Purpose: For Decision
Committee: EXECUTIVE
Date: 10 SEPTEMBER 2002
Title: DECRIMINALISED PARKING ENFORCEMENT
To consider the attached report
prepared by the Council’s consultants, RTA Associates Ltd which outline the
feasibility of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement on the Isle of Wight.
In July 1999, members of the Roads
& Transport Committee considered a report on Decriminalised Parking
Enforcement (DPE).
Officers were subsequently instructed
to carry out preliminary work required for an application for DPE for the Isle
of Wight, and a moratorium was placed upon new or revised waiting restrictions
across the Island.
Officers subsequently visited
Portsmouth City Council who had recently introduced DPE, to better understand
the processes involved and upon their recommendation RTA Associates were
engaged to advise the Council as they have a wealth of experience and have
advised a number of local authorities who have already considered the options.
The main benefits of acquiring the
powers as detailed in the attached consultant’s report are:-
·
A co-ordinated parking enforcement service would be
established, covering on and off street parking.
·
The service will eventually be self-financing, other than
for the initial funding period.
·
Improved compliance will be seen in permitted parking
spaces.
·
Growth in demand for vehicular access to the town centres of
the Island would be restrained.
·
The design of future parking schemes, such as resident
permit schemes, for which there is demand, could be undertaken in the knowledge
that parking controls would be enforced
as the Council decided.
·
Overall environmental conditions, including safer traffic
conditions, and less pollution would result from less illegal parking, fewer
cars and better circulation.
·
Parking enforcement would become more locally accountable
and adaptable.
·
Police resources would be freed up, to be diverted to other
purposes.
A presentation was made to members of the Environment and Transport Select Committee by the consultants in November 2000, and the Select Committee re-examined the issue in April this year with a recommendation to proceed.
To acquire the powers the Council
will have to formally apply to the Department of Transport for a Designation
Order, which would decriminalise parking enforcement across the whole
Island. From the date set in this
Order, the Police will be unable to enforce the majority of parking related
offences and the Council would then have to be ready to undertake the
responsibilities. This legal process is
estimated to take around 8 months to complete.
Consultation with the public is
not a statutory requirement but should be considered for inclusion as part of
the process.
A detailed financial statement has
been prepared and forms part of the attached report (see Section 5). It is important to note that since the
Consultant’s Report was written the PCN value has been increased to £60. In summary, this suggests that such a scheme
would recover set up costs and provide an operating surplus after 3 years of
between £101,713 and £316,650 per annum depending on the assumptions made. A figure of £550,000 has been included in
the Local Transport Plan submission to cover the capital set up costs over the
three-year period 2002/3/4. This should
be sufficient and would be recoverable by the end of this period.
Any surpluses have to be dispersed
in accordance with Section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and
relates to off street parking provision, support for pubic transport services
or carrying out highway improvement schemes.
Members may wish to consider the
wider financial implications of DPE upon the Island’s economy. At present, fines from fixed penalty notices
issued by the police and traffic wardens are paid direct to the exchequer,
however income from penalty charge notices would largely remain within the
local economy. The Police retain their
budget and can deploy it within their own priorities.
|
RECOMMENDATION That Option 1 above is approved. |
Decriminalised Parking Enforcement
Study Report.
Minutes & Agenda for Roads
& Transportation Committee July 1999.
Minutes & Agenda for
Environment & Transport Select Committee November 2000.
Minutes & Agenda for
Environment & Transport Select Committee April 2002.
Peter Taylor , Engineering
Services F 823777
|
M J A
FISHER Strategic
Director Corporate
and Environment Services |
E FOX Portfolio
Holder for Transport |