Brighton car parks back under council control (From The Argus)

Brighton car parks back under council control

2:00pm Monday 1st September 2008 in News By Lawrence Marzouk, Local Government Correspondent

Car park giant NCP has had its contract with a council terminated after more than 25 years.

Brighton and Hove City Council is to take over the running of five car parks on September 9, it has emerged.

The firm has now been sidelined after nine months of negotiations to end the contract.

Under the former agreement, the council paid NCP a third of its profit for the five car parks.

In the year ending April 2007, the car parks made almost £6 million, according to figures released to The Argus under the Audit Commission Act. The council will now be able to take all the profit and intends to plough at least £1 million into improving two car parks already managed by the council – The Lanes under Brighton town hall and London Road.

NCP had controlled Brighton car parks Trafalgar Street, High Street in Kemp Town, Carlton Hill, Regency Square and Oxford Court, near the open market, since 1982.

It was also responsible for parking wardens on the city’s streets before the company split last year into separate businesses for on-street and off-street parking.

Parking attendants remain under the control of NCP Services. The prices and charging periods are expected to remain the same after the handover.

Trafalgar Street and Regency Square will be operated through a central control system and the remaining three by parking wardens.

About a dozen agency staff are to be drafted in to handle the extra work.

Liberal Democrat city councillor Paul Elgood said: “We are delighted the council has finally listened and has taken its car parks from a profit-making company back into the public domain.

“Let’s hope we can have the much needed improvements that have been long required, particularly in terms of safety at night. We hope the council will also consider bringing back the parking service when it is next up for consideration.”

A council spokesman said: “This is part of our campaign to improve value for money. It’s estimated we could save £3 million over ten years by taking back these car parks. This would be ploughed into improving these five plus those beneath Brighton town hall and London Road.”

Is the council right to terminate NCP's contract and run the car parks itself? Tell us what you think below.