TransportXtra https://www.transportxtra.com/ TransportXtra is the fastest route to transport intelligence with the news and archives of leading transport publications including Local Transport Today, New Transit and Parking Review magazine. en-gb TransportXtra https://www.transportxtra.com/images/TransportXtra-Logo.png https://www.transportxtra.com/ Westminster adopts Videalert as sole enforcement CCTV platform https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61520/westminster-adopts-videalert-as-sole-enforcement-cctv-platform

Westminster City Council has standardised all its CCTV traffic enforcement systems around a single platform. The council believes its new network of digital HD cameras will generate high quality images, which will minimise discard-rates and thus help reduce the number of appeals. Westminster City Council has signed a contract with Videalert and NSL, which are both part of Marston Holdings. The city council’s decision follows a 12-month pilot comparison exercise between Videalert and the

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Enforcement News Tue, 2 Jul 2019 12:37:00 GMT 61520
Isle of Wight completes parking system upgrade https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61518/isle-of-wight-completes-parking-system-upgrade

Island Roads has replaced around 40 ageing parking terminals at a variety of locations across the Isle of Wight with new solar-powered pay & display technology from Flowbird Urban Intelligence. Island Roads is responsible for the Isle of Wight's highways network and associated services. The new machines are the final phase of a rolling programme that has seen more than 130 terminals on the island replaced since 2016. All the terminals linked to Flowbird’s Smartfolio central manageme

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Payment systems Tue, 2 Jul 2019 12:33:00 GMT 61518
Nottingham leisure centre car park gets RingGo Touchscreen https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61513/nottingham-leisure-centre-car-park-gets-ringgo-touchscreen

Nottingham City Council has adopted a system that uses a terminal to activate phone parking sessions. The council has installed RingGo’s Touchscreen solution at the Harvey Sports Village. The terminal allow users of the sports centre to park for free while providing paid-parking to people visiting the area. The touchscreen terminals are located inside the leisure centre and the parking sessions are stated through the registration of a vehicle. As all sessions are booked and enforced via

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Payment systems Mon, 1 Jul 2019 15:40:00 GMT 61513
Kensington and Chelsea swaps parking meters for trees https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61511/kensington-and-chelsea-swaps-parking-meters-for-trees

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council has announced that it has signed up to a programme that will see the borough offer completely cashless parking by 2020. The council is working with mobile parking payment provider PayByPhone. The removal of more than 700 parking machines in Kensington and Chelsea will take place in phases in order to give residents and visitors ample time to adjust to the change. PayByPhone signage will be clearly displayed to inform drivers on how to use the

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Business News Mon, 1 Jul 2019 15:36:00 GMT 61511
Gloucestershire introduces technology to prevent misuse of park ride https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61503/gloucestershire-introduces-technology-to-prevent-misuse-of-park--ride

Gloucestershire County Council has introduced technology to prevent misuse of the park & ride site at Arle Court, which is designed to ease congestion in Cheltenham. The P&R site has 576 parking spaces, but people wanting to park & ride regularly have found it difficult to find a space due to motorists parking for free and then walking off site to their place of work, rather than paying to use the bus service into Cheltenham town centre. The increasingly number of ‘park &

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Park & Ride Mon, 1 Jul 2019 15:22:00 GMT 61503
Luton adopts PayByPhone https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61501/luton-adopts-paybyphone

Luton Council has selected PayByPhone as its new mobile parking payment provider. PayByPhone will replace RingGo as the exclusive cashless parking provider for the Bedfordshire town from 1 July. Drivers will be able to use PayByPhone’s services to pay for parking across Luton, covering 91 on-street and off-street parking locations. PayByPhone users can choose to receive text message reminders before a parking session expires and can also extend their parking sessions remotely in accordan

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Payment systems Mon, 1 Jul 2019 15:19:00 GMT 61501
London RoadLab projects revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61489/london-roadlab-projects-revealed

Transport for London has announced the winners of London RoadLab, an innovation challenge to develop technology that could make roads safer and smarter during roadworks. Technology companies were invited to pitch ideas for tackling some of the biggest problems caused by roadworks last year. Nine innovative solutions were shortlisted and awarded £20,000 each. They joined a 10-week programme and worked with experts from TfL, London Councils and utilities companies to further develop produc

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Traffic Management Mon, 1 Jul 2019 13:53:00 GMT 61489
Mayor sets out Londons electric vehicle plan https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61485/mayor-sets-out-london-s-electric-vehicle-plan

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set out plans for an expansion of the capital’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Khan wants the public and private sector to work together to deliver EV infrastructure. The new Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London is also designed to encourage companies to electrify their fleets. The plan has been developed with the world’s first Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce, which is made up representatives from business, energy, infrast

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Electric vehicles Mon, 1 Jul 2019 12:02:00 GMT 61485
Housing developer says electric vehicle charging points not needed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61484/housing-developer-says-electric-vehicle-charging-points-not-needed Bradford Council’s policy of requiring new homes to include electric car charging points has been challenged. A developer has submitted a planning application to remove that condition from a development of houses in Shipley. The developer argues the charging points are not needed because none of the new residents have electric cars. In 2016 Bradford Council granted planning permission to Oak Tree Developments for the demolition of the Bradford Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Springhurst

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Electric vehicles Mon, 1 Jul 2019 12:00:00 GMT 61484
New homes exempt from EV charging in Wales https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61482/new-homes-exempt-from-ev-charging-in-wales

The Welsh Government has exempted housing developers from a requirement to equip new properties with charging points for electric vehicles. The latest version of Planning Policy Wales requires at least 10% of new non-residential parking spaces to have EV charging points, transport minister Ken Skates told an Assembly committee. “The policy focuses on non-residential development to address people’s concerns about not being able to top up when using an electric car,” he said. &l

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Electric vehicles Mon, 1 Jul 2019 11:57:00 GMT 61482
Parklets break down boundaries in the City https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61481/parklets-break-down-boundaries-in-the-city

Three parklets have been created in the City of London’s historic Square Mile. The miniature landscaped spaces are the result of a competition organised by London Festival of Architecture (LFA) in partnership with the City of London Corporation. They are intended both to showcase fresh design talent and explore the boundaries between the individual and public realm within the City. Tamsie Thomson, director of the LFA, said: “City Parklets not only showcase London’s talented po

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Case Studies Mon, 1 Jul 2019 11:51:00 GMT 61481
IAM RoadSmart Road does not support blanket ban on pavement parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61480/iam-roadsmart-road-does-not-support-blanket-ban-on-pavement-parking

A blanket ban on pavement parking could lead to a need for thousands of new car parking spaces that towns and cities are simply not equipped to provide, warns road safety final IAM RoadSmart. The House of Commons Transport Committee launched an enquiry into pavement parking and invited comments from interested parties in April, to which IAM RoadSmart has delivered its conclusions. All submissions have now been released for public viewing. One suggestion that has emerged from the enquiry is a b

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Enforcement News Mon, 1 Jul 2019 11:47:00 GMT 61480
Listen to landowners' views in parking regulation debate https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61477/listen-to-landowners-views-in-parking-regulation-debate Anyone working in the private parking sector will have kept a keen eye on the progress of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act over the last 18 months. In March, this process to pass fresh legislation for the sector was concluded. Yet the real work is set to begin over the summer as the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) drafts the new code and runs a public consultation on the output. Critical to the implementation of the new code, and its ability to provide certainty

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Viewpoint Mon, 1 Jul 2019 11:20:00 GMT 61477
DVLA releases 23 million vehicle records a year https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61475/dvla-releases-23-million-vehicle-records-a-year The DVLA released details of around 23 million vehicles in Great Britain to third-party bodies during 2018-19, according to figures seen by the RAC Foundation. Requests for vehicle keeper data come from local authorities, private parking companies, bailiffs, private investigators and toll road operators. At the end of 2018 there were 38 million vehicles licensed in Britain, 31.5 million of them cars. The 23.2 million figure is up on the 20.5 million sets of data provided to third parties in 201

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Enforcement Mon, 1 Jul 2019 11:10:00 GMT 61475
JustPark added to ESPO framework https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61471/justpark-added-to-espo-framework Cashless parking solutions provider JustPark is now available to local authorities, hospitals and universities through ESPO’s Parking Management Solutions framework (509). The ESPO Parking Management Solutions framework (509) offers public sector organisations a simple and compliant route to purchasing parking payment and enforcement solutions. Up until 18 months ago JustPark exclusively operated in the private sector. Over the past year-and-a-half it has sealed deals with 17 local autho

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Business News Mon, 1 Jul 2019 10:44:00 GMT 61471
NCP plans to acquire 300 sites by 2024 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61461/ncp-plans-to-acquire-300-sites-by-2024 NCP is planning to increase its national footprint by 300 sites over the next five years.  The parking operator said growth will be delivered through a combination of acquisitions of existing sites and partnering with landowners to create new car parks, as well as competing for new leases and management contracts across the private and public sectors. NCP is evaluating a number of potential purchases of parking sector businesses and operators to add to its portfolio. Since being acquired b

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Business News Mon, 1 Jul 2019 10:30:00 GMT 61461
Mayor of London releases 6m for new Low Emission Neighbourhoods https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61453/mayor-of-london-releases-6m-for-new-low-emission-neighbourhoods The Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund will support 15 schemes designed to improve the capital’s air quality. The schemes include initiatives to cut pollution from river craft and construction machinery, as well as establishing hundreds of car free and pedestrianisation schemes. Four new Low Emission Neighbourhoods (LENs) will be established in Hackney, Dagenham, Southwark and Camden. The LENs will provide electric vehicle charge points, expand cycle lanes, establish green walls and

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Parking Policy Mon, 1 Jul 2019 09:59:00 GMT 61453
Courts must hand out tougher punishments to deter fly-tippers says LGA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61260/courts-must-hand-out-tougher-punishments-to-deter-fly-tippers-says-lga No-one convicted of fly-tipping since the government introduced new guidelines in 2014 has been made to pay the maximum £50,000 fine or sentenced 12 months in prison by the courts, according to analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA). This is despite fly-tipping incidents rocketing by 39.6% since 2012, up from 714,637 to 997,553 in 2017-18. Councils take enforcement action against the worst offenders and have the power to issue fixed penalty notices for smaller instances of fly

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Enforcement Lead Story Thu, 6 Jun 2019 18:33:00 GMT 61260
The future will be digital and data-driven says Chipside CEO https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61257/the-future-will-be-digital-and-data-driven-says-chipside-ceo

As public services become increasingly digital, local authorities and their system developers will need to work hard to meet the public’s expectation that the solutions on offer are accessible, reliable, secure and sustainable. This was the key message for delegates at the Chipside Annual Conference, which was held at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in London on 28 May. The day served as a forum for Chipside’s 160 local authority clients, who use products such as: t

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Business News Thu, 6 Jun 2019 17:54:00 GMT 61257
Young parking professionals forum launched https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61256/young-parking-professionals-forum-launched

Parking is changing. Mobility around the world has never been a hotter topic. We now have companies such as Uber, Lyft, Tesla, Google, BMW and many others who have entered the transport industry – and thus inadvertently the parking industry – with the sole purpose of changing the way we get around and connect with our cities’ infrastructure. There are some important questions that we, today’s young parking professionals, have to ask ourselves: As professionals of the

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Viewpoint Thu, 6 Jun 2019 17:45:00 GMT 61256
Sustrans Cymru backs workplace parking levy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61271/sustrans-cymru-backs-workplace-parking-levy A workplace parking tax on large employers should be considered in Welsh cities, argues a sustainable charity. Sustrans Cymru said local authorities could tax company parking spaces provided for staff to raise money for public transport and encourage people to leave cars at home. Steve Brooks, director of Sustrans Cymru, told BBC Sunday Politics Wales that a workplace parking levy could work in Welsh cities. “We have to look at a ways to control traffic and keep our towns and cities movin

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Parking Policy Mon, 3 Jun 2019 20:29:00 GMT 61271
Scottish Parliament takes workplace parking levy evidence from Nottingham https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61270/scottish-parliament-takes-workplace-parking-levy-evidence-from-nottingham Nottingham City Council has been giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament about what is involved in introducing and running a workplace parking levy (WPL). The Scottish government has pledged to give councils the power to levy a charge on parking spaces to reduce congestion. The SNP government agreed to back a workplace parking tax as part of the budget deal with the Scottish Greens earlier this year. MSPs called in officials from Nottingham to give evidence about the city’s WPL system

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Parking Policy Mon, 3 Jun 2019 20:26:00 GMT 61270
Councils raise 242m from parking permits suggests survey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61269/councils-raise-242m-from-parking-permits-suggests-survey Local authorities have raised around £242m from parking permits over the last three years, according to a new study by Churchill Car Insurance. The study revealed that in 2017 roads with permits generated £87.6m in revenue, a 13% increase on 2016. However, the figure dropped last year to £77.2m. The study found that the number of roads across the UK requiring parking permits increased by 6% between 2016 and 2018 to 2,500. However, the number of permits being issued is actually

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Operational Mon, 3 Jun 2019 20:24:00 GMT 61269
Highland Council parking officers take over from Police Scotland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61268/highland-council-parking-officers-take-over-from-police-scotland

Highland Council has taken over responsibility for parking enforcement from Police Scotland. Highland Council Parking Services was launched in 2016 to take over enforcement activities. During 2016 it assumed responsibility for parking enforcement in local authority car parks and on-street in Inverness and Fort William. On 14 May the second phase of the roll-out saw Highland Council deliver parking enforcement in a further 19 locations in Alness, Brora, Broadford, Dingwall, Dunvegan, Grantown O

