Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Eastleigh BC Sept 2009
Eastleigh BC Sept 2009
Parking Enforcement
Operations
2008/2009
Introduction
1. This is the first Annual report produced by Eastleigh Borough Council in
accordance with the guidance to Local Authorities contained within Chapter 4
of the Department for Transport operational guidance first published in March
2008. The report also takes due regard of the requirements of the Traffic
Management Act 2004 and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
Background
3. The Council is responsible for the delivery of parking enforcement in support
of the Council’s Traffic Management Agency responsibilities.
4. In addition, the parking service is also responsible for the administration of the
Residents’ Parking Scheme, the maintenance of on and off-street ticket
machines, car parks, CCTV and the meals-on-wheels service.
Scope
5. This document describes the enforcement methodologies and provides
performance data for the Council’s enforcement and parking activities from
the 1st April 2008 to the 31st March 2009.
7. The Council does not set targets on the issuing of pcns. The primary aim of
parking enforcement is traffic management and within that overall aim the
service seeks to focus on the following key objectives:
9. The parking tariffs adopted by the Council seek to support traffic management
by influencing the economic viability of the town centre and other parish
centres, highway use and to confirm to the Council’s corporate charging
policy. The car park tariffs are listed in Appendix B.
10. The Borough Council has invested over the years in CCTV and improved
lighting to help reduce the fear of crime and vehicle crime, in a number of
town centre car parks. During 2008/09 there were two reported thefts of
motor vehicles, one tampering of a vehicle and 3 thefts from a motor vehicle
within the town centre car parks.
11. The Council has currently 6 car parks which have been awarded the
Parkmark award which is an initiative of the Association of Chief Police
Offices. These sites have been vetted by the Police and each car park has
measures in place to create a safe environment for both the motorist and the
vehicle.
12. There are 10 permit parking areas within the Borough. These have been
introduced to ensure that there is a balance between the needs for residents
to be able to park near their homes and the needs of other motorists.
13. There are 4 main types of permits that allow motorists to park in areas/bays
where controlled parking schemes apply:
• Residents permits
• Business permits
• Visitors permits
• Professional Carers/Carers permits
14. The total number of permits issued within Eastleigh Town Centre which
include full, visitors, carers and business permits is as follows.
1 1695
2 1872
3 1999
4 1509
5 278
6 399
7 100
8 1284
9 928
Professional Carers/Carers 207
Grand Total 10271
Permit Charge
1st No Charge
2nd £35.00
3rd £65.00
(£25 inspection fee charged to ensure the
property does not have alternative off-road
parking)
Visitors No Charge
Carers No Charge
Professional Carers £35.00
Temporary Visitors £42.00 for 6 days
1st Business £35.00
2nd Business £65.00
3rd Business £95.00 if agreed
4th Business £125.00 if agreed
16. The total number of permits issued in Hamble-le-Rice which entitles residents
and businesses to park in the Square is 314.
17. The current cost for a resident’s permit is £50 and for a business a permit is
£100, with these charges being subsidised by the Local Area Committee.
19. The cost for the issue of a parking dispensation is £15.00 or £25.00 if required
within 7 days.
20. A parking suspension allows a motorist to park for a specific purpose in a pay
and display bay during restricted hours. For example for carrying out works
that require the driver to park close to a building or load or unload tools or
materials.
21. The cost for the issue of a parking suspension is £15.00 or £25.00 if required
within 7 days.
School Enforcement
22. The regulations for enforcement of schools when schools are opening and
closing is seen as a key priority to ensure the safe movement of pedestrians
and children.
23. The parking services works closely with the Sustainable Transport Team in
reducing the number of vehicle movements to and from schools and
encouraging other modes of transport through School Travel Plans.
Eastleigh Borough Council
24. During the year 489 visits by Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO’s) were made to
22 schools within the Borough and are broken down as follows.
26. The regulations for enforcement of Blue Badge parking bays is a key priority
to ensure only Blue Badge holders can park within these bays. All the Town
Centre disabled bays are patrolled daily to ensure a high level of compliance.
28. The new legislation represents the largest single shift in the way parking
enforcement is conducted since the Road Traffic Act 1991. The
Government’s aim is to provide consistency by creating a single framework for
parking regulations across the country. It ensures a fair system is in place
and requires Councils to be more transparent and accountable.
