New parking laws enforcement from July 2004

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Shude

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I read this in a free rag that came through the door earlier, it's called "Local Matters". I'm not sure how far these new rules will stretch, the article doesn't say, but I suspect if one police force and one council have decided it's a good idea then they will all catch on in the end.

Tightening up on illegal parking.

From this summer, big changes are on the way to how parking rules are enforced. If you drive a vehicle anywhere in the Borough, you need to be aware of the changes. At the beginning of July, the Council takes over responsibility from the police for managing all parking enforcement throughout the Borough. To get everyone used to the change, we are giving plenty of warning - starting now - that things will be changing. And the warning is that enforcement is going to be stricter. This article explains the reasons for transferring responsibility over to the Council, and how the new enforcement will work. The changes will benefit everyone living or working here or simply visiting the Borough.

What happens now?

At the moment, Greater Manchester Police and its traffic wardens are responsible for issuing tickets (known as Fixed Penalty Notices) to drivers who have parked illegally These are criminal offences and can result in your licence being endorsed. If you don't pay the fine, you may end up in the Magistrates' Court. The Council currently employs nine parking attendants and two administrative staff who issue and process tickets for what are known as the 'off-street' parking areas - basically this means the car parks. These tickets are slightly different. They are known as Excess Charge Notices and offences are classed as civil, not criminal ones. If you don't pay the fine, you are taken to the County Court instead of the Magistrates' Court.

What will happen on 4 July 2004?

On this date, the Council will take over responsibility for enforcing all parking restrictions. The police and the traffic wardens will no longer issue tickets for parking offences but will still issue them if your vehicle causes an obstruction in the street. We will be recruiting additional parking attendants so there will be more of them on patrol, making it more likely that you will receive a Penalty Charge Notice if you commit a parking offence in the Borough after 4 July.

Why the change?

More and more drivers are parking illegally, not just in our area but everywhere. This is partly due to the higher number of vehicles on the roads but is often due to drivers simply choosing to park illegally because they think they can get away with it. Apart from causing danger, inconvenience and blocking streets, this behaviour is putting increased pressure on already- stretched police resources. So the changes are taking place because..
* The Council is better placed to put the necessary resources - both people and funding - into managing the system;
* Local people and businesses have asked for stricter enforcement;
* By reducing the number of vehicles parking on double yellow lines, for example, the streets will be kept clearer and traffic flow will improve. The streets and pavements will be safer for everyone;
* Emergency and public service vehicles will be less likely to find their routes blocked by other vehicles;
* Safety around our schools and hospitals will improve;
* The street environment generally will improve as damage to pavements and verges, and also the cost of repairing them, is reduced.
Every driver knows that he or she is not allowed to park on double yellow lines at all, or on single ones when waiting and loading restrictions are in force. In the same vein, we all know that we are not allowed to park in a blue badge bay without having the disabled person in the vehicle and displaying the badge. The badge must also never be lent to anyone else. Misusing a blue badge will remain a criminal offence and the fine is up to £1,000. (Blue badges have replaced the former orange badges). We also know we shouldn't park on zig-zag lines outside schools where it says "Keep Clear". But many people ignore the regulations simply for their own convenience - also ignoring the fact that they are putting others, mainly children and parents with prams, in danger as pedestrians try to work their way around these vehicles. It is your responsibility, as the driver of the vehicle, to park correctly and responsibly. The transfer of responsibility for parking enforcement to the Council has the full support of Greater Manchester Police.

Penalty charge

The current fine for a fixed penalty notice is £30. Under the new system, the penalty charge will also be £30 if paid within 14 days. If it is not paid within the 14 days, however, the penalty amount is increased to its full value (£60). After a further period, a Charge Certificate is issued and the amount due goes up to £90.
It is intended to be a deterrent, particularly to those drivers who regularly break the law. The level of the fine is the same as in other areas that have introduced this system. We will manage all fine processing and payment handling as we do at present for the Council-operated parking areas. You will be able to pay through all the existing Council payment methods, in person by cash, cheque, credit or debit card, or via our website at www.rochdale.gov.uk If you think the Penalty Charge Notice shouldn't have been issued, there is an established appeals procedure that will be followed. This can lead to a review by the independent National Parking Adjudication Service. Its decision is final and binding.

Recruiting and training parking aftendants

A specialist contractor will be appointed, who will recruit and employ the parking attendants. As the parking attendants provide a valuable service for the community as a whole, we shall be looking for people who are smartly turned out, happy to wear the uniform and good communicators. All the attendants will be fully trained in how, why and when tickets should be issued. An independent company, who specialise in providing this service, will carry out this training. The attendants will not be under any form of incentive or bonus scheme to issue as many tickets as possible. And the only people who will find Penalty Charge Notices on their windscreens will be those whose parking has broken the rules.

A quick reminder

Here are some reminders of where not to park. Don't park...
* In areas where waiting and loading restrictions are in force at the time;
* In a reserved bay (e.g. disabled bay) without displaying a valid permit;
* At a bus stop or in a bus lane during prohibited times;
* On mandatory zig-zag lines outside a school - collecting or dropping off children is not an acceptable excuse; your vehicle causes a serious safety hazard;
* On the pavement or on grass verges behind waiting restrictions in force at the time.
* In a Pay & Display space without paying for a ticket;
* For longer than the waiting restrictions permit (or return to the space within the specified time limit);
* And, don't overstay the time you have paid for in a Pay & Display space.
If you aren't sure, check what's on the sign that applies to the place where you are thinking of parking. If it's a while since you passed your driving test - as it is for many of us - why not buy a copy of the Highway Code to make sure your knowledge is up to date? You may be surprised how much in the Code has changed (and how much you have forgotten - from speed limits through to road signs). But as far as parking's concerned it's really very simple - if you park correctly you won't get a ticket. If you don't, well... is it worth the risk?

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My main concern is that sometimes I park on the road outside my house if another member of the family wants to go out in their own car later. The street is quite narrow so most people just put about a fifth of the car's width onto the pavement to allow cars to use the road without obstruction. If they are going to use subcontracted clamping/fining companies then I reckon we're all due a fine for that, they could really clean-up in some of the local housing estates.
 
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Thanks for posting that Nick. Just shown it to the round one and told her trips to her mothers are now a non event. Mother in law lives on the big road a couple of turns away from your house. Parking outside her house is a nightmare on a good day and even worse in winter. The Private Trainers arn't the BNP by anychance?
 
Ian B Walker said:
Thanks for posting that Nick. Just shown it to the round one and told her trips to her mothers are now a non event. Mother in law lives on the big road a couple of turns away from your house. Parking outside her house is a nightmare on a good day and even worse in winter.
I think it's worth waiting to see if the locals have been fined, I think they really intend to clean the town centres up first but we're only a mile or two away and it won't take long for them to realise that they could make a fortune around some of these streets!
Ian B Walker said:
The Private Trainers arn't the BNP by anychance?
Maybe if it was Oldham Council!

There are some places near here with very narrow roads and some of the residents park their cars completely on the pavement, there are double-yellow lines on the road. I think they will be a very easy target indeed!
 

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