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Enforcement News Mon, 3 Jun 2019 20:20:00 GMT 61268
Parking data standardisation projects launched https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61253/parking-data-standardisation-projects-launched

Data on parking spaces across the UK is set to be standardised to make finding and paying for parking easier. By introducing the new standards, the government’s ambition is for all parking data released by  councils and companies across the country to use the same language, supporting the development of apps to make parking easier for drivers. The new approach was created by the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) and funded by the Department for Transport. To support the int

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Business News Thu, 30 May 2019 09:11:00 GMT 61253
Give English local authorities power to enforce moving traffic say MPs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61252/give-english-local-authorities-power-to-enforce-moving-traffic-say-mps Local authorities should be given the powers they need to enforce moving traffic violations, says the House of Commons Transport Select Committee. Councils in London and in Wales can enforce moving traffic regulations, but this is not an option across England. The MPs’ report Bus services in England outside London recommends that English local authorities should have powers to enforce and issue penalty charges for offences such as ignoring one-way traffic signs, failing to give priority t

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Enforcement News Wed, 29 May 2019 16:20:00 GMT 61252
Structural-Safety says lessons must be learned from Liverpool car park fire https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61248/structural-safety-says-lessons-must-be-learned-from-liverpool-car-park-fire

The way in which fire spreads within multi-storey car parks needs to be better understood, says Structural-Safety, a body that works with the industry on safety matters concerned with the design, construction and use of structures. Structural-Safety is run by the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers and the Health & Safety Executive. It has two entities; a committee established to maintain a continuing review of building and civil engineering matters affecting

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Construction Wed, 29 May 2019 14:06:00 GMT 61248
Swansea PR sites lose bespoke buses https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61247/swansea-p-r-sites-lose-bespoke-buses

Swansea’s two remaining park & ride sites are to lose their bespoke buses and see staffing reduced as the city council seeks to cut costs. On the plus side, customers will be offered direct buses to more locations, including the major hospital and university campus at Singleton. The authority closed its loss-making and under-used Fforestfach P&R site in 2016. Now officers are tasked with cutting £200,000 a year from the subsidy for the sites at Fabian Way, east of the city ce

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Park & Ride Wed, 29 May 2019 13:57:00 GMT 61247
Welsh hospital park ride to close https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61246/welsh-hospital-park--ride-to-close

A park & ride facility for a Welsh hospital will be closed on 30 June, despite objections from users and politicians. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) introduced the facility in October 2014 for Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, the general hospital for central North Wales. This followed major construction works at the hospital, which reduced the space available for parking on the hospital campus. Visitors and staff were invited to use the car park of a vacant factory, about a mile from th

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Park & Ride Wed, 29 May 2019 13:55:00 GMT 61246
Carmarthenshire camera car begins enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61245/carmarthenshire-camera-car-begins-enforcement

Carmarthenshire County Council has launched enforcement using a camera car, with an initial focus on squares in Carmarthen town centre where previous efforts to prevent parking have been frustrated by determined motorists. Parking has been prohibited for several years in Nott Square and Guildhall Square, with vehicular access permitted for unloading only. The council has concerns about pedestrian safety in the squares and adjoining streets if people continue to drive to park in the squares. It

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Enforcement News Wed, 29 May 2019 13:54:00 GMT 61245
National park to introduce charges after rejecting community management plea https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61244/national-park-to-introduce-charges-after-rejecting-community-management-plea Parking charges are to be introduced at several Welsh beauty spots after a national park rejected requests from local councils to stave off charges by taking over the car parks’ management. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority acquired the car parks at Amroth, West Angle and Nolton Haven in the 1960s. Authority members recently agreed that instead of being free to use all year, seasonal charges should be levied at all three car parks and one in Penally. Nolton and Roch Community C

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Crime Wed, 29 May 2019 13:52:00 GMT 61244
Lewisham pupils design anti-idling posters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61243/lewisham-pupils-design-anti-idling-posters

Pupils in Lewisham’s primary schools were invited to design a banner that will be used as part of a campaign against engine idling across the south-east London borough. Lewisham Council selected a design by Mehri from Haseltine Primary School to be turned into a banner and displayed around borough. Road safety goodie bags were presented to second placed Nikita from Rathfern Primary School and third placed Polina from Hatcham Temple Grove Primary School.

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Enforcement News Wed, 29 May 2019 13:45:00 GMT 61243
Hackneys Schools Streets guide goes nationwide https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61240/hackney-s-schools-streets-guide-goes-nationwide

The east London borough of Hackney has developed a blueprint for banning motor traffic outside schools at opening and closing time, which was shared with every council in the country during national Walk to School Week. The School Streets project seeks to reclaim the roads outside schools from cars, improve air quality at the school gates and make it easier for children to walk and cycle to school. Hackney’s toolkit provides advice on how to set up, manage and enforce bans on vehicles sto

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Parking Policy Mon, 27 May 2019 16:37:00 GMT 61240
ZatPark joins ESPO framework https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61231/zatpark-joins-espo-framework Parking IT developer Unity Five has been awarded a position on the ESPO Parking Management Solutions framework for ZatPark, a software platform that provides end-to-end parking enforcement management. The ESPO Parking Management Solutions framework (509) offers public sector organisations a simple and compliant route to purchasing parking payment and enforcement solutions. The ZatPark software platform provides civil enforcement technologies and integrates with payment applications. David Her

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Technology Mon, 27 May 2019 16:16:00 GMT 61231
Scott joins Videalert team https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61227/scott-joins-videalert-team

Videalert, a supplier of traffic management and enforcement solutions, has appointed Stuart Scott as its Northern business development manager. Scott will be responsible for managing relationships and developing business opportunities with new and existing clients across Northern England and Scotland. Scott has over 15 years’ experience of working in both local government and the private sector. He joins from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council where, as head of highways, he was respons

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People News Mon, 27 May 2019 16:10:00 GMT 61227
The hidden peril of expanding Blue Badge scheme eligibility https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61223/the-hidden-peril-of-expanding-blue-badge-scheme-eligibility

Disabled Motoring UK works to support the mobility of disabled people, and there is no dispute that people with certain mental health conditions and cognitive disabilities could benefit from having a Blue Badge. However, the charity is very concerned that from August onwards numbers of Blue Badge holders will dramatically increase, that will put more pressure on limited disabled parking that is poorly enforced and in some areas of the country not enforced at all. We are asking that all local au

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Debates Mon, 27 May 2019 15:54:00 GMT 61223
V2G delivers greater value than standard charging says Cenex https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61221/v2g-delivers-greater-value-than-standard-charging-says-cenex Vehicle-to-Grid charging delivers greater value than standard electric vehicle charging, a new report suggests. A detailed analysis of the costs and opportunities of Vehicle to Grid (V2G) charging of electric vehicles was carried out by low carbon vehicle consultancy Cenex. The study found that bi-directional V2G charging – which sees vehicles provide energy from their batteries to the grid when plugged in – delivers greater value and revenues than uni-directional ‘smart’

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Electric vehicles Mon, 27 May 2019 15:48:00 GMT 61221
Neath Port Talbots iPatrol car protects pupils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61211/neath-port-talbot-s-ipatrol-car-protects-pupils

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council is deploying a CCTV camera car to enforce parking restrictions around schools, at bus stops and pedestrian crossings. The new mobile enforcement vehicle (MEV) has been supplied by Videalert. The MEV is equipped with two roof-mounted ANPR cameras and a pair of colour cameras to capture contextual video evidence that shows drivers contravening traffic orders. The on-board systems are controlled by a council civil enforcement officer using a dashboard-mount

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ANPR Mon, 27 May 2019 15:26:00 GMT 61211
Worldsensings Fastprk benefits from IMPACT Connected Car programme https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61210/worldsensing-s-fastprk-benefits-from-impact-connected-car-programme

A system for using bay sensors to alert parking authorities to the exact location of vehicles has been piloted using funding from a European connected car progamme. Worldsensing is a Spanish technology provider with over 90 employees and offices in Barcelona, London and Los Angeles. Last year, the company was selected out of 500 applicants as one of 15 start-ups to receive funding from the IMPACT Connected Car acceleration programme. IMPACT focussed on responding to the industrial needs in the

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Technology Mon, 27 May 2019 15:24:00 GMT 61210
Telent to maintain Essex traffic signals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61208/telent-to-maintain-essex-traffic-signals Telent Technology Services has been awarded an eight-year contract for the provision of maintenance services for traffic signals and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) on behalf of the Essex Highways Partnership. Telent will be responsible for the maintenance of 231 traffic signal junctions, 262 traffic signal crossings, four emergency wig-wags, 30 car park count sites, 48 car park guidance variable message signs (VMS), 17 vehicle actuated signs and 398 school crossing flashing warning signs a

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Technology Mon, 27 May 2019 15:20:00 GMT 61208
PayByPhone awarded one-year extension in Bournemouth https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61204/paybyphone-awarded-one-year-extension-in-bournemouth

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has extended PayByPhone’s contract by 12 months. The mobile parking payment operator processed nearly 1 million transactions for Bournemouth in 2018.  Use of cashless parking increase by 149% since PayByPhone replaced the council’s previous provider. Elaine Smith, the council’s deputy parking services manager, said: “It’s great to see so many drivers across Bournemouth adopt cashless parking services. We have worked

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Payment systems Mon, 27 May 2019 15:14:00 GMT 61204
Dublin pilots Grids kerbside management solution https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61202/dublin-pilots-grid-s-kerbside-management-solution

Grid Smarter Cities has been selected to take part in Phase 2 of Smart Dublin and Enterprise Ireland’s SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) programme, which aims to support ‘last mile’ delivery in partnership with Dublin City Council and Belfast City Council. Newcastle-based Grid Smarter Cities has been working with Dublin City Council to better understand and analyse potential use-cases for Kerb, its intelligent kerbside management solution, in the city centre. Grid&rsq

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Business News Mon, 27 May 2019 15:10:00 GMT 61202
HSBC UK helps barrier manufacturer expand internationally https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61226/hsbc-uk-helps-barrier-manufacturer-expand-internationally A UK safety barrier manufacturer is set to expand its overseas business with an eight-figure funding package from HSBC. A-Safe manufacturers protective barriers at its headquarters in Elland, Yorkshire, supplying car parks, airports, factories and warehouses across Europe, USA, Asia and the Middle East. With the backing of HSBC UK, the business has upgraded its 75,000 square foot factory by purchasing new German and Austrian-made machinery, allowing it to scale up production by up to 40%, as we

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Business News Fri, 24 May 2019 16:09:00 GMT 61226
Living Streets launches School Streets toolkit https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61239/living-streets-launches-school-streets-toolkit

Fear of air pollution is preventing a generation of children walking to school, says the charity Living Streets, which has launched a School Streets toolkit aimed at parents who want to prevent cars from surrounding their child’s school. Research by Living Streets indicates that two-thirds (65%) of UK parents of 4-11 year olds are concerned about the effect of air pollution on their child’s health. This marks a 17% increase on 2018 data. And two-fifths (40%) are specifically concerne

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Enforcement News Tue, 21 May 2019 16:34:00 GMT 61239
Liverpool Echo targets dangerous parking around schools https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61237/liverpool-echo-targets-dangerous-parking-around-schools A newspaper in Liverpool has launched a ‘name & shame’ campaign to highlight the issue of selfish and dangerous parking near schools The Livepool Echo said it has been “overwhelmed” with images of badly parked cars since launching Operation Zigzag. “The huge volume of correspondence, images and examples sent into us shows two things: what a big problem this is around our region; but also how many people care deeply about the issue,” said the newspaper. &

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Enforcement News Tue, 21 May 2019 16:30:00 GMT 61237
Oxfordshire embraces walking to school https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61238/oxfordshire-embraces-walking-to-school More than 60 primary schools across Oxfordshire took part in national Walk to School Week, a campaign to promote exercise, improve road safety and reduce congestion. Oxfordshire County Council’s Public Health team worked in partnership with Active Oxfordshire on Walk to School Week (20-24 May) as an extension of the WOW project supported by Public Health over the past two years. Run by Living Streets, the year-round WOW walk-to-school challenge encourages children to collect badges each

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Enforcement News Mon, 20 May 2019 16:31:00 GMT 61238
ULEZ cuts number of worst polluting cars in central London says TfL https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61242/ulez-cuts-number-of-worst-polluting-cars-in-central-london-says-tfl

The number of the worst polluting cars and vans driving into central London dropped sharply in the first month of the new Ultra Low Emissions Zone. Initial figures from Transport for London (TfL) show that on average 9,400 fewer such vehicles entered central London each day in April compared with March, a reduction of 26%. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, said: “Just one month after launching the world’s first ULEZ, we have already seen a significant impact on the types of vehicles

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Enforcement News Mon, 20 May 2019 13:37:00 GMT 61242
PATROL PARC Awards shortlist announced https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61098/patrol-parc-awards-shortlist-announced

The shortlist for this year’s Parking Annual Reports by Councils (PARC) Awards has been announced. The PARC Awards recognise annual reports on local authority parking services and traffic management. This year, 2017/18 annual reports are under review. The annual competition is run by Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London (PATROL), a joint committee represents over 300 local authorities in England, outside London, and Wales. Louise Hutchison, director of PATROL, said: “The

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Construction Tue, 14 May 2019 15:00:00 GMT 61098
Parklet designers will turn the City green https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61021/parklet-designers-will-turn-the-city-green

The London Festival of Architecture and the City of London Corporation have revealed the winners of the design competition to create three parklets, which are miniature landscaped spaces. The parklets will be installed across the City when the festival returns to London’s streets in June. The parklets will be created by architects Fatkin, PARTI and Patrick McEvoy. Each practice will have a £6,500 budget to turn their designs into reality. A total of 91 teams of architects, designer

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Operational Wed, 8 May 2019 19:24:00 GMT 61021
Money stolen Dundee meters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61017/money-stolen-dundee-meters Cash was stolen from three pay & display machines in Dundee last month. Two meters in East Port car park and one in nearby Queen Street were broken into between 8.30pm and 9pm on 8 April. The three parking meters are close to the city's Olympia leisure centre. Police officers said the two East Port machines are visible from North Marketgait and Blackscroft, which would have been busy at the time.

