Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of City Services

The Committee considered a Briefing Note of the Director of City Services which outlined the Council’s Civil Parking Enforcement function and informed the Committee of current activities and arrangements relating to parking enforcement by providing an overview of key priorities and performance.

The Briefing Note covered the following areas:-

·  The background to Parking Enforcement, which has been the responsibility of the Council since 2005 when the function was decriminalised and transferred from West Midlands Police

·  The main aims of parking enforcement:-

o  To Improve road safety

o  To Improve access for public transport, public service vehicles and emergency services vehicle

o  To act as a deterrent to inconsiderate and dangerous parking

o  To improve traffic flows

o  To reduce traffic congestion which in turn will improve air quality

·  The following functions and activities undertaken by the Council’s Parking Service:-

o  Civil parking enforcement

o  Bus lane and enforcement

o  Moving traffic enforcement

o  Parking appeals service

o  Resident parking scheme management

o  Car park management

·  Civil parking enforcement and the work undertaken by Civil Enforcement Officers including:-

o  Operational arrangements

o  Deployment

o  Staff resources

o  Performance levels

o  Penalty charge notice levels

o  Enforcement challenges and plans to dela with them

·  City Centre Restricted Parking Zones (RPZ)

·  Issues regarding Burges and Trinity Street

·  Pavement parking

·  Parking hotspots

·  Moving Traffic Enforcement

The Committee asked questions, made comments and sought assurances on a number of issues including:-

•  Implementation of disabled parking bays and the fact that disabled bays are an advisory service and not enforceable

•  Bus lane enforcement and the impact that they may have on footfall in the city centre

•  Traffic management in the Burges and Trinity Street, and steps taken to address the issue of delivery drivers, such as allocated parking bays in White Street car park

•  School parking issues and measures in place to try and improve, including the use of volunteers.

•  The impact of physical and verbal abuse on the wellbeing of parking staff and the issues around recruitment

•  Issues at specific car parks in the city

•  Problem parking on pavements on main arterial routes into the city such as the Foleshill Rd, Longford Rd, Stoney Stanton Rd and Clay Lane.

•  Street furniture, signage and whether the changes proposed in the city centre would be clear to drivers.

•  The issues of enforcement of white zig zag lines, which only the police are able to do.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee:-

1)  Notes the actions and initiatives in place to tackle the key parking enforcement priorities

2)  Recommends that the Cabinet Member for City Services:-

a)  Considers the introduction of red routes on the parking hotspots of Foleshill Rd, Stoney Stanton Rd, Clay Lane and Longford Rd

b)  Reviews the parking restrictions in the city centre, including the Restricted Parking Zone, to ensure they are clear and consistent.

3)  Recommends that the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities Request that the Police take enforcement action in relation to parking on white zig zag lines

4)  Requests that officers:-_

a)  Continue to work with schools regarding parking and enforcement issues 

b)  Continue to review road signage and reduce this wherever possible

c)  Ensure that the parking bays in White Street car park are marked for delivery drivers