Putting parking in the spotlight

Alpha Parking’s annual seminar explored topical issues

The annual Spotlight on Parking provides a space in which professionals can discuss their experiences of devising and implementing policies and new ways of working. Organised by Alpha Parking, Spotlight on Parking 2024 was held at the Royal Society in London on 8 October. The 10th anniversary event was chaired by Caroline Hamilton, chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, who introduced presentations that covered a wide range of topical issues.

Blue Badges

Tim Gunn, compliance manager at Haringey Council, explained how the London borough has developed a new parking strategy which seeks to support residents who have additional needs. It is doing this by prioritising parking for those with mobility needs, safeguarding Blue Badge provision and reducing permit fraud.

Haringey has developed a Virtual Blue Badge for residents, meaning they do not have to display the paper original with the risk that this may be stolen. The virtual permit works in tandem with an online Blue Badge Checker that is used by patrol officers to verify parked vehicles belong to a badge holding resident.

The council has also implemented measures to ensure disabled parking provision is placed in the most appropriate location, and is of an appropriate standard in terms of numbers and size of bays.

Protecting frontline staff

Michael Wiktorko, service area manager for parking enforcement at Hackney Council, discussed ways in which the London borough is tackling verbal and physical abuse aimed at its parking patrol officers.

Since the council brought its parking enforcement service in-house it has introduced a series of measures such as rebranding civil enforcement officers (CEOs) as ‘road and traffic enforcement officers’ (RTEOs). They have also been issued with new uniforms and communication devices to better connect them to the council control centre and police.

The RTEOs now patrol problem hotspots in pairs to create safety in numbers. They have also received anti-terrorism, radio, conflict management and public safety training so as to be able to handle any situation.

Wiktorko reported the result of these changes has been a massive reduction in verbal and physical assaults, and consequently fewer days lost to sickness.

Pavement parking

Stewart Skene, parking and civil contingencies team leader at Perth & Kinross Council discussed the implementation of the nationwide pavement parking ban under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (Part 6) Pavement Parking Prohibition.

Since December 2023 Scottish councils have powers to issue penalty charge notices (PCNs) to vehicles parked on pavements, at pedestrian crossing points, dropped kerbs or when double parked. A PCN can be issued at the national level of £100, but reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days.

Perth & Kinross surveyed nearly 2,000 urban roads to prepare for the new powers. The survey identified a small number of streets (around 300) where a significant level of pavement parking was taking place. The council wrote to residents and businesses in these streets to make them aware the new pavement rules would be coming into effect.

Appeals against PCNs

Anthony Chan, chief adjudicator for environment and traffic appeals at London Tribunals, shared insights into themes emerging during appeals made by drivers who are contesting parking and traffic penalties issued by London’s highway authorities.

Among the issues adjudicators are encountering more often is that of drivers who say they received a PCN after parking where their parking app said it was okay to stop – or, at least, that was how they had read the instructions given on their smartphone!

Spotlight on Parking 2024 concluded with a heartfelt tribute to Penny Winder, the founder of Alpha Parking who passed away earlier this year.

Alpha Parking is a consultancy working with private and public parking operations
www.aparking.co.uk