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Crime Wed, 8 May 2019 19:11:00 GMT 61017
Workplace parking levy on radar after Leicester mayor re-elected https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61014/workplace-parking-levy-on-radar-after-leicester-mayor-re-elected

The prospect of a workplace parking levy being introduced in Leicester has become firmer following Labour’s Sir Peter Soulsby being re-elected as the city’s mayor for a third time. Sir Peter’s first choice votes tally of 51,444 saw him take a 61% share. This was 36,924 more votes than second-placed Conservative candidate Baroness Sandip Verma. Labour cemented its hold on the city council by securing 53 of the 54 available seats. Sir Peter said he would focus on delivering ma

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Parking Policy Wed, 8 May 2019 19:06:00 GMT 61014
Sustrans calls for UK-wide pavement parking ban https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61010/sustrans-calls-for-uk-wide-pavement-parking-ban Pavement parking should be made illegal across the UK, unless it is permitted by exception, says sustainable transport charity Sustrans in a new policy position. The charity says pavement parking is inconsiderate to all pedestrians and is particularly hazardous to children, disabled people and older people. The current position is that parking a vehicle partially or wholly on the pavement is only illegal by default in London, although a similar ban features in a Bill introduced to the Scottish

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Enforcement News Wed, 8 May 2019 18:56:00 GMT 61010
Man who assaulted CEO fined https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61006/man-who-assaulted-ceo-fined A man who attacked a civil enforcement officer in the West Midlands has been fined and received a suspended prison sentence. On 1 November 2018 a penalty charge notice was issued to car for parking in a residents-only bay in Poplar Road, Bearwood. The penalty was issued by a civil enforcement officer (CEO) working for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. The car’s owner, Besnik Misini, came out of a property he was working on and assaulted the CEO by punching him a number of times to h

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Crime Wed, 8 May 2019 18:30:00 GMT 61006
Cornwall launches Healthcare Permit https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61005/cornwall-launches-healthcare-permit

People who receive care in their home and the carers who deliver that care are set to benefit from a parking scheme being trialled by Cornwall Council. The Healthcare Permit Scheme was launched in April as part of Cornwall Council’s Positive Parking Framework. It is designed to help Care Quality Commission accredited carers spend as much time as possible delivering vital care services to the person they care for. “Carers have told us that being able to find a parking space close to

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Operational Wed, 8 May 2019 18:22:00 GMT 61005
From now on park carefully in Caerphilly https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61004/from-now-on-park-carefully-in-caerphilly

Caerphilly County Borough Council in Gwent, South Wales has taken over responsibility for on-street parking enforcement from the police.Since 8 April a new team of civil enforcement officers has been patrolling the area tackling inconsiderate parking. The council will use its new powers to target unlawful parking on double yellow lines, on streets around schools, at bus stops and ‘No waiting’ areas. In the run-up to the takeover 2,000 warning notices were issued by the CEOs ahead o

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Enforcement News Wed, 8 May 2019 18:20:00 GMT 61004
Gwent councils explore EV charging needs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61003/gwent-councils-explore-ev-charging-needs Five South Wales local authorities are exploring the feasibility of introducing more electric vehicle (EV) charging points across the Gwent region. Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen councils are consulting with local residents on the need for an EV service and locations where they could be placed. The councils are particularly keen to hear from residents who have, or are considering an electric car, but who cannot park or charge off-street near their property. The

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Electric vehicles Wed, 8 May 2019 18:19:00 GMT 61003
Mapping the future of road user charging https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61000/mapping-the-future-of-road-user-charging Charging people to drive can help manage demand for limited road space and tackle pollution, says the think tank Centre for London. Its report Green Light: Next generation road user charging for a healthier, move liveable, London examines how the capital could utilise the latest technology to create a simpler, smarter and fairer approach to road user charging. The report argues that London should continue to lead the way in making the most of new technology and start to develop a simpler, smart

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Traffic Management Wed, 8 May 2019 18:13:00 GMT 61000
Centre for London to investigate parking and kerbside policies https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60999/centre-for-london-to-investigate-parking-and-kerbside-policies The Centre for London is looking at the future of parking and kerbside management in the capital. The think-tank will examine existing parking policies, international practice and political and public attitudes. The research project is being sponsored by technology company AppyParking and three London local authorities – Enfield, Hounslow and the City of Westminster. The Centre for London wants to undertake a project that will explore the capital’s current approach to parking and k

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Parking Policy Wed, 8 May 2019 18:11:00 GMT 60999
Competition will improve how private parking is regulated https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60984/competition-will-improve-how-private-parking-is-regulated

With Sir Greg Knight’s Parking Bill now having received Royal Assent, a new era is dawning for the UK parking industry. There is no doubt the forthcoming legislation will help to deliver consistency and fairness in parking services for the benefits of parking operators and motorists alike. But it does not represent a panacea.  The drive to improve standards in any industry or walk of life is not a one-off exercise. It is a mindset and it has to be a progressive process. It’s al

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Debates Sun, 5 May 2019 14:18:00 GMT 60984
Chipside wins Queens Award for Enterprise https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60983/chipside-wins-queen-s-award-for-enterprise

Technology firm Chipside has received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in recognition of its work in developing systems for the parking sector.The firm delivers digital and app-based parking payment and permit services. Founded in 2003, Chipside is a specialist software development company providing digital ticketing, permitting products and  parking services used by more than half of all local and national government authorities across the UK. With 50 employees and operat

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Business News Sun, 5 May 2019 14:15:00 GMT 60983
Ponting joins Chipside team as business development manager https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60982/ponting-joins-chipside-team-as-business-development-manager

Digital parking and permitting services company Chipside has appointed Leighton Ponting as its new business development manager. With more than three decades of experience in business sales and management, and 15 years involvement in the parking industry, Ponting will drive Chipside’s expansion into new markets. Ponting has previously worked in sales and management for IT and manufacturing companies across the UK, entering the parking sector in 2005. In the parking sector he has worked fo

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People News Sun, 5 May 2019 14:13:00 GMT 60982
Alpha Parking develops shadowing and mentoring service https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60979/alpha-parking-develops-shadowing-and-mentoring-service

Alpha Parking has launched a personalised training approach for civil enforcement officers and back office staff. The ‘shadowing and mentoring’ training approach involves trainers from Alpha Parking observing and advising parking personnel while they carry out real world tasks. “Shadowing and mentoring differs from other training because it offers a one-to-one service to provide staff with advice and support,” said Alpha Parking director Penny Winder. “The approach

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Training Sun, 5 May 2019 14:06:00 GMT 60979
Source London installs 1000th electric vehicle charge point https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60971/source-london-installs-1-000th-electric-vehicle-charge-point

Source London has installed its 1,000th electric vehicle (EV) charging point in the capital. Source London, which is operated by the Bolloré Group, works with London boroughs and Transport for London to provide EV infrastructure that caters to all types of EV users including taxis, car sharing services, private vehicles, delivery companies and corporate fleets. Christophe Arnaud, managing director of Source London, said: “We are delighted to have reached our 1,000th chargepoint, w

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Business News Sun, 5 May 2019 13:52:00 GMT 60971
PayByPhone goes live in Somerset https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60965/paybyphone-goes-live-in-somerset

Somerset County Council has launched the PayByPhone service. This means drivers can use the cashless services across districts including Sedgemoor, Mendip and Somerset West and Taunton. Steve Deakin, Somerset’s parking services manager, said: “All drivers in Somerset now have the option to go fully cashless and to enjoy the advantages of the services PayByPhone offers. They don’t have to carry cash or cards anymore or worry about running back to top-up the parking before their

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Payment systems Sun, 5 May 2019 13:13:00 GMT 60965
Multi-vendor parking in Cambridgeshire https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60963/multi-vendor-parking-in-cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire has launched a multi-vendor parking service whereby three cashless solutions will be offered at each location.  Cambridgeshire is the first local authority in the UK to introduce a multi-vendor service. Multi-vendor cashless parking is relatively common in Europe but in the UK a single-supplier model has predominated, with tender processes delivering outright contract winners. The new scheme means drivers will have a variety of options and can choose the phone parking servi

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Payment systems Sun, 5 May 2019 13:10:00 GMT 60963
PayByPhone replaces Dash in Enfield https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60962/paybyphone-replaces-dash-in-enfield

PayByPhone replaced Dash as the exclusive cashless parking provider for the London borough of Enfield on 1 May. Drivers can now use PayByPhone’s services to pay for parking at 2,000 on-street and off-street parking spaces in Enfield, including Cockfosters, Enfield Town, Palmers Green and Southgate. Cllr Guney Dogan, Enfield Council’s cabinet member for environment said: “PayByPhone will make parking easier and more convenient for our residents and visitors. Being able to exte

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Payment systems Sun, 5 May 2019 13:06:00 GMT 60962
Dundee living lab launches with JustPark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60961/dundee-living-lab-launches-with-justpark

The introduction of JustPark cashless payment system in Dundee is the first phase of a series of smart city projects to be launched by The MILL – The Mobility Innovation Living Lab. The MILL is a Dundee City Council initiative that enables companies to trial new innovations, establishing the city as a real-life test and experimentation environment for smart mobility solutions. Other trials will be developed over the next year, including a scheme that encourages drivers to park in differen

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Business News Sun, 5 May 2019 13:05:00 GMT 60961
Flowbird brings cashless card payment to Shropshire https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60959/flowbird-brings-cashless-card-payment-to-shropshire

Shropshire Council is offering residents and visitors cashless payment as an option at parking terminals in 10 towns. The council has been replacing its coin-only pay & display machines coming to the end of their working lives The council has installed 115 Flowbird StradaPAL terminals as part of a drive to enhance operational effectiveness while improving the customer experience. The terminals offer contactless, chip & PIN and coin payment options along with a capability to print vouch

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Payment systems Sun, 5 May 2019 13:02:00 GMT 60959
New 100-space car park for Stafford town centre https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60953/new-100-space-car-park-for-stafford-town-centre Stafford Borough Council is planning to create a 100 car park for workers in the town centre. The council has bought land at Fairway to provide more parking for town workers and an existing car park at Riverway, next to the bowling green and Stafford Town Football Club, will be used to provide a further 73 long-stay spaces. The borough council’s cabinet approved an off-street parking order for the two car parks. A report to the cabinet said: “Some improvement works were undertaken o

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Developments Sun, 5 May 2019 12:33:00 GMT 60953
Rhyl car park reopens after renovation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60950/rhyl-car-park-reopens-after-renovation A car park renovation has been completed in time for the opening of Rhyl’s SC2 waterpark, restaurant and hotel development, which is expected to attract tourists and visitors to the North Wales coastal resort. Rhyl Central car park opened on 5 April after a refurbishment that has seen improved signage, two new pedestrian entrances and an additional ramp to improve accessibility, new lighting, ventilation and improved CCTV coverage. New pay & display machines have also been installed

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Construction Sun, 5 May 2019 12:28:00 GMT 60950
Taunton station to get new car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60948/taunton-station-to-get-new-car-park

Plans for the redevelopment of Taunton station have moved a step further as Great Western Railway (GWR) and construction company John Sisk & Son finalised contracts for the multi-million pound regeneration scheme. GWR is working with Somerset West and Taunton Council and the Heart of South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to deliver the scheme. Improvements include a new multi-storey car park, ticket office and entrance as well as additional bike spaces and improved bus and taxi int

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Developments Sun, 5 May 2019 12:24:00 GMT 60948
Belfast multi-storey project gets 20m funding https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60946/belfast-multi-storey-project-gets-20m-funding A £20m development plan to build a 575-space multi-storey car park and new office space in Belfast has been backed by the Northern Ireland Investment Fund. The loan has been granted to developer McCausland for the construction of a new city centre car park on Grosvenor Road. It is anticipated that the car park will release pressure on local car parks and support commercial and hotel developments in the city. Christopher McCausland, director at McCausland, said: “This development wi

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Developments Sun, 5 May 2019 12:21:00 GMT 60946
Ty Pawb The multi-storey art park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60944/ty-pawb-the-multi-storey-art-park

Art and car parks are not natural bedfellows. The association between the two would not normally go beyond provision of parking as an ancillary facility at an arts venue or festival, or commissioning some public art to beautify a car park. In Wrexham, however, the arts have been transplanted into a multi-storey car park through the conversion of some of the structure to form galleries and performance space. The local authority, Wrexham County Borough Council, has handed operation of the car park

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Business News Sun, 5 May 2019 12:10:00 GMT 60944
Minister shares passion for parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60942/minister-shares-passion-for-parking

