Decriminalised Parking Enforcement

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Vehicle clamping

Vehicle removal

Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) is the name given in the United Kingdom to the civil enforcement of car parking regulations.

Contents

1 Background
2 Benefits
3 Controversies
4 Reform
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
8 Notes

Background

With increasing problems of town centre congestion, and demand for on-street parking, coupled with the pressures on police resources, and the low priority given by some police forces to the enforcement of parking regulations, the Road Traffic Act 1991 permitted local authorities to apply for the legal powers to take over the enforcement of, on-street, as well as off-street, car parking regulations from the police, in return they would be allowed to keep the proceeds. Thus in areas where DPE has been granted, parking offences cease to be criminal offences.

Without DPE the money collected by the police, from the issue of parking tickets is passed directly to central government. With DPE in place the local authority retains the income generated from parking penalties to finance parking enforcement and certain other activities such as local transport measures. In addition to enforcing parking restrictions DPE also gives the local authority the right to charge for on-street parking.

Local authorities adopting DPE generally employ contractors to run their scheme.

The powers granted by DPE to deal with parking offences include:

The issue of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) - a parking fine
The immobilisation of the vehicle - usually by clamping - until a release fee is paid
The removal of the vehicle from the street

Benefits

Claimed benefits for DPE include:

Less congestion due to lack of obstruction
Higher turnover of parking spaces - thus easier to park
Reduced pollution and fuel use due to less circulating traffic and less congestion
Safer streets due to less circulating traffic
Improved emergency service access due to less obstructed streets

Controversies

Controversies associated with DPE are largely concentrated in the following areas:

Over zealous enforcement of trivial infringements with no discretion exercised, or even the use of corrupt enforcement practices, often arising from the pressures of revenue targets set by enforcement contractors.
Representations to the Local authorities, or their contractor, are routinely rejected with no attempt to address specific points raised.
Appeals to the Parking Appeals Service are often not contested by Local Authorities.
Conflict of interest issues arise because of the mechanism which allows the local authorities to both make the rules and profit from their enforcement - a fact which allows DPE schemes to be regarded as another tax on motoring.
Specific regulations at specific locations are not made clear enough to drivers.

Reform

An inquiry by the Transport Committee of the UK House of Commons found that:

A unified system of parking enforcement needs to be introduced in Britain
Clear performance standards in applying parking restrictions must be established
It must be made clearer to drivers what regulations are in force and how compliance is to be achieved
Appropriate recruitment, remuneration and training is needed to ensure a professional parking service throughout the country
The process for challenging penalty charge notices must be made much more transparent
The impact of the parking adjudication service must be increased and its profile heightened
Scrutiny of local authority parking departments is woefully inadequate and needs to be strengthened
Local authorities must develop parking strategies which meet local objectives fully, focusing particularly on congestion, road safety and accessibility

Amongst the conclusions of the inquiry were that parking policy needs to be sensible, fair and uniform.

References

[Parking Legislation - A History] from the website of the National Parking Adjudication Service for England and Wales
[London Assembly Inquiry: Decriminalised parking enforcement] from the RAC Foundation

External links

[British Parking Association] - Official website of the Professional Association representing organisations in the Parking and Traffic Management Industry
[UK Parliament Transport Committee] - Official website of the committee which examines the expenditure, administration and policy of the UK Department for Transport and its associated bodies

Notes

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