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Parking offences call

Cumbria County Council is backing calls for an expansion in the number and type of offences which can be dealt with by traffic wardens under the decriminalised parking scheme. The council's views are being sent to the Department for Transport in response to a survey of local authorities 

Councillor Kevan Wilkinson, county councillor with responsibility for economy and infrastructure, said: 

"Expanding the decriminalised parking scheme will help ensure a free flow of traffic, reducing hold ups and at the same time increasing safety for all road users, including pedestrians. The proposals would make enforceable by parking wardens other offences which clearly fit in with their present duties." 

The Council's Cabinet decided at its meeting on February 4 to:   

  • Support decriminalisation of the offence of parking at taxi ranks of vehicles other than taxis. The offence would be enforced more effectively and the call on police resources would be reduced. 
  • Support decriminalisation of the offence of parking in bus stop clearways. This is in anticipation of new powers being granted soon for local authorities to designate clearways at bus stops. 
  • Support decriminalisation of offences committed contrary to temporary traffic orders made in connection with special events. At present these are only enforceable by the police. 
  • Support partial decriminalisation of parking on a pedestrian crossing or within a crossing's zigzag zone. This would allow wardens to issue a penalty charge ticket but police would retain the power to enforce the offence, so that motorists would still risk having their licences endorsed. 
  • Support the creation of a new offence of parking more than 0.5 metres away from the edge of the carriageway. This is aimed at preventing double parking, which can cause congestion and danger, especially in city streets. This is already an offence in London but not a specific offence in the rest of the country.    

The Cabinet's views will be forwarded to the Department for Transport, which is consulting local authorities about decriminalising additional parking offences.