Parking is a subject I am passionate about. It’s an essential service that facilitates the daily journeys we all undertake. Many excellent parking operators play their part for millions of motorists by providing an easy, fair and transparent experience. I am proud to say that I have worked closely with the industry over the past year and government will continue to work closely with all of you as we work on delivering the Parking (Code of Practice) Act. This Act granted government the po

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Viewpoint Sun, 5 May 2019 11:54:00 GMT 60942
Parkex 2019 was a space to explore the future https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60941/parkex-2019-was-a-space-to-explore-the-future

The latest trends and technologies were showcased and debated at Parkex 2019, which took place at Birmingham’s NEC between 2-4 April. The British Parking Association (BPA) used the three days to explore a wide range of topical issues and raise awareness of campaigns such as the Positive Parking Agenda, Halt the Hate and Baywatch. The BPA Parkex Hub hosted a wide range of topical themes, ranging from the importance of data in mobility, the role of parking in clean air zones, the potential

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Parkex Sun, 5 May 2019 11:52:00 GMT 60941
APCOA wins Stafford council parking contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61018/apcoa-wins-stafford-council-parking-contract APCOA Parking (UK) has been awarded a new five-year contract to provide off-street enforcement services on behalf of Stafford Borough Council. A competitive tendering process saw APCOA secure the contract, which had been held by incumbents OCS since 2008. The new contract, which came into effect on 1 April, sees APCOA’s Local Government Enforcement team providing a range of services including enforcement, car park management, cash collection and the maintenance of pay & display machi

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Business News Sat, 4 May 2019 19:13:00 GMT 61018
Meridian Mobility rebranded as Zenzic https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60986/meridian-mobility-rebranded-as-zenzic Meridian Mobility UK, a partnership between government, academia and the private sector, has rebranded as Zenzic. Zenzic was created in 2017 to help lead the way in self-driving innovation by facilitating a series of demonstration projects. The UK government and industry have so far committed an initial £200m through Zenzic to develop a coordinated national platform of connected and automated mobility (CAM) testing infrastructure. The first £102m was announced under the name Merid

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Business News Sat, 4 May 2019 14:38:00 GMT 60986
Fake disabled bays painted in parking row https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60985/fake-disabled-bays-painted-in-parking-row Unofficial disabled bays on a street in Birmingham have been painted by a contractor for cash. There are about 16 disabled bays on Clarence Road in Sparkhill, but not all are believed to be genuine. Parking problems in the area have seen residents place wheelie bins and cones in spaces, according to the BBC’S Local Democracy Reporting Service. One resident, Faisel Hamood told the BBC: “This has become like a joke, so many disability bays are popping up like mushrooms.” Orys

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Operational Sat, 4 May 2019 14:22:00 GMT 60985
Wandsworth extends Videalert system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61213/wandsworth-extends-videalert-system The London Borough of Wandsworth has added four more camera locations to enforce yellow box junctions and multiple banned turn contraventions. One of these camera locations will be enforcing two different offences simultaneously. The original contract was awarded following competitive trials of all major suppliers. Tim Daniels, sales and marketing director of Videalert, said: “Videalert came out on top with consistently high capture rates, particularly in busy traffic conditions and acro

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ANPR Wed, 1 May 2019 15:28:00 GMT 61213
Blackburn with Darwen red route made permanent https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61212/blackburn-with-darwen-red-route-made-permanent Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is making the use of CCTV cameras to tackle dangerous parking on a key route in the town permanent. The red route was introduced in September 2017 and imposed ‘no stopping or loading’ rules on the designated area. This was the first time that these powers have been used outside London, Birmingham and Edinburgh. The Deregulation Act 2015 enabled highway authorities to enforce red routes via CCTV for congestion management with the Traffic Manageme

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ANPR Wed, 1 May 2019 15:27:00 GMT 61212
Delivering a new approach to local freight https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/61200/delivering-a-new-approach-to-local-freight

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that five business groups across London will be offered a share of £170,000 of funding for innovative projects that will reduce traffic, ease congestion and improve air quality. The schemes being jointly funded by TfL will include schemes to enable cycle freight, enable people to cycle to work and reduce freight vehicle movements on the roads. The funding allocations follow on from the mayor’s recent Freight and Servicing Action Plan and the

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Transport Wed, 1 May 2019 14:59:00 GMT 61200
Audi to discuss self-parking cars at Parking Property 2019 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60937/audi-to-discuss-self-parking-cars-at-parking--property-2019

German carmaker Audi will be discussing the work it is doing developing self-parking cars at the annual Parking & Property conference. The day will also see Gatwick Airport reveal details of its upcoming trial of a parking robot that will marshal cars in one of its surface car parks.The evolution of the connected, autonomous, shared and electric cars will have a profound impact on the design and operation of car parks. A panel of architects, automotive experts and parking operators will addr

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Business News Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:55:00 GMT 60937
Private parking sector to be reformed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60776/private-parking-sector-to-be-reformed The regulation of parking on private land is set to undergo a transformation over the next year following the passing of a new Act of Parliament. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 will require private parking firms to follow a new code of practice and will see the establishment of a new independent appeals service. The new code of practice and appeals services will supersede those developed by the sector’s parking associations: the British Parking Association (BPA) and the Internati

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Enforcement Thu, 11 Apr 2019 14:08:00 GMT 60776
Poplar Play Streets are safe spaces https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60775/poplar-play-streets-are-safe-spaces Roads in Tower Hamlets were closed to traffic on 25 March so that parents and children could enjoy a variety of games, cycling opportunities and performances from local schools. The east London borough’s first ‘Play Street’ took place on Bygrove Street and a section of Ricardo Street in Poplar E14. The event, which lasted from 2.30pm until 5.30pm, was organised by Sustrans, a sustainable transport charity, so that pupils at Lansbury Lawrence Primary School could benefit from a

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Enforcement News Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:59:00 GMT 60775
MPs launch pavement parking inquiry https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60774/mps-launch-pavement-parking-inquiry The House of Commons Transport Committee has launched an inquiry to explore the problems of pavement parking in England and consider possible solutions. Pavement parking is when one or more wheels of a vehicle are on the footpath. This creates obstacles for people wanting to use footpaths, and leads to councils facing additional costs for the repair of damage to surfaces not designed to take the weight of motor vehicles. Lilian Greenwood MP, chair of the committee, said: “Parking on pavem

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Parking Policy Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:49:00 GMT 60774
Pavement parking ban approved in Scotland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60993/pavement-parking-ban-approved-in-scotland

The Scottish Parliament agreed in principle to a new law to implement a nationwide footway parking ban on 4 April. Under current legislation, footway or pavement parking and double parking are not specific offences in Scotland, but section four of the Transport (Scotland) Bill voted contains provisions to prohibit these actions. The Bill replaces current laws on obstruction and pavement parking which are unenforceable. Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking has ca

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Enforcement News Fri, 5 Apr 2019 14:53:00 GMT 60993
Portsmouth care workers fined for misusing Blue Badges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60769/portsmouth-care-workers-fined-for-misusing-blue-badges Three care workers have been found guilty for misusing Blue Badges in Portsmouth. The cases, heard in separate magistrates court hearings, follow investigations by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard that on 26 June 2018, Cheryl Lepota was caught by council enforcement officers using a Blue Badge to park on double yellow lines. The badge was her workplace’s organisational Blue Badge, which can only be used when employees are transporting a disabled client.Le

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Crime Sun, 31 Mar 2019 12:21:00 GMT 60769
Man fined after ignoring 21 parking tickets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60762/man-fined-after-ignoring-21-parking-tickets A man has been fined after ignoring over 20 penalty charge notices issued by a Scottish local authority. David Humphries, used a pay & display car park behind the Iceland store he manages in Galashiels. However, he did not pay PCNs issued by Scottish Borders Council or answer letters asking him to reveal who was driving at the time. Prosecuting, procurator fiscal Graham Fraser told the court: “In relation to all these charges he ignored the correct parking penalty which was not paid.

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Enforcement News Sun, 31 Mar 2019 12:04:00 GMT 60762
Daily Mail attacks local authority parking fees https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60761/daily-mail-attacks-local-authority-parking-fees A national newspaper put parking on its front page, claiming councils are on course to make a £1bn surplus over the coming year. On 8 March the Daily Mail said motorists face charges rising by up to 230% as local authorities finalist their 2019-20 budgets. As well as charging more for car parks, the newspaper said councils are raising the cost of residential permits, and that shoppers and churchgoers will be hit by the end of cheaper Sunday parking in some areas. The Mail said Hampshire,

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Debates Sun, 31 Mar 2019 11:58:00 GMT 60761
Ealing increases fly-tipping fines https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60756/ealing-increases-fly-tipping-fines People caught dropping rubbish on streets of Ealing in west London will be penalised with larger fines. Ealing Council will be increasing on-the-spot fines for dropping cigarette butts, dog fouling and fly-posting from £80 to £150.  The announcement comes after the government increased the maximum penalty charge that can be given to those caught dropping rubbish. The council has decided to impose the highest possible fine to offer the strongest deterrent and ensure offenders

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Enforcement News Sun, 31 Mar 2019 11:50:00 GMT 60756
Tower Hamlets funds new School Streets projects https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60755/tower-hamlets-funds-new-school-streets-projects Primary schools in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets will benefit from School Streets, an initiative to close roads to traffic or restrict the volume of cars passing by schools. Tower Hamlets Council has allocated £200,000 for works to start on 15 schools this year and next year. Each school will get a tailored programme of works to improve road safety and help protect pupils from air pollution. One-way streets to reduce conflicting traffic movement, new crossings and timed restri

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Operational Sun, 31 Mar 2019 11:48:00 GMT 60755
New parking levy powers for Scottish councils get thumbs down in Fife https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60744/new-parking-levy-powers-for-scottish-councils-get-thumbs-down-in-fife Fife Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to officially rule out introducing a workplace parking levy (WPL). This follows a decision by the Scottish Government last month to give local authorities the powers to implement a WPL and a transient visitor levy – or tourist tax – to fund local transport improvements. A commitment to the levy featured in a deal struck between the minority SNP Government and the Green Party to ensure the Greens support the Government&rsq

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Parking Policy Sun, 31 Mar 2019 10:52:00 GMT 60744
Serco launches Respect and Protect campaign https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60759/serco-launches-respect-and-protect-campaign

Public sector outsourcing contractor Serco has launched a zero tolerance policy towards any violence, aggression and abuse directed against staff delivering front line local services. The ‘Respect and Protect’ campaign aims to reduce the increasing number of employees on Serco’s Environmental Services contract being subjected to assaults, threats, abusive and insulting behaviour by members of the public. Serco’s employees deliver a range of front line local services acr

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Operational Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60759
West Sussex cracks down on Blue Badge abuse https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60770/west-sussex-cracks-down-on-blue-badge-abuse

Mid Sussex County Council has successfully prosecuted 14 for Blue Badge parking fraud and another 100 people have been issued official warnings. In the latest case, county council enforcement observed a man using a badge that did not belong to him to park on single-yellow lines near his workplace. The man was found guilty by a jury of using a Blue Badge with intent to deceive. He now has a criminal record and has to pay fines and court costs totalling £7,500 – £1,500 in fines

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Enforcement News Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60770
Herefordshire allocates 150k for car park upgrades https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60742/herefordshire-allocates-150k-for-car-park-upgrades Herefordshire Council has approved expenditure of £150,000 for improving car parking across the county. The programme of works will include improvements to signage and accessibility at the Maylords car park, particularly for those parking with children – including 12 new parent/child spaces. There will be improvements to the car park surface and signage at Merton Meadow car park. Measures to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve safety will be implemented at Garrick multi-storey

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Construction Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60742
Traffic Signs Manual updated https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60752/traffic-signs-manual-d The Department for Transport has published new chapters of the Traffic Signs Manual, through which it provides guidance to traffic authorities and sign designers on good practice in respect of the design and use of traffic signs. The new chapters are:•    Chapter 1: A general introduction and the legislative background •    Chapter 3: Regulatory Signs•    Chapter 4: Warning Signs•    Chapter 5: Road Markings•&n

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Parking Policy Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60752
Lets have informed decisions on the code https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60739/let-s-have-informed-decisions-on-the-code In debates surrounding the passage of Sir Greg Knight’s Parking (Code of Practice) Bill through Parliament, the exchanges in Parliament were mostly positive, but the focus on the motorists’ perspective did mean that the rights and needs of property owners were not always fully articulated or understood. During the debate in the House of Lords, a number of other issues that affect motorists, operators and landowners across the UK were raised by Lord Lucas, and reported in Parking Rev

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Viewpoint Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60739
Carmarthenshire proposes beauty spot parking charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60758/carmarthenshire-proposes-beauty-spot-parking-charges

Carmarthenshire County Council has raised hackles by proposing to introduce parking charges at several popular beauty spots. The council proposes to make an order under the Road Traffic Regulation Acts 1984 and 2004 that would amend the county’s off-street parking order of 2014, which describes the areas subject to enforcement by the authority under decriminalised parking powers. The public had until 22 March to lodge objections. The short-stay car park beside the long beach at Pembrey i

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Operational Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60758
London RoadLab participants announced https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60749/london-roadlab-participants-announced Grid Smarter Cities is among a group of companies that will be able to pilot technologies that could make roads smarter, safer and more inclusive during roadworks as part of the London RoadLab programme. The RoadLab participants are working on a range of solutions, including the use of data to simulate and visualise roadworks, communication tools, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and physical barriers. Grid Smarter Cities will pilot its kerb traffic management system to identify and manage vir

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Technology Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60749
Leicester should have workplace parking levy says Mayor Soulsby https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60745/leicester-should-have-workplace-parking-levy-says-mayor-soulsby

