Committee: Planning
Regulatory Committee
Date: 19 March 2025
Report by: Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
Title of Report: Traffic Regulation Order – The East Sussex County Council (Lewes District) (Off-Street Parking Places) Traffic Regulation Order 2013 (Amendment No.*) Order 202*
Purpose of Report: To consider the objection received in response to the formal consultation on the draft Traffic Regulation Order associated with the introduction of electric vehicle charging parking bays in car parks within Lewes District
Contact Officer: Natalie Mclean – tel. 01273 482628
Local Members: Councillors:- Sam Adeniji, Chris Collier, Johnny Denis, Carolyn Lambert, James MacCleary, Wendy Maples, Matthew Milligan and Christine Robinson
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RECOMMENDATION
The Planning Committee is recommended to:
1. Not uphold the objection to the draft Order as set out in Appendix 1 of this report; and
2. Recommend to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport that the Traffic Regulation Order be made as advertised
CONSIDERATION BY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITIES, ECONOMY AND TRANSPORT.
1. Introduction
1.1 Electric vehicle (EV) owners rely mostly on home and workplace charging but there is an increasing demand for more extensive, and faster, public charging to enable drivers to undertake longer journeys and to enable residents without access to their own off-street parking to switch to EVs. In order to promote the visitor economy, commuting and to provide options for residents, publicly available charging infrastructure is therefore required in the County.
1.2 East Sussex County Council manages and enforces the car parks on behalf of Lewes District Council. In 2024 Lewes District Council installed electric vehicle charging points (EVCPs) in car parks across Lewes District.
1.3 To ensure that the drivers of EV’s can access the electric charging points, it is necessary to have dedicated EV only parking bays adjacent to them.
1.4 The dedicated EV bays can only be used by electric or plug in hybrid vehicles whilst actively charging. In controlled parking zones (CPZs) the user must also have a valid parking ticketto be able to park in the bay.
1.5 Formal proposals were advertised, together with the draft Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) (a copy of which is attached at Appendix 2) in the Sussex Express on 10 January 2025. Notices and copies of the relevant plans were placed on posts and lamp-columns in the affected car parks. The formal period for representations to be made ended on 31 January 2025.
2. Comments and Appraisal
2.1 One objection was received to the EV bays specifically in Bay Vue Car Park in Newhaven, a summary of which and officer comments are included in Appendix 1. Copies of all correspondence are available in the Members’ Room, plans and photographs showing the areas objected to are included in the Additional Information Pack. The objector has not withdrawn their objection.
3. Conclusion and reasons for recommendations
3.1 Electric Vehicles (EV) will be the main alternative to combustion engine cars and small vans with the Government’s commitment to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles from 2035. This will contribute towards achieving the national and Council target of net zero carbon by 2050 through a major reduction in transport emissions as well as supporting several key County Council priorities such as maintaining and improving social inclusion, health, and wellbeing, whilst supporting and safeguarding current and future economic needs.
3.2 It is therefore recommended for the reasons set out in this report, that the Planning Committee, does not uphold the objection in Appendix 1, and recommends to the Director of Communities, Economy, and Transport that the Order be made as advertised.
RUPERT CLUBB
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport