On the 31 March 2008 new parking rules will come into effect with the implementation of Part 6 of The Traffic Management Act 2004.
The current system of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) will become Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and Parking Attendants will then be called Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO).
The Act will enable the council to make slight changes to the way they enforce parking restrictions, that should provide a fair and consistent approach, whilst aiming to increase compliance with parking restrictions.
There are new powers to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) to vehicles parked on zigzag lines on the approach to pedestrian crossings. The Act also allows for PCNs to be served by post, if a vehicle has driven away once the Notice has started to be issued and where an Enforcement Officer has been prevented from serving a PCN. The council has also been given more powers to deal with persistent evaders.
Differential charging is also introduced with different penalty levels depending on the type of parking contravention. More serious contraventions such as parking on a single or double yellow lines will have a higher charge of £70 applied and less serious contraventions such as overstaying in a pay and display car park will have a lesser charge of £50.