April 11, 2012 8.00 am This story is over 143 months old

Council submits civil parking enforcement bid

Parking powers: Council submits application for powers to introduce civil parking enforcement across Lincolnshire.

Lincolnshire County Council over Easter submitted an application for powers to introduce civil parking enforcement to the Department for Transport (DfT).

The powers for CPE mean that the County Council will take over responsibility for on-street parking from the police. The district councils will retain responsibility for their off-street parking.

Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, Councillor William Webb, said: “Once approval has been received from the DfT, we will take over responsibility for on-street parking enforcement from the police in line with government guidance.

“We’ve worked closely with our district council colleagues to establish a countywide parking policy as part of this process, creating a more consistent approach to help keep people on the move and make sure local businesses are supported.

“This gives the county council and district councils specific responsibilities for on and off-street parking,” he explained.

Residents’ parking schemes can be set up and administered by any district council choosing to do so, with the county council managing enforcement.

Implementing the new system

The Department for Transport require that a 12-step process must be completed before Parliament grants an authority CPE powers.

Councillor Webb added: “It takes at least 20 weeks for the DfT to process the application, so we expect to be able to introduce CPE in the autumn. Tenders have gone out for the enforcement contracts and ticket processing arrangements are being progressed.”

As part of the application, the county is required to have a parking policy in place, which aims to ensure a consistent approach to parking issues is taken countywide, to ease congestion by improving compliance with parking restrictions and to enhance and support local economies.

Source: Lincolnshire County Council | Photo: Andy Jakeman