Mayor of Leicester Sir Peter Soulsby has set out his intention of launching a workplace parking levy (WPL) in the city. The Labour mayor said he will hold a consultation on whether to implement some form of WPL if he is re-elected to lead Leicester City Council for a third term in May’s local elections. Soulsby confirmed he was considering a model similar to Nottingham, which became the first, and so far only, UK city to introduce a levy in 2012. Soulsby told the Leicester Mercury newspa

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Parking Policy Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60745
Ashton-under-Lyne suspends phone parking after complaints from traders https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60746/ashton-under-lyne-suspends-phone-parking-after-complaints-from-traders A phone parking payment system introduced in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, at the end of last year has been suspended after traders complained it was affecting business. The RingGo cashless payment system was launched in November 2018, covering 140 spaces in the town centre. Tameside Council said that, having looked at all the evidence and listened to feedback, it had decided to suspend the system. “We are now investigating the most appropriate replacement that meets the needs of

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Operational Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60746
Vehicle keeper liability may come to Scotland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60750/vehicle-keeper-liability-may-come-to-scotland The Scottish Government is considering introducing “keeper liability”, which would mean vehicle owners would have to pay parking charge notices issued on private land where driver cannot be identified. Currently, Scottish private parking companies can only recover unpaid PCNs from the person who parks the vehicle on their land, but there is no obligation for a vehicle owner to reveal the identity of the driver. This would bring Scotland into line with England and Wales, where vehic

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Parking Policy Fri, 29 Mar 2019 11:21:00 GMT 60750
Assisting drivers find parking spaces does save time https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60632/assisting-drivers-find-parking-spaces-does-save-time

Parking technology company Park Assist has announced the results of a five-month long study conducted in collaboration with Brisbane Airport Corporation quantifying the impact of its camera-based smart sensor parking guidance system (PGS) on drivers using the car parks. Dr Poorvi Kaushik, Park Assist’s lead data scientist for the research, believes the study to be the first of its kind in the industry, based on the methodology used and sample size. “In addition to elevating the over

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Technology Mon, 25 Mar 2019 15:48:00 GMT 60632
Milton Keynes Council and BP Chargemaster unveil eight vehicle hub https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60631/milton-keynes-council-and-bp-chargemaster-unveil-eight-vehicle-hub

A universal rapid charging hub that can accommodate eight electric vehicles at one time has been opened by Milton Keynes Council and BP Chargemaster. The hub, which is operating on the Polar public charging network, is located within a minute’s drive of the M1, just off junction 14 at Milton Keynes Coachway. Milton Keynes Council and contractor Ringway designed and built the hub as part of its Go Ultra Low City programme. Funding for the project came from the Office for Low Emission Vehi

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Electric vehicles Mon, 25 Mar 2019 15:46:00 GMT 60631
Chipside heads to Smart City Expo in Taipei https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60630/chipside-heads-to-smart-city-expo-in-taipei

Chipside took part in a Smart City Summit & Expo in Taiwan on 26-29 March. The parking and traffic management IT specialist’s chief executive, Paul Moorby OBE, joined the Department for International Trade (DIT) at the Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei. There were 1,000 booths representing cities, technology advancers and service providers from around the globe. For the expo, the UK DIT has recruited a number of UK companies specialising the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial

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Business News Mon, 25 Mar 2019 15:43:00 GMT 60630
Chipsides CEO receives OBE from HM The Queen https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60629/chipside-s-ceo-receives-obe-from-hm-the-queen

Paul Moorby, chief executive of Chipside, was presented with an OBE at Windsor Castle on 22 March. Moorby was awarded an OBE for services in the New Year Honours list 2019 in recognition of his dedication to continued innovation in the UK parking industry and promoting British technology to governments across the world. A vocal advocate of UK innovation, Moorby has promoted Chipside and UK capabilities in Europe, the Americas and Asia. In February, Moorby attended the Bengal Global Business Sum

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Business News Mon, 25 Mar 2019 15:39:00 GMT 60629
NSL adopts Flowbird Touch technology for Durham PR sites https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60627/nsl-adopts-flowbird-touch-technology-for-durham-p-r-sites

New multi-function touchscreen terminals have been installed at three park & ride sites in Durham. The Cale Web Terminal (CWT) Touch terminals from Flowbird have been acquired by the scheme operator NSL for use at the Belmont, Howlands Farm and Sniperley park & ride sites. The Touch terminals offer site users the ability to order and pay for multiple tickets in a single transaction. Previously, users requiring two or more tickets had to repeat the purchase process multiple times. The n

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Business News Mon, 25 Mar 2019 15:35:00 GMT 60627
ITS experts call for a Digital Highway Code https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60618/its-experts-call-for-a-digital-highway-code- Intelligent transport experts are calling for a ‘Digital Highway Code’ that will define the legal basis for implementation of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) on Britain’s road network. Members of the ITS (UK) have responded to a Law Commission consultation about legal matters surrounding CAVs. The consultation aims to help lawmakers understand what changes to legislation are required to cope with new connected and automated vehicle technology and at what point in the L

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Transport Fri, 22 Mar 2019 16:31:00 GMT 60618
Hull car park closes for inspections https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60613/hull-car-park-closes-for-inspections

One of Hull City Council’s multi-storey car parks closed for safety inspections last month. The Pryme Street car park provides around 500 spaces in the city centre. On 12 March Hull City Council issued a statement reading: “The temporary closure is to allow for investigations and repairs to be conducted.” The council advised drivers to use its other long-stay car parks available in the city centre – George Street, Osborne Street, Francis Street and Trippett Street.

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Operational Fri, 22 Mar 2019 16:20:00 GMT 60613
Steam railway unveils its new car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60612/steam-railway-unveils-its-new-car-park

A new car park has been opened at a steam railway’s station just in time for the start of its 2019 season. The Broadway Railway Station car park officially opened on 5 March in the presence of civic dignitaries and volunteers from the Wychavon area and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR). The GWSR reopened Broadway station over Easter 2018 after almost 60 years of closure. Since then it has carried more than 144,000 passengers, an increase of over 42% compared with the p

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Construction Fri, 22 Mar 2019 16:18:00 GMT 60612
PayByPhone replaces RingGo in Harrow https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60604/paybyphone-replaces-ringgo-in-harrow

PayByPhone has replaced RingGo as the exclusive cashless parking provider for the London Borough of Harrow. From 1 April drivers will be able to use PayByPhone’s services to pay for parking at 90 locations across the borough, covering a total of 3,506 on-street and off-street parking spaces. PayByPhone users can choose to receive text message reminders before a parking session expires. They also have the ability to extend their parking sessions remotely in accordance to the car park&rsquo

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Payment systems Fri, 22 Mar 2019 15:52:00 GMT 60604
FTA publishes new edition of gude to road transport law https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60585/fta-publishes-new-edition-of-gude-to-road-transport-law The Freight Transport Association’s has published the 2019 edition of its Yearbook of Road Transport Law, a reference guide containing information on road transport legislation. The 2019 edition contains sections on general operations, specialised operations, special vehicles, overseas operations, employment law, health and safety legislation and key addresses and contacts, as well as a section on insurance, risk management and loss control. Ian Gallagher, FTA’s head of compliance

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Business News Fri, 22 Mar 2019 14:57:00 GMT 60585
BPA calls for government research into car park fires https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60615/bpa-calls-for-government-research-into-car-park-fires The British Parking Association (BPA) has recommended that the government commission further research on fire risk in parking structures. The BPA’s call for research comes in the association’s response to a call for evidence on views on the future technical guidance contained within Approved Document B (fire safety). Concerns were raised around a general lack of understanding on the topic of fire risk in car parks and subsequently at a BPA Parking Structures Group meeting in Decembe

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Parking Policy Fri, 22 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60615
Private parking sector faces major reforms https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60622/private-parking-sector-faces-major-reforms

The regulation of parking on private land is set to undergo a transformation over the next year following the passing of a new Act of Parliament. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 will require private parking firms to follow a new code of practice and will see the establishment of a new independent appeals service. The new code of practice and appeals services will supersede those developed by the sector’s parking associations: the British Parking Association (BPA) and the Internat

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Enforcement News Fri, 22 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60622
AppyParking to build business case for automated valet parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60621/appyparking-to-build-business-case-for-automated-valet-parking The business case for automated valet parking (AVP) is being built by a partnership between technologists, local authorities and a carmaker. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is investing over £110,000 in the ParkAV project that is led by Yellow Line Parking, the company behind the AppyParking platform. The project partners are Coventry City Council, Milton Keynes Council, the City of Westminster and Jaguar Land Rover. The 12-month study will develop a business model for how AVP might ru

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Business News Fri, 22 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT 60621
Effective parking management is vital for motorists and landowners https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60740/effective-parking-management-is-vital-for-motorists-and-landowners Since the British Parking Association launched its approved operator Scheme jointly with government and DVLA over ten years ago it has been continuously improved through consultation with key stakeholders, including government and consumer groups. The BPA investigates every complaint we receive and regularly make sure our members are adhering to our code. Qualified auditors visit their car parks, make recommendations, and suggest improvements, all with the aim of raising standards. We have expe

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Viewpoint Fri, 15 Mar 2019 10:42:00 GMT 60740
Lords pass private parking reform Bill https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60488/lords-pass-private-parking-reform-bill

A Private Members’ Bill that seeks to reform the regulation of parking on private land looks set to become law after successfully clearing the House of Lords. The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill, which has already passed through the House of Commons, went through the debate and committee stages of the Lords without amendments. It had its third reading in the Lords on 4 March, a procedure known as “order of commitment discharged”. The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill was propos

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Parking Policy Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:25:00 GMT 60488
Minister supports a positive approach https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60486/minister-supports-a-positive-approach

Local government minister Rishi Sunak has written to the British Parking Association giving his support for the Positive Parking Agenda initiative. The Positive Parking Agenda (PPA) is a national campaign designed to build public confidence in the parking sector. The campaign’s aim is to change perceptions, challenge misconceptions about the parking sector and local government’s role and make the parking experience a better one for all concerned. The PPA was devised in 2017 by a gr

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Parking Policy Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:19:00 GMT 60486
Vandal jams up Dunblane PD machines with putty https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60485/vandal-jams-up-dunblane-p-d-machines-with-putty A vandal attacked most of the pay & display parking meters in the Scottish town of Dunblane by blocking their coin slots with a putty-like substance. Stirling Council said six of its eight pay & display terminals in the town were targeted between 9pm on 11 February and 10am on 12 February. The machines on Perth Road and Stirling Road had to be repaired by the council’s contracted engineer. No parts had to be replaced on any of the machines, which were back in operation within days

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Crime Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:18:00 GMT 60485
North Essex partners invest in safer schools streets project https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60484/north-essex-partners-invest-in-safer-schools-streets-project

The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) Joint Committee has set aside £50,000 funding to enable the implementation of a project designed to make parking around schools safer. The 3PR approach created no parking areas around school entrances. 3PR, which represents the three “Parking Rules of Care, Consideration and Caution”, delivers a positive message about school parking and provides advice and guidance to children, parents and carers on safe and considerate parking practi

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Operational Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:15:00 GMT 60484
Glasgow to trial school car-free zones https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60483/glasgow-to-trial-school-car-free-zones

Car-free zones are set to be trialled at seven Glasgow primary schools in a bid to improve road safety for children. The scheme will see temporary pedestrian areas created outside the seven schools for limited periods in the morning and afternoon to help ensure pupils can arrive and leave school safely. The push for the pilot programme follows a series of concerns such as poor and risky driving outside schools, obstructive parking that forces pupils onto the road as well as the issues created b

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Operational Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:13:00 GMT 60483
Stoke CEO to change job after brutal attack https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60480/stoke-ceo-to-change-job-after-brutal-attack A Stoke-on-Trent City Council civil enforcement officer who was kicked in the face for ticketing a car that parked in a disabled bay has decided to take another job within the authority. He said he no longer wants to put his family through the worry. Daniel Fairclough lost three teeth in the assault on The Strand in Longton, Staffordshire last August. The CEO saw the car in a disabled bay without a Blue Badge, and was in the process of ticketing it when two men approached. The driver then bega

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Crime Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:09:00 GMT 60480
Tower Hamlets Council targets drug dealers cars https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60477/tower-hamlets-council-targets-drug-dealers-cars

Drug dealers in an east London borough are having their cars stopped and removed as part of Tower Hamlets Council’s work with police to clamp down on the sale and supply of drugs. Council officers used CCTV to identify drug dealing activity and alert the Metropolitan Police last month. Dealers that have outstanding car parking fines can return to find their car has been moved to the local car pound. The new approach saw three cars stopped and one removed in one week alone. The CCTV opera

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Crime Sun, 10 Mar 2019 15:03:00 GMT 60477
Gwynedd to enforce other bodies car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60476/gwynedd-to-enforce-other-bodies-car-parks

Gwynedd Council is poised to expand its parking enforcement activities at cover car parks belonging to other organisations. The North Wales county, which includes most of Snowdonia National Park, attracts many tourists. Gwynedd’s dispersed rural population is largely dependent on cars to access towns and facilities. Gwynedd Council said it has many years’ experience of decriminalised parking enforcement and there is evidence the service has become increasingly efficient. In 2012, t

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Enforcement News Sun, 10 Mar 2019 14:57:00 GMT 60476
Leeds Stourton park ride gets green light https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60475/leeds-stourton-park--ride-gets-green-light

