Agendas, Minutes and Reports

[JG1]

Item 6.2

North Somerset Council

REPORT TO THE Strategic Planning and Economic Development Policy & Scrutiny Panel

Date of Meeting: 11 December 2006

Subject of Report: Decriminalised Parking enforcement Working Group Update

Town or parish: N/A

Officer/Member presenting: Councillor Ap Rees

Key Decision: No

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Panel note the ongoing work on Decriminalised Parking Enforcement by officers and that the working group continue to input their views and considerations into this process.

1. Summary of Report

This report [J2] updates the Panel on the preparation for the introduction of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement in North Somerset in 2008

2. Policy

At its meeting in March 2005, the Executive resolved that North Somerset Council should take on DPE powers and that the strategy set out within an appendix to the report presented to the meeting should form the basis for future work. In approving the Joint Local Transport Plan (JLTP), the Council has also committed to the implementation of DPE, as a crucial element of the Council’s transport policy in relation to traffic management. Further, at its March 2005 meeting, the Executive confirmed that pay and display (P&D) parking should be implemented on-street in Weston-super-Mare town centre and that details would be reported to a future meeting once consultation had been carried out.

The Council intends to take over responsibility, from the Police, for the enforcement of parking, waiting and loading restrictions throughout the NSC area. It is probable that this change will take place in February 2008. This will be through the ‘decriminalising’ of any offences for which parking tickets or penalty charge notices (PCNs) are issued where any infringements of the relevant traffic regulation orders (TROs) have been observed.

[J3]

This change of responsibility would be under the rules set out in the 1991 Road Traffic Act (RTA 1991), which requires approval from the Secretary of State, for traffic authorities to enforce:

· Permitted Parking Areas (PPAs): where parking is permitted on-street – either free or charged for - or residents’ and disabled parking bays;

· Special Parking Areas (SPAs): within which most other non-endorsable parking offences would be enforced.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has made it clear that it encourages applications from local authorities to take on DPE powers that conform to the criteria it has set out in Local Authority Circular 1/95 – ‘Guidance on Decriminalised Parking Enforcement Outside London’ which forms the basis for the requirements under this project brief.

New regulations for the civil enforcement of parking and some moving traffic offences will be enabled when part 6 of the Traffic Management Act – 2004 comes into force. At present a consultation exercise is being undertaken on the changes under the 2004 Act. Under the 2004 Act, DPE will become CPE – civil parking enforcement and parking attendants (PAs) will become civil enforcement officers (CEOs). However, for the time being, RTA 1991 and circular 1/95 are still the definitive documents for implementing DPE.

3. Details

The [J4] Decriminalised Parking Enforcement Working Group met with officers on 22 November 2006 to give their views on associated details / assumptions and risks associated with the project. Officers began by outlining and clarifying what the council is trying to achieve by introducing DPE. This included;

§ Dealing effectively with traffic congestion

§ Increasing safety on our roads

§ Maximising access to parking spaces for both visitors and residents

Members felt further discussion was needed ~~investigated some of the project areas that they felt needed further consideration and more information on. This included discussion~~ on what may be acceptable and sensible on street parking fees, as well as what fines would be for breaching parking policies. Members were informed that ongoing work on setting sensible prices for on street parking would continue and be fed back to the working group at a later stage for their views and consideration. Penalty charges for breaching parking regulations are set by government.

Further discussion was had regarding possible staffing numbers and clarification of roles, this included the possibility of using parking attendants for more of an ambassadorial role, i.e providing information and discouraging people from illegal parking etc etc.

Other areas that were covered during the meeting included discussion on:

§ Residents parking areas / permits – Members asked about the details of this as there were concerns raised about the dispersement of parked cars from the town centre in Weston to outside residential properties. Other considerations around this include visitor permits and multiple car households.

§ Disabled parking areas – Members have requested further details on the potential impact on disabled badge holders ( if any ) with the introduction of DPE

§ Length and location of double yellow lines – The Chairman commented that he had undertaken an exercise with Members and officers whereby they tried to identify all double yellow line areas in Weston-super-Mare and discuss which ones were no longer appropriate and where additional parking areas could be. Length and location of double yellow lines – The Chairman commented that he had undertaken an exercise with Members and officers whereby they tried to identify all double yellow line areas in Weston-super-Mare and discuss which ones were no longer appropriate and where additional parking areas could be. It was ~~[chris~~ commented that these numbers have already been taken into consideration]

§ Thoughts on whether parking enforcement should also be carried out on a Sunday?

§ Timescales – Members were informed that a report would be going to the Executive in January and that they have been advised that the application for DPE would have to be with the Department for Transport by April 2007.

§ Consultation – Members expressed they are keen that full and proper consultation be carried out on DPE.

§~~That the financial case be considered by the working group once more work has been completed on this area~~ ~~[mike they were concerned about the fees you have already covered this – I do not recall this being discussed!!]~~

4. Financial Implications

The working group will be considering the financial implications and proposals on this project at a further meeting [J5]

5. Equality Implications

The working group will be considering the equality implications and proposals of this project at a further meeting [J6]

[J7]

6. Options considered

As detailed above [J8]

Author

Report includes extracts from officer reports and notes of the last working group meeting.

Contact Officer: [J9] Michael Joy, Scrutiny and Performance Officer. Tel 01275 884466

Background Papers

Report to Executive March 2005

~~Information from Officers~~~~[J10]~~