29. In line with the new legislation, the Council has introduced many changes to
the way it deals with appeals and enforce parking regulations, for example:
30. Other less obvious changes have taken place; the emphasis by Central
Government was on the Local Authority’s duty to show transparency and
fairness. The Council has welcomed this approach and has actively looked at
how services can be further improved in line with the new legislation.
32. The Government’s aim is to make the system fairer. Higher penalties are
issued to motorists who park where it is not generally permitted. For example,
on yellow lines, the footway, school “Keep Clear” markings, or in residents’,
permit or disabled bays without displaying the appropriate permit or badge.
33. The less serious contraventions, which incur the lower charge, include
contraventions such as, overstaying time paid for in a pay and display bay, or
parking outside bay markings.
34. In circumstances where a driver parked in a permit bay and submits evidence
in the form of a visitors’ voucher valid for the date of the contravention, the
Eastleigh Borough Council
Council will accept the evidence as confirmation that the driver was visiting a
resident and the lower charge will apply.
Target Actual
Letters responded to within 10 days 100% 99.5%
% of pcns that resulted in a appeal 1% 0.2%
to TPT
School enforcement visits 500 477
Visits to parish centres (1 per day) 303 325
36. The table listed below gives a breakdown of the income and expenditure for
on-street income and expenditure.
Decriminalised Parking
37. The on-street budgets show a small surplus during 2008/09 against a deficit
the previous year. The main reduction in expenditure during 2008/09 is in
reduced costs mainly caused by deferred charges. The main increase in
income is due to increased usage and tariffs raised in on-street town centre
charges and the introduction of charges along Chestnut Avenue.
38. The table listed below gives a breakdown of the income and expenditure for
off-street parking (includes pay and display and non pay and display).
Car Park
39. There has been a slight increase on expenditure during 2008/09 which was
due to deferred charges for Swan Centre car park areas and an increase in
staff costs.
40. The income did show considerable levels on growth due in part by increased
tariff charges and increased usage of the car parks. It should also be noted
that penalty charge income was lower than last year due to changes as part of
the Traffic Management Act 2004, which reduced the penalty charge fees on
a number of parking contraventions as detailed in paragraphs 29 – 32 of this
report.
41. The expenditure of income derived from parking places is governed by the
Traffic Management Act 2004, Section 88, and the Road Traffic Regulation
Act 1984, Section 55(a) and confirms the specific areas for surplus
expenditure as follows:
42. The parking surplus for civil parking enforcement helps to reduce the on-street
parking reserve which before this year’s surplus was added, stood at a deficit
of £360,252. The on-street revenue is for capital funding on residential
parking schemes and the start up costs for civil parking enforcement.
43. The on-street reserve is set aside for Capital Funding Parking Schemes such
as capital set up costs for residents parking schemes and capital costs
associated with setting up decriminalised parking.
TOTAL £1,333,628
45. To replace the nett income surplus received as a result of the parking trading
account, the council tax for the Borough would need to increase by some
14%.
Off-Street PCN’s
46. The 2007/08 figures follow similar lines although in the future the amount of
penalty charge notices are liable to drop due to the introduction of the pay on
foot parking scheme introduced in the Swan Centre roof top car park.
47. The number of penalties issued has been compared between 2008/09 and
2007/08. The 2008/09 figure shows an increase in the number of penalty
charge notices. The location where the pcn’s have been issued is shown
below.
48. The main reason for the increase against the previous year is the new pay
and display station car parks which are being enforced at Hamble and Hedge
End.
49. It is anticipated that the level of pcn’s will fall during 2009/10 as the Swan
Centre roof top car park is no longer pay & display but changed to a pay on
foot parking system.
50. The table listed below gives a further breakdown of payments made at the
various formal stages, adjudication, cancelled and debt registration.
Issue Date From: 01/04/2008 Issue Date To: 31/03/2009 Appeal Date To: 30/06/2009
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices issued for parking 7,335 Notices Paid at Non-Discount 828
contraventions
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices paid within 14 days 4,378 Notices – Formal Representation 14
(at current state)
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices paid after 14 days but 586 Notices – Informal Representation 36
before service of charge (at current state)
certificate
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices paid after charge 217 Notices Cancelled – Appeal 23
certificate served Upheld
Number of cases going for Number of Penalty Charge
adjudication 16 Notices Cancelled – (Other 256
Reasons)
Number of charge certificates Number of cases registered for
registered 950 debt 406
Number of cases where no
further action is taken 1,302
On-Street PCN’s
52. It should be noted that there has been a fall in the number of penalty charge
notices issued on-street.