Leeds City Council’s proposed Stourton park & ride project has been given the go-ahead after changes were made to the design of its landscaping. The park & ride site will provide for 1,200 cars on land between Hunslet Cemetery and Junction 7 of the M621. The site will be served by electric buses running into the city centre via Hunslet Road, which will be modified to create a dedicated bus lane. The planning application was agreed in principle at a panel meeting in January, but c

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Park & Ride Sun, 10 Mar 2019 14:54:00 GMT 60475
Cumbria CEOs get dropped kerb powers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60469/cumbria-ceos-get-ped-kerb-powers Civil enforcement officers in Cumbria now have the power to issue penalty charge notices (PCNs) to vehicles parked partly or completely over a dropped kerb or pedestrian crossing point. A change in legislation to the Traffic Management Act 2004 gives Cumbria County Council’s civil enforcement officers the new power. Keith Little, the council’s cabinet member for Highways, said: “These additional powers will assist in improving the safety of all road users and pedestrians.&rdquo

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Operational Sun, 10 Mar 2019 14:45:00 GMT 60469
Videalert retrofits mobile enforcement vehicles https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60454/videalert-retrofits-mobile-enforcement-vehicles

Videalert will be demonstrating the latest electric mobile enforcement vehicles at Parkex and Traffex. The parking and traffic enforcement specialist will be showcasing a fully electric car and a fully electric scooter, both of which will shortly be going into service. The multi-purpose vehicles have the latest ONVIF-compliant digital HD cameras and a suite of traffic management and enforcement software applications. Videalert is also expanding the range of services provided at its recently ope

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ANPR Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:28:00 GMT 60454
Barbour Logic provides answers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60447/barbour-logic-provides-answers

Barbour Logic develops intelligent correspondence technologies. Its Response Master system is used by local authority back offices to answer challenges from motorists who have received a penalty charge notice (PCN). Response Master’s interactive RM Self-Serve platform provides motorists with immediate online responses to their queries. Barbour Logic director Jason Barbour said: “Automated response solutions empower councils to respond to PCN challenges better, faster and smarter. S

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Payment systems Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:18:00 GMT 60447
TRACE launches debt recovery service for councils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60445/trace-launches-debt-recovery-service-for-councils

TRACE Debt Recovery will be launching a new local authority penalty charge notice (PCN) debt recovery process at Parkex 2019. The new service will build on the company’s experience collecting unpaid parking charge notices issued on private land. TRACE Recovery director Louis Ellis said: “We promote sustainable parking enforcement from the management of parking charge notices through to the collection of unpaid parking charges. With over 30 years of experience in the UK parking indu

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Debt Recovery Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:15:00 GMT 60445
Broxbourne launches cashless parking with PayByPhone https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60441/broxbourne-launches-cashless-parking-with-paybyphone The Borough of Broxbourne is offering drivers cashless parking services in 16 locations. The service will offer motorists an alternative to pay & display parking in key off- street locations providing 1,232 parking spaces. The Hertfordshire local authority decided to roll out phone parking following a trial at the council’s offices. PayByPhone users can choose to receive text message reminders before parking sessions expire and with the app’s ‘extend-from-anywhere’

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Payment systems Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:09:00 GMT 60441
Plymouth City Council chooses IPS https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60440/plymouth-city-council-chooses-ips Plymouth City Council has replaced its central pay & display machines in its car parks with MS1 parking terminals. The city council can link transaction data from the IPS terminals in real-time to its Imperial enforcement system. This enables its civil enforcement officers to check payment information from the machines via their handheld devices. Richard Boultbee, executive director at IPS UK said: “IPS is providing smart technology to parking operators all around the UK, making their

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Payment systems Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:06:00 GMT 60440
Welsh councils opt for IPS PD units https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60439/welsh-councils-opt-for-ips-p-d-units

Three Welsh local authorities have adopted pay & display technology manufactured by International Parking Systems (IPS). Swansea City Council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Newport City Council have all chosen IPS technology to replace existing parking terminals.IPS won a competitive tender run by Swansea City Council for machines to be used in both on-street and off-street locations. The IPS MP1 machines for Neath Port Talbot will be installed on the coast and at country pa

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Payment systems Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:04:00 GMT 60439
IPS expands parking payment footprint across Gloucester https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60438/ips-expands-parking-payment-footprint-across-gloucester

Gloucester City Council has selected payment technology from International Parking Systems (IPS) for the upgrade of its parking machine portfolio. The installation in Gloucester replaces all off-street technology, providing the car park customers in the city with the option of making contactless cashless payments. The project will see the council upgrading existing Parkeon Stelio and Strada units using the IPS Revolution upgrade kits in addition to taking delivery of complete IPS MS1 parking t

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Payment systems Sun, 10 Mar 2019 12:02:00 GMT 60438
House of Commons Library releases guide to review of fire regulations https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60436/house-of-commons-library-releases-guide-to-review-of-fire-regulations The House of Commons Library has published an overview of the building regulation and fire safety review and proposed reforms following the Grenfell fire. Following the tower block fire in 2018, the government asked Dame Judith Hackitt to lead a review of building regulations and fire safety. The House of Commons Library briefing outlines the main recommendations of the Hackitt Review, which reported in May 2018, with the subsequent Implementation Plan published by the Government in December 20

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Operational Sun, 10 Mar 2019 11:59:00 GMT 60436
The parking world is changing https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60426/the-parking-world-is-changing

Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London connects local authorities across England and Wales. PATROL’s primary role is to ensure that there is access to and provision for independent adjudication to its 300-plus member authorities for parking and traffic appeals in England and Wales. This is discharged through the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. PATROL also engages with Members of Parliament, government departments and the Transport Select Committee on behalf of its member authorities. We e

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Viewpoint Sun, 10 Mar 2019 11:17:00 GMT 60426
MPs set out to save our town centres https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60421/mps-set-out-to-save-our-town-centres

Outdated policies and an unfair tax regime must be reformed to create an environment that will allow high streets and town centres to flourish in the future, suggests a report published by the House of Commons’ Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. The MPs call on the government to initiate reform in key planning and taxation areas, including the options of an online sales tax and reforms to business rates, to allow high streets to adapt to changing demand, and compete with

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Case Studies Sun, 10 Mar 2019 11:03:00 GMT 60421
An appeal for reason https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60420/an-appeal-for-reason

To be respected, a parking appeals service needs consistency, independent quality control and substance. As Lord Lucas highlighted during the Second Reading of the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill in the House of Lords in January, effective quality control is a prerequisite for any appeals service. And a recurring theme throughout the parliamentary progress of Sir Greg Knight’s Private Member’s Bill is the need for consistency and fairness in parking practices and appeals. I really c

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Debates Sun, 10 Mar 2019 11:00:00 GMT 60420
Coastal connections https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60419/coastal-connections

The smartphone has transformed the way in which we live, enhancing our ability to access information and services on the move. This mobile connectivity has been embraced by service providers, especially in the parking sector, with public and private sector parking operators across the UK now offering cashless parking via phones. However, there are still areas of Britain where poor signal coverage has proven to a barrier to adoption of mobile parking. This was the case in Argyll & Bute on th

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Enforcement Lead Story Sun, 10 Mar 2019 10:56:00 GMT 60419
What's driving change in the parking sector? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60418/what-s-driving-change-in-the-parking-sector-

Vehicles, highways, urban centres and public transport systems are evolving – fast. In fact, the pace of change is accelerating, and UK councils have the challenge to keep up. Councils face pressure from multiple fronts. On one side, they need to manage their everyday kerbside management challenges: ensuring fair and consistent enforcement that promotes the safe and expedient movement of traffic whilst also promoting and encouraging easy cashless payments for parking. And at the other end

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Debates Sun, 10 Mar 2019 10:47:00 GMT 60418
Data and electricity are the fuels of the future https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60416/data-and-electricity-are-the-fuels-of-the-future

Once a car park was simply somewhere to leave vehicles, but now digital solutions from apps to sensors are transforming the humble parking bay into a high-tech haven. Parking is changing at a rapid rate as technology becomes more sophisticated and cheaper to implement at scale. Already, coins are out and cards are in when it comes to car park payment machines. JLL research shows that in 2017, 44% of car parks took contactless payments, up from 10% in 2014. Yet even these machines may soon become

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Debates Sun, 10 Mar 2019 10:42:00 GMT 60416
British Parking Awards 2019 winners revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60490/british-parking-awards-2019-winners-revealed

Contemporary and 1960s car parks, school streets schemes, charity fundraisers, cycle hubs and digital payment systems make up the eclectic list winners at the British Parking Awards 2019. The British Parking Awards have been presented annually by Parking Review magazine since 2002, and the awards ceremony organised by Landor LINKS is the social highlight of the parking calendar.The ceremony was compered by the comedian Shappi Khorsandi, who revealed that in being evicted first on I’m a Cel

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Awards Fri, 8 Mar 2019 17:30:00 GMT 60490
Turning parking spaces green https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60425/turning-parking-spaces-green-

The Fitzpark project involved the transformation of a loading bay on an urban London street into a temporary seating area, or parklet, for local residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy. The parklet on Windmill Street was jointly funded by the Invest in Arup initiative, The Fitzrovia Partnership and Clean Air Better Business (CABB) as well as from the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund. The parklet was in place for six months in 2017-18 and during a six-week period before and after in

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Case Studies Fri, 8 Mar 2019 11:15:00 GMT 60425
Dragon bites on parking loyalty app https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60414/dragon-bites-on-parking-loyalty-app

An app designed to help drivers get discounted parking won over entrepreneur Jenny Campbell in her final appearance on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. Campbell, whose background is in the cash machine business, was the only Dragon to invest in ParkingPerx, an idea pitched by Chris Read of Newcastle-based ProxiSmart. Read was seeking £80,000 to kick-start his app, which is designed to encourage consumers to visit the high street by giving them parking discounts in exchange for purchase

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Business News Fri, 8 Mar 2019 10:35:00 GMT 60414
German car giants unite mobility platforms https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60464/german-car-giants-unite-mobility-platforms

The BMW Group and Daimler AG are pooling their mobility services to create a new global player providing sustainable urban mobility for customers. The two car companies are investing more than €1 billion (£850m) to develop and intermesh their offerings for car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport. The partnership will see the creation of five joint ventures: •    PARK NOW for parking •    CHARGE NOW for charging&bu

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Business News Fri, 1 Mar 2019 13:08:00 GMT 60464
British Parking Awards finalists announced https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60303/british-parking-awards-finalists-announced

The finalists of the British Parking Awards have been revealed. The short list was selected from a long list of around 120 submissions. The competition was launched by Parking Review magazine in 2002 to recognise and celebrate best practice, innovation and achievement in parking. The 2019 competition encompasses the design and construction of facilities, innovative technologies, community engagement, green thinking, individual achievement and team work. Mark Moran, editor of Parking Review and

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Awards Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:32:00 GMT 60303
The world of traffic and parking is evolving https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60427/the-world-of-traffic-and-parking-is-evolving

Over 160 people gathered in Manchester for the Traffic + Parking conference. Traffic + Parking was devised by Parking Review, Landor LINKS and programme partner PATROL to build on the legacy of the long-running Parking World event. The day opened with PATROL’s chair Cllr Jamie Macrae and director Louise Hutchinson exploring the wide range of rules and regulations for which local authority parking and traffic teams are now responsible. The range of traffic initiatives is increasing, with l

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Editorial Sun, 10 Feb 2019 11:21:00 GMT 60427
Newham holds a debate on future streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60199/newham-holds-a-debate-on-future-streets

An online consultation platform that enables residents to suggest and vote on topics of discussion has been used by the London Borough of Newham to gauge opinions on future parking policy. During January and February Newham held a borough-wide conversation called Our Streets, Transport and Parking. The east London council asked local people to comment on matters relating to roads and the public realm via an interactive digital survey and events across the borough. The conversations took place

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Operational Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:34:00 GMT 60199
The Times endorses workplace parking levies https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60198/the-times-endorses-workplace-parking-levies

Parking is a theme that frequently generates column inches in both local and national newspapers. Press coverage of parking is invariably negative, often focussing on violent disputes over bays and the millions paid by drivers in penalties. But on 19 January it was a good parking story that dominated the front page of The Times, which had decided to lead on the growing number of local authorities looking at introducing workplace parking levies (WPLs). At least 10 councils in England and Scotlan

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Editorial Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:31:00 GMT 60198
Amersham's extended multi-storey car park receives Park Mark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60196/amersham-s-extended-multi-storey-car-park-receives-park-mark

An extension to a multi-storey car park in Amersham has received the Park Mark award for safety and recognised for its high standards of design. The Buckinghamshire town had been experiencing parking stress for a number of years. A survey by Chiltern District Council showed that to accommodate the rising number of users and to continue to support the vitality of the town, an additional 339 to 520 spaces would be required. The council decided to extend the Amersham multi-storey car park, which i

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Safer Parking Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:25:00 GMT 60196
Civil enforcement officers go on strike in Wandsworth https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60195/civil-enforcement-officers-go-on-strike-in-wandsworth Civil enforcement officers working in the London Borough of Wandsworth took four days of strike action. The strike days were 24, 25 and 31 January and 1 February. The CEOs work for Wandsworth’s contractor NSL, which says it has significantly increased pay and offers a range of employee benefits. Paul Grafton, GMB regional organiser, said: “GMB members on the Wandsworth NSL contract do not all have sick pay and it is down to management discretion if you gain sick pay, even if they su

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Enforcement News Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:21:00 GMT 60195
Yes parking patrol officers are getting younger https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60194/yes-parking-patrol-officers-are-getting-younger-

