Agenda item

Find out who deals with what and what can be done about parking issues in the ward, with the police and the council’s parking services.

 

2.         To inform residents on who deal particular issues regarding parking, Russ Broadbent, Parking Services Manager, Elizabeth Levett, Head of Environmental Enforcement and Parking Services and Sgt Iain Sirrell, North Yorkshire Police.

 

2.1       The structure of Parking Services

            Liz Levett – Head of Service

            Russ Broadbent – Manager of Parking Services

            James Langley – Officer Supervisor at St Leonards Place

            Roy Wilcox-Harrison – Parking control Supervisor at Foss Bank

            12 Full and part –time clerical staff at 9 St Leonards

            22 Civil Enforcement Officers

2.2       Parking Services enforce the parking restrictions but the restrictions themselves are not their responsibility.  Parking Services do not decide where yellow lines should be or where a resident parking scheme should apply or how much to charge people to park in the car parks.  These are strategic decisions that are made by the Transport Planning and Highway Management Teams of the City Strategy Department. 

2.3       The enforcement of parking regulations have been operated by the City of York Council since 8^th October 2000. When the City of York Council took up the powers of the 1991 Act and became responsible for enforcing almost all parking offences – except obstruction and dangerous parking.

2.4       On 31^st March 2008, the 2004 – Traffic Management Act was implemented which introduced differential penalty charges of £70 and £50 and allowed Councils to enforce parking on pedestrian crossings.

2.5       These payments are halved if paid within 14 days.

2.6       The key objectives of Parking Services are enforcement of waiting and loading restrictions, bus stops, cycle lanes, taxi ranks, school keep clear zigzags to improve road safety and the movement of traffic. Enforcement of resident parking schemes to discourage parking by motorists who are not entitled to park in these areas. Meeting the needs of people with disabilities by enforcing the disabled bays and protecting access for emergency vehicles. Not to raise revenue.

2.7       The current parking restrictions in the city are 16 Council Car Parks  (total spaces 2,569 cars and 62 Coaches) 53 Resident Parking Schemes (over 27,000 metres of restrictions) over 570,000 metres of  Yellow Line waiting restrictions. Over 5,000 metres of other parking restrictions. A Total of over 600,000 metres (377 miles) of restricted parking in York.  Over 800 different streets have parking restrictions of some description.

2.8       There are currently 22 Civil Enforcement Officer covering the city, this has reduced from 30 Officers over the past 5 years.

2.9       IN the financial year of 2010/11 the following Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN’s) were issued.

                        Car Parks                              6,983

                        Yellow Lines                         5,734

                        Residents Parking               4,901

                        Other on street offences     1,359

                        Pay and Display bays         1,277

2.10    This raised over £3m revenue, which is used for traffic related expenditure.

 

            Breakdown of expenditure                         £         

            Dial and Ride                                               100,000

Concessionary Bus Tokens                      116,000

Shopmobility                                                 13,000

Subsidised Bus Services                           771,000

Highway Maintenance                               2,031,000

 

2.11    What can CYC enforce?

            Council Car Parks – No payment, Expired ticket, parked in disabled bay etc.

            Waiting Restrictions – Double Yellow Lines – No Parking at any time

            Waiting Restrictions – Single Yellow Line – No parking during the times shown on the sign.

            Loading Restrictions – Double and Single Kerb Markings.

Double – no loading at any time.

Single – no loading during times shown on sign, usually 8am-9:15am & 4pm –6pm in York.

            Resident Parking Bays – no permit displayed or expired permit

            On Street Pay and Display – no ticket or expired ticket

Parking in Specific Marked Bays – for example taxi ranks and bus stops.

            Parking On School Entrance Markings

Parking On Pedestrian Crossings – the one offence that can be enforced by both the Council or the Police.

2.12    What can Police enforce?

Parked causing an obstruction - for example parking on the pavement or verge.  If a vehicle is parked on a pavement/verge where there are no yellow lines in the carriageway alongside them and is seen to be causing an obstruction the Council are unable to issue a penalty charge notice. Obstruction is a criminal offence and can therefore only be dealt with by a Police Officer. However, Police need to see that someone has been obstructed – insufficient to say that someone might be obstructed

Dangerous Parking is also a criminal offence and can only be dealt with by the Police.

2.13    To report illegal parking the parking hotline should be used. It is 0800 1381119. This is to a call centre which then relays the incident via text message to the enforcement officers. This operates 7.45am to 9.30pm

 

Residents were given the opportunity to ask questions in regard to parking issues and concerns in the ward

 

Q -       If there are less enforcement officers, why are they seen patrolling together?

A -       After 6.30pm and in certain areas of the city, where there have been historic problems with enforcement, the officers double crew for safety.

 

Q -       What is the situation on Ousegate, where there are double yellow lines but it is always busy with parked vehicles?

A -       For loading purposes, any yellow line can be used, except where no loading restrictions are in place. Certain potentially dangerous locations, such as Blossom Street near The Windmill pub have no loading restrictions. 

 

Q -       The refurbished Doctors surgery in Woodthorpe has problems with parking, vehicles are parking dangerously in surrounding streets such as Bramble Dene.

A-        If the incidents are reported using the parking hotline number then the officers will attend and access the situation. Taskings for the enforcement team are decided on the received reports. We rely on residents input to help cover the city with a limited resource. Now the issues is known about it can be investigated.

            It was mentioned by Cllr Reid that patrols of the area would be beneficial as the surgery had just reopened.

 

Q -       Due to the parking on Moorcroft Road, buses are struggling to get through, one had to wait 15 minutes in the middle of the road as it couldn’t get through.  

A -       Bus drivers are aware of the hotline and this should have been used in this situation. City Strategy who make decisions on parking restrictions are currently reviewing the bus situation.

 

Q -       What is the situation with double yellows on cobbled areas? Such as Blossom Street near the take aways.

A -       It has been difficult to enforce as many offenders drive off when they see officers approaching, the lines are also currently unevenly worn so need repainting. The decision for allowing the takeaways there was a decision made by licensing.

 

Q -       Is it possible to enforce some restrictions for term time only?

A -       Although this has happened elsewhere it isn’t something considered by CYC. There are problems with differing term times and increased signage required. The decision to bring in these restriction would be for Network Management to decide.

 

Q -       There is an incentive in Essex to educate rather than fine, can this be done in York?

A -       When new enforcement areas are agreed the education and warnings are used. For some situations such as dangerous parking it wouldn’t be suitable. Discretion and common sense is used by officers.

 

Q -       Why do only half the schools in York have restriction?

A -       A big factor if available resources, there is now point having more restrictions than can be enforced, currently Enforcement Officer have to be accompanied by Police to some areas due to  adverse reactions from car users outside schools.

 

Q –      Why can’t the two wheeled parking band in enforced in York? A newspaper article was shown outlining powers available to local authorities.

A -       This is a law only enforced in London, the law may be there but it is for the authority to adopt if seen necessary. Two wheeled parking is seen as beneficial in some circumstances by the Fire and Rescue.

 

Q -       Can the yellow lines on Blossom Street near the dental surgery be used for dropping off?

A -       Yes double yellow lines can be used for drop offs, unless a no waiting/loading is enforced for safety.

 

Q -       When the doctors surgery was upgraded, why wasn’t the parking upgraded to match?

A -       This was a matter for planning, the parking services only enforce what regulations are in place. Users of the surgery have been encouraged to use the parking behind the Co-op store but people choose to park as close as possible to the surgery.

 

At this point thanks were offered from a resident of the Chase Estate to the police for their attendance following a spate of burglaries on the estate.