53. To give further information a breakdown of the number of pcn notices issued
and paid at the varying fine levels and the payment amount are also attached
in Appendix C.
54. The local areas where each pcn has been issued are listed below.
2008/09 2007/08
Off-Street PCN’s
56. The table listed below gives a further breakdown of payments made at the
various formal stages.
Issue Date From: 01/04/2008 Issue Date To: 31/03/2009 Appeal Date To: 30/06/2009
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices issued for parking 5,520 Notices Paid at Non-Discount 529
contraventions
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices paid within 14 days 3,447 Notices – Formal 8
Representation (at current
state)
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices paid after 14 days but 371 Notices – Informal 18
before service of charge Representation (at current
certificate state)
Number of Penalty Charge Number of Penalty Charge
Notices paid after charge 140 Notices Cancelled – Appeal 13
certificate served Upheld
Number of cases going for Number of Penalty Charge
adjudication 12 Notices Cancelled – (Other 125
Eastleigh Borough Council
TMA OFF-STREET ANNUAL SUMMARY
Issue Date From: 01/04/2008 Issue Date To: 31/03/2009 Appeal Date To: 30/06/2009
Reasons)
Number of charge certificates Number of cases registered for
registered 436 debt 212
Number of cases where no
further action is taken 1,163
57. As to be expected 62% of payments are made within 14 days of the notice
issued to obtain the discount fee.
58. It should also be noted that only 3.8% of the pcn’s issued are registered for
debt, with the Courts.
60. The only exception to this is where the vehicle was hired from a firm under a
hiring agreement and the person hiring it had signed a statement of liability in
respect of any penalty charge notice served in respect of the vehicle during
the period of the agreement.
61. Vehicle owners may dispute the issuing of a pcn at three stages:
(2) Once an NTO has been served, they can make a formal representation
against the NTO. (This can still be done if an informal challenge has
previously been made and rejected). The legislation sets out specific
grounds on which formal representation against an NTO may be made
and are specified on the notice. Representations may also be made on
the basis that, in the particular circumstances of the case, there are
compelling reasons for the cancellation of the pcn.
(3) If the formal representation is rejected, the Council will issue a Notice
of Rejection and details of Traffic Penalty Tribunal. The appellant has
the right to appeal within 28 days of the issue of the Notice of Rejection
to an adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. The adjudicators have
a judicial position. They are appointed with the agreement of the Lord
Chancellor and they are wholly independent. Their decisions are final
(subject to their own power to review a decision) and they have the
power to award costs against either party. No further challenges can
Eastleigh Borough Council
be made other than a point of law through an application to the High
Court for a Judicial Review. Appellants may choose to appear before
the adjudicator in person or via a postal hearing where written evidence
is supplied by both parties.
62. The details of the adjudication services and of the appeal process can be
found on their website www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk.
64. The penalty charge notices issued during 2008/09 have been broken down to
show the number of appeals received and rejected by the varying penalty
charge notice fine levels and if issued either on or off street. The results are
shown on Appendix D.
65. The cancellation of pcn’s is further broken down and the reasons for
cancellation.
66. The Council’s cancellation and mitigation polices against which challenges,
representations or appeals are considered can be found on the Council’s
website www.eastleigh.gov.uk.
67. The results confirm that 12,855 notices were issued in the year, 9468 paid or
part paid (73.65%), 2,495 cancelled (19.04 %) and 254 (1.97%) written off.
There are currently 687 (5.34%) notices outstanding. The collection and
cancellation rate is in line with previous years and therefore is an indication of
a fair and consistent approach.
68. During 2008/09 a total of 28 appeals were made to the Adjudication Services.
During this period the Council chose not to contest 7 appeals. This was
mainly due to new information being provided by the appellant for example,
information on the keeper of the vehicle or supporting documentary evidence
to confirm loading.
FUTURE PLANS
70. There will be a number of changes to the parking service during 2009/10
which are listed below.
DUNCAN MCVEY
Head of Transportation and Engineering
None.