Tameside Council teamed with Greater Manchester Police to organise a road safety week of events at three local schools featuring ‘Junior PCSOs’ giving errant parkers warning tickets, school talks and an Arts Award logbook on road safety. A survey of local head teachers revealed concerns over parents parking across entrances, on footways, on ‘Keep clear’ markings and obstructing crossing points. Parking with engines running also increases pollution and health problems. Ru

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Enforcement News Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:18:00 GMT 60194
PR for Flintshire industrial estate https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60193/p-r-for-flintshire-industrial-estate Flintshire County Council is planning to construct a park & ride facility for employees at one of Europe’s largest industrial estates, where on-street parking has been causing problems. The 2,000-acre Deeside Industrial Park (DIP) in Flintshire, North Wales, provides employment for more than 9,000 people, but has no railway station. Most workers commute by car, leading to parking pressures. In 2017, a Flintshire council report highlighted concerns about inconsiderate on-street parkin

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Park & Ride Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:17:00 GMT 60193
Vale of Glamorgan tackles shop worker parking problems https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60192/vale-of-glamorgan-tackles-shop-worker-parking-problems

A local authority in South Wales is trying to encourage shop workers to park further away from retail areas, to enable more customers to park near their shops.A report by Vale of Glamorgan Council explains: “Many town centre parking spaces are occupied by employees working in those centres which could be freed up for shoppers. The council is working with traders to seek to realise the opportunity to free up parking and encouraging High Street businesses to change their parking behaviour to

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Operational Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:15:00 GMT 60192
Calls for better enforcement in Gwent https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60191/calls-for-better-enforcement-in-gwent

Complaints about problem parking are mounting in an area of South Wales where civil parking enforcement (CPE) is in the pipeline. As Parking Review reported last year, Gwent Police informed five local authorities of its withdrawal of traffic wardens. All five councils resolved to apply for CPE powers and to use the established penalty charge notice (PCN) processing system of nearby Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council as a regional hub. However, the first CPE activity in the Gwent Police are

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Enforcement News Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:13:00 GMT 60191
Essex consults on Chelmsford PR services https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60189/essex-consults-on-chelmsford-p-r-services Essex County Council is consulting with users of the Chelmsford park & ride service on ticket options, fares and opening days. The consultation follows feedback from a park & ride survey conducted in summer 2018 which indicated that parents would like a change to the children’s ticket and passengers would like discounted tickets. The county council now plans to raise the child ticket age from 16 to 18. Currently children are required to stay in education or training until 18, but

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Park & Ride Sat, 2 Feb 2019 12:09:00 GMT 60189
Gwynedd towns set to lose free Xmas parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60185/gwynedd-towns-set-to-lose-free-xmas-parking Gwynedd Council has proposed to end free parking before Christmas and increase car park charges. A consultation ended on 31 January and the results will inform the authority’s financial decisions for 2019/20. Over the last eight years the rural North Wales authority has seen a £14m cut in its funding from the Welsh Government, while its costs have increased by £56m. Almost half of the increase relates to care for the high proportion of elderly people in Gwynedd, which is a pop

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Business News Sat, 2 Feb 2019 11:58:00 GMT 60185
Man jailed for knocking parking officer's teeth out https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60179/man-jailed-for-knocking-parking-officer-s-teeth-out A man who kicked a civil enforcement officer (CEO) in the head, knocking out three of his teeth, has been jailed for 20 months. Grant Saville received a penalty charge notice for parking in a disabled bay without displaying a Blue Badge on The Strand in Longton, Staffordshire, on 19 August. Saville pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. The CEO’s bodycam footage captured Saville threatening violence after finding the ticket when he returne

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Crime Sat, 2 Feb 2019 11:42:00 GMT 60179
Preparing for a new approach to parking on private land https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60172/preparing-for-a-new-approach-to-parking-on-private-land The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill has had its Second Reading in the House of Lords, where it was passed unanimously. The debate included a range of views but overall, we are pleased that the Lords spoke positively about the nature of the Bill, as well as the work of the British Parking Association (BPA), which further demonstrates the diversity and professionalism of our association and the high regard it is held in by government. The Bill itself now moves to the committee stage, expected to

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Debates Sat, 2 Feb 2019 11:18:00 GMT 60172
Landowners need to protect their rights https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60171/landowners-need-to-protect-their-rights

Any move to cap private parking charges could have a profound impact on the interests of landowners and the future viability of parking services in our towns and cities. As chief executive of the International Parking Community (IPC) accredited trade association, I am urging major retailers, landowners and estate managers to raise their concerns to ensure the eleventh hour suggestion by a number of MPs is not included within a new unified code of practice for the private parking industry. Such s

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Viewpoint Sat, 2 Feb 2019 11:15:00 GMT 60171
Setting new standards for parking data https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60167/setting-new-standards-for-parking-data

Increasingly, data underpins everything we do. There are many facets and layers to parking data. There are also many stakeholders who want to have access to and use that data; including search engines, aggregators, vehicle manufacturers, payment apps, private operators and local authorities. It is a pretty complex picture. But what do drivers want? Drivers just want to be able to park easily. That’s the challenge for all of us in the parking sector. All the different entities that hold and

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Technology Sat, 2 Feb 2019 10:45:00 GMT 60167
PayByPhone expands Hertfordshire footprint https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60165/paybyphone-expands-hertfordshire-footprint

PayByPhone has expanded its presence in the south-east of England, adding two local authorities in Hertfordshire to its roster of locations. PayByPhone is based in Hertfordshire and its service is now being offered by Broxbourne, East Herts, Hertsmere, St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield councils. East Hertfordshire District Council launched the cashless parking service across the district on 17 January. The service is available in 26 locations in towns such as Bishops Stortford and Hertford. PayByPh

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Payment systems Sat, 2 Feb 2019 10:41:00 GMT 60165
AppyParking and Visa launch sensor-linked Smart City Parking service in Harrogate https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60161/appyparking-and-visa-launch-sensor-linked-smart-city-parking-service-in-harrogate

A cashless payment system that uses parking bay occupancy data collected by sensors to help drivers locate and pay for their stay via a smartphone app has been launched in Harrogate. The Smart City Parking system has been devised by AppyParking and is being supposed by Visa Europe. AppyParking and Visa are working with North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for on-street parking, and Harrogate Borough Council manages off-street car parks. Visa Europe has provided around £700

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Business News Sat, 2 Feb 2019 10:33:00 GMT 60161
Chelmsford bus gate generates 15m in PCNs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/60190/chelmsford-bus-gate-generates-1-5m-in-pcns Essex County Council has received more than £1.5m from 43,864 penalty charge notices (PCNs) for the misuse of the Duke Street bus gate in Chelmsford, since ANPR cameras were installed in 2017. It had been illegal for most vehicles to drive through the bus gate since 2011. The cameras were introduced in May 2017 to try and enforce the ban on any vehicle except buses, motorbikes, cycles and taxis. An Essex County Council spokeswoman said: “The bus gate in Chelmsford is there for a re

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Enforcement News Fri, 1 Feb 2019 12:11:00 GMT 60190
Parking annual reports Whats your story? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59973/parking-annual-reports-what-s-your-story-

Local authorities are invited to submit their Annual Reports to the PATROL PARC (Parking Annual Reports by Councils) Awards for 2017/18. PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London) is accepting reports from local authorities until Thursday 28 February 2019, with all shortlisted authorities invited to a reception at the House of Commons on 16 July. Louise Hutchison, director of PATROL, says: “Civil enforcement continues to be a headline opportunity for both local and national m

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Awards Fri, 1 Feb 2019 09:48:00 GMT 59973
Company director spat at civil enforcement officer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59889/company-director-spat-at-civil-enforcement-officer A company director shouted ‘f*** the police’ and spat at a civil enforcement officer (CEO) after being issued parking ticket in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Michael Smith admitted a public order offence when appearing before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard. Emma Shea, prosecuting, said: “The parking officer has begun issuing a penalty charge notice to a Vauxhall which was left unattended in a loading area in Bishop Auckland. He has observed the defendant exit a nearby

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Crime Tue, 8 Jan 2019 11:35:00 GMT 59889
Office workers parking upsets villagers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59884/office-workers-parking-upsets-villagers People living in a village in South Wales claim their office workers parking on residential streets pose a hazard to pedestrians. The Swansea Enterprise Park site near Llansamlet is home to organisations such as DVLA and Admiral Insurance. Locals say employees from these companies are parking in front of access ramps, on pavements and obstructing both waste collection and parcel deliveries. There has been recent spate of damage to cars, with a number of parked vehicles being keyed. A Swansea c

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Operational Tue, 8 Jan 2019 11:31:00 GMT 59884
Signs help to identify flood risk car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59858/signs-help-to-identify-flood-risk-car-parks

Car parks in Tyne & Wear that are at risk of flooding are being identified and signed by local authorities in partnership with the Environment Agency. The project is part of the Environment Agency’s ongoing work with local authorities to raise awareness of flood risk in communities and ensure people know how to prepare. People are being warned that driving through just 30cm of water is enough to float a car The first two areas to be identified are the Quayside in Newcastle, near the

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Parking Policy Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:52:00 GMT 59858
Parking datasets to be opened up https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59855/parking-datasets-to-be-opened-up The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a £500,000 competition focussed on opening up local authority parking and traffic management data. The DfT has nominated two categories of data that it considers important to open: real-time traffic management information and parking data.? The DfT’s ‘Funding for Innovation:?Opening Local Authority Transport Data’ competition will provide £500,000 for a set of local authority projects costing between £50,000-&po

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Parking Policy Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:36:00 GMT 59855
Funding boost for rail cycle provision https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59854/funding-boost-for-rail-cycle-provision The Department for Transport is to fund new bike parking facilities at stations across the country. The £1.6m of government investment was announced by cycling and walking minister Jesse Norman in December 2018. Norman said: “Improving cycling access to railway stations is good for cyclists and good for rail users, whether they’re commuters or tourist, and it has terrific knock-on benefits, by improving air quality, reducing obesity and increasing economic productivity.”

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Park & Ride Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:34:00 GMT 59854
School Streets scheme arrives in Tower Hamlets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59850/school-streets-scheme-arrives-in-tower-hamlets

Students from Sir William Burrough Primary School, Stepney planted a cherry tree as part of final works to the borough’s first School Street. The aim of the School Streets programme is to improve local air quality and road safety by reducing congestion and enhance children’s health and wellbeing. The council permanently closed Salmon Road, which leads up to the school, to improve road safety, help protect pupils from air pollution and create a place where children can safely play.

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Operational Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:27:00 GMT 59850
Welsh school pupils create road safety messages https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59849/welsh-school-pupils-create-road-safety-messages

Pupils at Ysgol Llanllyfni in Gwynedd have made signs and delivered letters to neighbouring houses warning drivers about how flouting parking rules risks their safety. Head teacher Geraint Jones said pupils are encouraged to walk to school for their health and the environment. However, Jones is worried irresponsible parking means children cannot see oncoming traffic. “When they get to the road leading up to the school it can be dangerous for them to cross because there are cars parked wh

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Operational Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:26:00 GMT 59849
Brechin meters targeted by vandals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59848/brechin-meters-targeted-by-vandals Parking machines belonging to Angus Council have been vandalised in the Scottish town of Brechin. The meters’ keypads and card slots were damaged by fire during the incidents. The pay & display machines on City Road, Maisondieu Lane, Church Street and Market Street were targeted between 26 November and 2 December. Councillor Mark Salmond said: “There is never any valid excuse for wanton vandalism of this type. Ultimately, it is the taxpayer that has to pick up the cost to repai

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Crime Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:24:00 GMT 59848
100000 fines issued to Blue Badge bay abusers survey reveals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59847/100-000-fines-issued-to-blue-badge-bay-abusers-survey-reveals UK motorists racked up £4.2m in fines during 2017 for abusing disabled parking bays, new research reveals. The survey by Confused.com suggests a total of 97,138 parking notices were issued to drivers caught misusing the UK’s 42,000 council-operated disabled spaces. The figures do not include notices issued to drivers caught in non-council bays, such as those in private car parks and supermarkets. In a related poll of 2,000 motorists, just 8% admitted to parking in disabled parking

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Enforcement News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:23:00 GMT 59847
Scope criticises lack of action against misuse of Blue Badges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59846/scope-criticises-lack-of-action-against-misuse-of-blue-badges A disability charity wants councils to take action against people misusing Blue Badge parking permits. Phil Talbot, from Scope, said thefts of disabled permits were rising. “Stealing Blue Badges isn’t a crime without consequences. They are a vital lifeline for those who genuinely need them,” said Talbot. The charity was responding to analysis by the Press Association that found 94 out of 152 (62%) councils in England did not pursue anyone for abusing the scheme in 2017-18. Th

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Enforcement News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:20:00 GMT 59846
Disabled parking space fines issued in Northern Ireland pass 14m mark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59845/disabled-parking-space-fines-issued-in-northern-ireland-pass-1-4m-mark Motorists in Northern Ireland have been fined £1.4m in the past three years for abusing in disabled bays. More than 16,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued to motorists who used the bays without displaying a Blue Badge. The figures were supplied to BBC News NI by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI). They reveal the number of PCNs issued in 2016, 2017 and in the first nine months of 2018. A total of 4,859 PCNs were issued in 2016 for abusing on-street disabled parking bays. S

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Enforcement News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 17:19:00 GMT 59845
Government funded electric chargepoints smart by summer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59842/government-funded-electric-chargepoints-smart-by-summer All government funded home chargepoints for electric vehicles must use innovative ‘smart’ technology from July 2019, the government has announced. This means chargepoints must be able to be remotely accessed, and capable of receiving, interpreting and reacting to a signal. Smart charging can also reduce high peaks of electricity demands, minimising the cost of electric vehicles to the electricity system – and keeping costs down for consumers by encouraging off-peak charging.

