Reports being discussed by Cambridge City Council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee on 12 January recommend the replacement and upgrade of car parking control equipment at Grafton East, Grafton West and Queen Anne’s Terrace car parks, and the procurement of new contracts for processing card payments in all of the city’s multi-storeys.
The upgrade to the control equipment at three multi-storeys is being recommended as the existing equipment is now outdated.
The new system, which will be the same as that currently used at Grand Arcade car park, will mean customers can continue to pay on foot before returning to their vehicle, and gives the council scope to explore other options such as web-based and contactless payment systems.
It will also offer a number of other benefits to customers and staff, including:
- Providing a single, web-based operating system for all car parks, meaning they can all be operated from one location
- Lower maintenance costs
- An increase in the choice of payment methods including the potential for pre-booking spaces
- An automated and consistent system for Blue Badge holders across all car parks in the city.
Meanwhile, a project to procure and award two separate contracts for authorising and processing card payments at all of the city’s multi-storey car parks is set to be approved at the same meeting.
In the first six months of this year 37% of payments at the multi-storeys were made by card, accounting for 47% of all revenue received. It is expected that 66% of transactions at the city’s multi-storeys will be made by card by 2020.
New contracts will take into account this expected increase in the proportion of card payments, and will provide a better service to customers, with lower processing fees and reduced cash collection charges for the council.
Cllr Kevin Blencowe, Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport, said: “We’re continuing to invest in our car parks, because they play such an important role in the economy of the city.
“It’s important for local businesses, visitors and residents that Cambridge provides excellent car parking facilities for everyone who needs to use them. These two projects will help ensure that this continues to be the case.”
Reports presented to council committees are available on the council’s website: http://democracy.cambridge.gov.uk/ieDocHome.aspx
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Contacts
Cllr Kevin Blencowe, (Labour Group) Executive Councillor for Planning Policy and Transport, email kevin.blencowe@gmail.com, tel: 07914 700602
Cllr Catherine Smart (Liberal Democrat Group), Opposition spokesperson, email: chlsmart@cix.co.uk, tel: 01223 511210
Cllr Oscar Gillespie (Minorities Group), Opposition spokesperson, email: oscar.gillespie@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 564126
Simon Payne, Director of Environment, email: simon.payne@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 458517
Paul Necus, Head of Specialist Services, email: paul.necus@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 458510
Sean Cleary, Commercial Operations Manager, email: sean.cleary@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 458287
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