Traffic Management Act - changes to parking enforcement

On the 31 March 2008 new parking rules came into effect with the implementation of Part 6 of The Traffic Management Act 2004.

The previous system of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) became Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and Parking Attendants are now called Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO).

Changes will enable local authorities to enforce Double Parking (vehicles being parked more than 50cm from the kerb) and Parking at Dropped Footways. There are also 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.

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 now have a higher charge of £70 applied and less serious contraventions such as overstaying in a pay and display car park have a lesser charge of £50.