Proposals to charge for both commuter spaces on public land and workplace parking on private commercial properties are in the early stage of development.
Environment & Infrastructure has yet to decide how the charges would be levied, what the hourly rates would be, where in the island charges would be applied, and which aspects of the scheme would need to be submitted to the States Assembly for approval.
‘We would like to consider charges for workplace and commuter parking, as is already in place in many, if not all, other jurisdictions,’ said E&I president Adrian Gabriel.
‘Initial work has been undertaken, but much more needs to be done before any firm proposals could be brought forward. We are not currently in a position to put a time frame in place. Understanding exactly what these proposals would look like will help to determine whether this needs to be brought to the States for debate. It is important that consultation takes place to help define that process.’
The committee has, however, already ruled out charges for short-stay parking, such as in two-hour disc zones often used by shoppers, and on-street parking.
‘This is because we want to protect the retail sector and households which rely on the need for on-street parking from any additional impact, especially with a goods and services tax under consideration,’ said Deputy Gabriel.
The Policy & Resources Committee said that any scheme to charge for long-stay parking and workplace parking agreed by E&I or the States Assembly would have to wait until 2029 to be introduced.
Previous States Assemblies have debated, agreed and reversed paid parking on numerous occasions, most recently in 2014 and 2015. The scheme proposed at that time – based on a parking charge of 60p an hour – would have been expected to raise nearly £3m. a year at today’s values. It also included the idea of a levy on parking spaces provided by businesses or treating them as benefits-in-kind in the income tax system, as well as an annual parking clock at a cost of £16.
Deputy Gabriel said the income from parking charges could help fund ‘transport improvements and the provision of viable alternatives to private car use’. A free bus service was initially agreed in the 2014 scheme before later being removed when paid parking was overturned as a means of funding.
Deputy Gabriel pointed to reports from various previous committees which concluded that paid parking could also help manage demand for public spaces, influence commuter behaviour, encourage alternative transport and alleviate pressure on roads.
Enabling legislation on parking charges was approved by deputies in 2009 but proposals to agree a particular scheme would almost certainly be subject to approval by the States Assembly, either through a policy letter submitted by E&I or a requete lodged by members opposed to the idea.
Paid parking has been in place in St Helier in Jersey for many years. The rate in long-stay places was recently increased to £1.10 an hour.
Deputy Gabriel did not want to speculate about the potential charges in Guernsey until his committee had worked up more details about its preferred scheme.
‘There are a number of matters that would need to be worked through,’ he said.
‘They include but are not limited to avoiding disproportionate impact on lower-income earners and people with limited travel alternatives, providing opportunity for consultation, and understand the effectiveness of enforcement arrangements.’