £35 if paid within 14 days.

Considerations

People requiring long stay parking would be signposted to the long stay car parks in or near the town centre, including the Civic Centre and Wellington Road North car parks. Wellington Road North car park is also free and has no length of stay restriction, with significantly more capacity than Whitby Park car park, providing 274 parking spaces (compared to 156 at Whitby Park).

Parking in the majority of the surrounding streets close to the town centre is restricted, either by double yellow lines, which means no waiting at any time or by a residents’ parking zone, which means that non-permit holders can only park for a maximum of 10 minutes. The proposal for Whitby Park car park, could lead to some vehicles parking in surrounding streets, where parking is not restricted by double yellow lines or a residents parking zone, (this is known as displacement). This could potentially affect, for example, some sections of Thamesdale. The Council will therefore monitor for any parking displacement and consider options which could include the introduction of a residents’ parking zone.

Share your views

The Council would like to hear the views of all stakeholders – park users, local residents and community groups, local businesses and commuters on the proposal for Whitby Park car park,

Other ways to give your views

• Paper copies of the information and feedback form are also available at the following locations or on request using the contact details below:
  • At Council offices (Ellesmere Port Library, Civic Hall, the Portal and Theatre Porto).
  • Please return your completed questionnaire to us by 2 April 2024 by posting it to the address below or using the prepaid return envelope provided.
• Come to a drop-in session: where you can come and talk to us about the proposal:
  • At the Porto Theatre on Wednesday 6 March 2024 (10am to 4pm) and evening of Tuesday 12 March 2024 (6pm to 8pm)
• Email your views to: parking@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Write to us at: Whitby Park Car Park Consultation, Parking Services, Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council, Parking Services, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA.
• Telephone us on: 0300 123 8123, quoting ‘Whitby Park Car Park’ and speak to the Council’s Contact Centre.
• You can also request a copy of the consultation in alternative formats, including easy read, using the contact details above.

How your views will be used

Once the consultation closes, the Council will consider the feedback received to help inform a decision on the proposal.

A summary of the consultation findings will be published on the consultation page of the Council’s website alongside feedback on the decision taken and the next steps.

If the Council decides to proceed with the proposal, the restriction would be introduced by way of a traffic regulation order (TRO). This means that it would be advertised through the statutory TRO process. Under the TRO process the Council would be required to place a notice in the local newspaper and to display notices on site in Whitby Park car park outlining the proposals and allow 21 days for any comments or objections to be made.

Privacy Notice

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Accessibility

Council information is also available in audio, braille, large print or other formats. If you would like a copy in a different format, in another language or require a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, please contact us:

• Email: equalities@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Telephone: 0300 123 8 123
• Textphone: 18001 01606 867670