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New regulations will make parking fairer for all
New Regulations will make for fairer parking for all under new legislation
Traffic Management Act 2004
On 31 March 2008 new regulations will be introduced in England and Wales that will see the first nationwide changes to on-street parking since 1993. The regulations should provide motorists with a fairer and more transparent parking enforcement service across the country, helping raise industry standards in parking.
What is presently called Decriminalised Parking Enforcement will be referred to as Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and, legally speaking, Parking Attendants will become Civil Enforcement Officers, although many areas will still see the familiar Parking Attendant on duty.
The new Regulations will require CPE to be more transparent, simple and proportional to motorists, and Local Authorities will have to make clear that enforcement is based on compliance with local parking regulations and not the number of tickets issued.
Councils will have to be more transparent about their parking management policies, undertake regular reviews of policies through consultation with stakeholders and communicate these policies effectively to the public. They are also encouraged to provide training for everyone involved in parking management and enforcement.
Additional powers are being given to independent adjudicators. They will be able to refer cases back to the chief executives of Local Authorities’ where a parking contravention has taken place in mitigating circumstances and can ask the Local Authority to consider cancelling the penalty charge.
Enforcement will also be "proportional" to the contravention's seriousness, with new regulations providing for differential charges. Higher penalties will apply for such matters as parking on a double yellow line and a lesser charge for overstaying on a meter.
Keith Banbury, Chief Executive of the BPA, comments: "Civil Parking Enforcement is good news for everyone. Lower penalty charges for less serious contraventions will make the make system fairer for the motorist; more transparent financial reporting will allow parking professionals to demonstrate that this is not about raising revenue; the new referral powers for adjudicators should promote fairness and linking parking enforcement to transport policies will make the whole system more accountable locally.”
Banbury continues: “Everyone hates congestion and delays to journeys and effective parking management and enforcement is there to help improve traffic flow and ensure the roads are safer for all road users, including motorists and pedestrians. We live in a country with 32 million cars and need to manage parking fairly for all. These new regulations aim to do just that.”
Frequently Asked Questions on Traffic Management Act 2004
Click on the link below to view the Council's PCN Cancellation Discretion Policy.
What is presently called Decriminalised Parking Enforcement will be referred to as Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and, legally speaking, Parking Attendants will become Civil Enforcement Officers, although many areas will still see the familiar Parking Attendant on duty.
The new Regulations will require CPE to be more transparent, simple and proportional to motorists, and Local Authorities will have to make clear that enforcement is based on compliance with local parking regulations and not the number of tickets issued.
Councils will have to be more transparent about their parking management policies, undertake regular reviews of policies through consultation with stakeholders and communicate these policies effectively to the public. They are also encouraged to provide training for everyone involved in parking management and enforcement.
Additional powers are being given to independent adjudicators. They will be able to refer cases back to the chief executives of Local Authorities’ where a parking contravention has taken place in mitigating circumstances and can ask the Local Authority to consider cancelling the penalty charge.
Enforcement will also be "proportional" to the contravention's seriousness, with new regulations providing for differential charges. Higher penalties will apply for such matters as parking on a double yellow line and a lesser charge for overstaying on a meter.
Keith Banbury, Chief Executive of the BPA, comments: "Civil Parking Enforcement is good news for everyone. Lower penalty charges for less serious contraventions will make the make system fairer for the motorist; more transparent financial reporting will allow parking professionals to demonstrate that this is not about raising revenue; the new referral powers for adjudicators should promote fairness and linking parking enforcement to transport policies will make the whole system more accountable locally.”
Banbury continues: “Everyone hates congestion and delays to journeys and effective parking management and enforcement is there to help improve traffic flow and ensure the roads are safer for all road users, including motorists and pedestrians. We live in a country with 32 million cars and need to manage parking fairly for all. These new regulations aim to do just that.”
Frequently Asked Questions on Traffic Management Act 2004
Click on the link below to view the Council's PCN Cancellation Discretion Policy.
(This document also shows the standard Higher and Lower Contravention codes)
NWDC Enforcement & Cancellation Policy (Microsoft Word 517kb)
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