Why Enforcement!

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Last revised: 8 October 2008

The parking provision must meet a variety of customer needs and the regulations in place are the only way to ensure that these needs are met.

On the Roads

On Street regulations are national and should be understood by all drivers.

Yellow lines are placed to ensure safety and traffic flow are maintained.  Bus stops, loading bays and taxi rank ensure space s available for these important activities.

Contravening these regulations is likely to attract a Penalty Charge notice at the higher rate.

Failure to Pay or Overstaying TIme Limits

  • The charging policy promotes turnover of spaces; this ensures that shoppers can find spaces and assists business by allowing access for their customers.

  • Where there is sufficient parking provision, long stay bays will be made cheaper to provide commuter parking.

  • Time limits also promote turnover of short stay spaces.

  • Charges paid by the car user help relieve the burden on the Council taxpayer

It is essential therefore that where charges and time limits are in force that these are properly observed and paid for.

It is therefore a contravention to park with no valid ticket displayed or in excess of permitted time limits.

It is the responsibility of the motorist to ensure that the details of any ticket purchased is clearly visible from outside the vehicle, so that these may be checked by the officer's for validity.

Outside or Across Bays

The Councils parking officers receive many complaints from motorists unable to park correctly because of other vehicles parked across two bays. Such parking by one vehicle cannot be accepted as reason for another to also park incorrectly.

The car park designers have positioned the parking bays in order that the maximum number of vehicles can be safely parked. Unmarked or cross hatched areas and through routes are specifically designed to give adequate manoeuvring areas for vehicles and to ensure access rights for adjacent properties (This may be for very large delivery vehicles). Parking in these places will often obstruct other car park users.

It is for these reasons that it is a contravention to park other than wholly within a marked bay.

Size Restrictions

Parking provision is made for the most popular sizes and classes of vehicles. Most people have reasonable sized cars and the majority of spaces are designed to accommodate these. The Council would also like to promote tourist coach visits to the towns, so spaces are also set aside for them. Some lorries overnight within the area and a little provision is made within certain car parks to accommodate that need.

The Council is however unable to provide space for every type of vehicle and so no provision is made for caravans, campers, horse boxes or trailers etc, as to do so would curtail the space available for our main customers.

Penalty charge notices are issued to vehicles that exceed the size and weight restriction or park in a bay set aside for a certain type of vehicle.

Miscellaneous

Many actions attempted by motorists may pose a danger to other customers or to the car park infrastructure therefore the following are also prohibited:

  • Camping/sleeping

  • Cooking

  • Cleaning and servicing vehicles

  • Sale or advertising of services, including distribution of leaflets

  • Noise

  • Driving instruction

Email the Parking Manager for further details or telephone 01380 734665