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Electric vehicles Mon, 7 Jan 2019 15:13:00 GMT 59842
Leeds City Council uses RingGo and ParkBee to flag up staff parking areas to public https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59841/leeds-city-council-uses-ringgo-and-parkbee-to-flag-up-staff-parking-areas-to-public

Leeds City Council is the first local authority to adopt a service offered by ParkBee and RingGo that opens up staff parking areas to the general public. The council is opening up new spaces for locals and visitors and generating incremental income from an existing barriered parking site on Swinegate, which can only be accessed via the RingGo cashless parking app. The solution allows the council to turn a staff-only car park into an area that the public can also use. ParkBee’s technology

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Payment systems Mon, 7 Jan 2019 15:11:00 GMT 59841
Videalert cameras tackle dangerous parking in Blackburn https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59840/videalert-cameras-tackle-dangerous-parking-in-blackburn

Blackburn with Darwen Council has installed CCTV cameras to tackle dangerous parking at a key route into the town.Cameras from Videalert have been installed on the A678 at Copy Nook on the Furthergate Link Road, a route that has been widened under the Pennine Reach Scheme to improve the flow of traffic and buses between Hyndburn, Blackburn and Darwen. The cameras have been sited on a ‘red route’ which was introduced in September 2017 to enforce ‘no stopping or loading’ in

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ANPR Mon, 7 Jan 2019 15:06:00 GMT 59840
Manchester Airports Group buys booking agent SkyParkSecure https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59835/manchester-airports-group-buys-booking-agent-skyparksecure Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has acquired SkyParkSecure for an undisclosed sum.MAG plans to use the acquisition of the price comparison and booking agent to provide a greater variety of online parking services to its customers and business partners. SkyParkSecure, trading from the domain SkyParkSecure.com, is based in Blackpool. Its service allows customers to compare and book over 300 parking options across 28 UK airports. In 2017 SkyParkSecure generated revenues of £2.2m. Dean Paili

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Business News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 14:37:00 GMT 59835
Sharpe becomes managing director of Newlyn https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59833/sharpe-becomes-managing-director-of-newlyn

Paul Sharpe has become the managing director of civil enforcement agency Newlyn. Following an introductory period prior to Christmas, he joins the Newlyn team in the company’s 20th year of operation. Sharpe has worked within the enforcement industry since 1985, firstly with John Crilley and Son and latterly with Equita, where he held the position of sales and marketing director. Sharpe will be based at Newyln’s Northampton office. “I am delighted to join the team at Newlyn,&

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People News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 14:33:00 GMT 59833
SoftBank invests in US parking startup ParkJockey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59831/softbank-invests-in-us-parking-startup-parkjockey US parking technology start-up ParkJockey is scaling up its business by acquiring two parking operators. The Miami-based start-up has used help from Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Capital and debt financing from Owl Rock, to acquire Imperial Parking Corporation, a North American-based parking management company often referred to as Impark. The agreement follows ParkJockey’s acquisition of parking management operator Citizens Parking. In December, Japan’s SoftBank also made an investment i

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Business News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 14:29:00 GMT 59831
Brookfield joins Project Centre team https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59829/brookfield-joins-project-centre-team

The Project Centre has appointed Andy Brookfield as the regional director and for Manchester and the North. He will oversee the consultancy’s new Manchester office. Brookfield has over 22 years’ experience in the traffic and transport planning fields, working on both private and public sector projects. His areas of expertise include development planning, the preparation of transport assessments and masterplan schemes, car park design, travel plans, highway infrastructure business c

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People News Mon, 7 Jan 2019 14:25:00 GMT 59829
PATROL will be sharing insights at Traffic Parking 2019 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59827/patrol-will-be-sharing-insights-at-traffic--parking-2019

PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations outside London) is pleased to once again partner with Landor LINKS and Parking Review magazine in the creation of the Traffic and Parking 2019 event, which takes place in Manchester on 22 January. The move to focus on both traffic and parking with this year's event reflects the increasing challenges facing local authorities and motorists in the traffic management landscape. PATROL was keen to be involved in the event to help guide and enrich the conferen

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Parking Policy Mon, 7 Jan 2019 14:10:00 GMT 59827
Call in the retail therapists https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59826/call-in-the-retail-therapists Retail industry experts have called for a community-focused approach to tackling the challenges facing high streets and town centres in a new report. The panel includes representatives from the retail, local government, design, property and community sectors. It was asked to diagnose the issues facing the UK’s high streets and town centres and asked to advise on the best practical measures that central government can take to help. The panel, chaired by Sir John Timpson CBE, has published

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Case Studies Mon, 7 Jan 2019 13:56:00 GMT 59826
BPA produces video guide to parking democracy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59824/bpa-produces-video-guide-to-parking-democracy

The British Parking Association has created a video that explains how its corporate governance structures and processes operate. A link to the video on YouTube has been emailed to all members. It explains the role of the BPA board, council of representatives, and service boards, and encourages members to stand in elections. “The BPA is a not for profit membership association, and our mission is simple - to achieve parking excellence for all,” said Andrew Pester, BPA chief executive.

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Operational Mon, 7 Jan 2019 13:52:00 GMT 59824
Public hearings into Glasgow football parking bans https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59857/public-hearings-into-glasgow-football-parking-bans Glasgow City Council’s plans for parking bans around both Celtic Park and Ibrox Stadium will be discussed at public hearings after more than 2,700 objections were made. Dozens of roads could be blocked off to non-residents on match days under the council proposals. The council said safety issues around blocked junctions, pathways and pavements are behind the move. However, fans of both Celtic and Rangers have raised concerns about disabled access and a lack of public transport in the areas

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Operational Thu, 3 Jan 2019 17:50:00 GMT 59857
Extra CCTV to combat anti-social behaviour in Croydon https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59890/extra-cctv-to-combat-anti-social-behaviour-in-croydon Croydon Council has installed two temporary CCTV cameras in Lansdowne Road and Milton Road to help monitor anti-social behaviour and drug use.Residents called for the camera following their concerns about drug dealing and use in these areas. Cabinet member for safer Croydon and communities, councillor Hamida Ali, said: “We are working with the police to address the community’s concerns. We will not allow anti-social behaviour to make people feel unsafe.” The new cameras are t

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Crime Thu, 3 Jan 2019 11:38:00 GMT 59890
Parking Review the essential read https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59968/parking-review-the-essential-read

Parking Review is the leading source of independent news for the on-street and off-street parking sectors. Every month it looks at the management, enforcement, design and business of parking. Essential readingThe magazine and its online coverage is an essential read for anyone working in the parking and highways management sectors, as well as for facilities managers and property owners running car parks serving airports, shopping centres, supermarkets, hospitals and mixed-use developments. 2019

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Business News Lead Story Tue, 1 Jan 2019 12:50:00 GMT 59968
Parking restrictions proposed for London parkland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59887/parking-restrictions-proposed-for-london-parkland A public consultation has been undertaken on the introduction of parking restrictions at recreation ground in West London. Duke’s Meadows is an open space for informal recreation and a destination for a variety of sports and leisure activities including rugby, hockey, football, rowing, cricket, tennis and golf. The Dukes Meadows Bandstand is an important feature along the promenade and the Thames Path is well used along the river. The area is located on the northern side of Chiswick Bridg

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Operational Fri, 21 Dec 2018 11:33:00 GMT 59887
Traffic Parking The kerbside is the citys front line https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59700/traffic--parking-the-kerbside-is-the-city-s-front-line

Traffic and parking management professionals will be gathering in Manchester during January to discuss issues such as the effective management of the kerbside, preparing Clean Air Zones, creating safer school streets, regulating pavement parking and the case for workplace parking levies. The Traffic + Parking conference on 22 January 2019 will be a forum in which parking and traffic management professionals from both the public and private sectors can gather to discuss the operational issues th

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Enforcement News Lead Story Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:03:00 GMT 59700
Indigo sells UK German Czech and Slovak parking subsidiaries https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59699/indigo-sells-uk-german-czech-and-slovak-parking-subsidiaries

French parking company Indigo has sold its European subsidiaries in the UK, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia to Spain’s Saba Infraestructuras. The sale reflects Indigo’s strategy to focus on priority markets in which it holds a leading position or sees opportunity to become a major operator. Saba, a subsidiary of CriteriaCaixa group, has acquired all shares of Indigo’s companies in the UK, Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The transaction became effective on 11 Decembe

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Business News Wed, 12 Dec 2018 14:43:00 GMT 59699
British Parking Awards deadline extended https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59698/british-parking-awards-deadline-extended

The British Parking Awards 2019 recognises excellence in management, design and innovation in both the on-street and off-street parking sector. To give entrants some extra time refine submissions, the deadline for sending in entry packs has been extended to Thursday 10 January. The diverse nature of the parking sector means that the competition has categories that cover the design and upkeep of buildings, as well as ground-breaking policies, excellent services and innovative technology.&nb

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Awards Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:54:00 GMT 59698
Man who attacked Birmingham CEO jailed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59697/man-who-attacked-birmingham-ceo-jailed A member of a gang who attacked a Birmingham City Council civil enforcement officer has been jailed for nine months. Danyal Bashir, 20, was caught on phone camera footage attacking of CEO Charlie Weston, whose head was repeatedly stamped on in the Alum Rock area.  Birmingham Crown Court was told Bashir attempted to rip the victim’s motorcycle helmet off his head as the NSL patrol officer was dragged off his bike by up to six men on 14 September. Bashir was identified by pol

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Enforcement News Wed, 12 Dec 2018 11:34:00 GMT 59697
Essex schools get no parking zones https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59695/essex-schools-get-no-parking-zones

The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has launched a parking scheme to encourage parents not to drop their children at the front gates of schools.  The Stanway Fiveways Primary School, in Colchester and the Holland Park Primary School in Clacton-on-Sea have created no parking zones, known as a ‘3PR Zone’, outside its entrance to educate parents and pupils about considerate parking practices. 3PR, which represents the three “Parking Rules of Care, Consideration and C

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Enforcement News Wed, 12 Dec 2018 11:29:00 GMT 59695
On the suicide watch https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59693/on-the-suicide-watch

There can be no lower point in the world of parking management than having to experience a suicide incident involving a multi-storey car park. It makes for the bleakest of days and, personally, I feel distinctly hollowed out by such events. Each such tragedy is, of course, absolutely devastating for the individual and their own family and friends. It also adversely affects the parking staff and emergency services involved in the incident. I remember on one of my first days in the role, reviewin

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Viewpoint Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:15:00 GMT 59693
Design of new Liverpool multi-storey unveiled https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59692/design-of-new-liverpool-multi-storey-unveiled

A 1,640-space car park is to be built by Liverpool City Council to replace the King’s Dock multi-storey destroyed by fire on New Year’s Eve. The new car park will serve the Liverpool Echo Arena, which is currently coping with just surface parking and a coach waiting area.  The Monarch’s Quay car park will be built by Willmott Dixon to designs by architect Leach Rhodes Walker. The nine-storey car park has been budgeted at £26m. It is expected to be completed by

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Developments Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:13:00 GMT 59692
IPC plans to provide public sector parking appeals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59689/ipc-plans-to-provide-public-sector-parking-appeals

The International Parking Community (IPC) is seeking to run an adjudication service that decide appeals against penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by local authorities. The IPC currently administers the Independent Appeals Service (IAS), which is an adjudication body for motorists seeking redress where a parking notice has been issued by a parking operator. The IPC’s chief executive Will Hurley signalled an interest in running appeals in the public sector sphere at his association&rsquo

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Enforcement News Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:07:00 GMT 59689
English local authorities see parking surpluses rise again says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59685/english-local-authorities-see-parking-surpluses-rise-again-says-rac-foundation English local authorities are generating a significant surplus from their parking management and enforcement activities, says the RAC Foundation. Councils in England have seen their parking surpluses rise by almost a third (32%) over the past four years, the motoring body says. Total income from both on-street and off-street parking activity was £1.66 billion in 2017-18. Total expenditure was £793m. The RAC Foundation says that in 2017-18, the combined surplus made by the 353 Engli

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Operational Mon, 10 Dec 2018 16:53:00 GMT 59685
Welsh councils make combined surplus of 144m on parking activities says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59684/welsh-councils-make-combined-surplus-of-14-4m-on-parking-activities-says-rac-foundation Welsh local authorities made a combined surplus of £14.4m on their parking activities in the last financial year, analysis by the RAC Foundation suggests. The figure for 2017-18 was 3% higher than the £14m made in 2016-17. The rise was the fifth consecutive annual increase. The data, analysed for the RAC Foundation by consultant David Leibling, comes from the official returns councils make in a standardised format to the Welsh Government on an annual basis. Between them, the 22 coun

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Operational Mon, 10 Dec 2018 16:50:00 GMT 59684
The London adjudicators' view https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59682/the-london-adjudicators-view

The Environment and Traffic Adjudicators (ETA) is the independent appeals tribunal provided under the terms of the Traffic Management Act 2004. They determine civil penalty appeals relating to tickets issued by the London enforcement authorities. Each year the ETA presents a report to the statutory joint committee formed by representatives from the London boroughs, City of London Corporation and Transport for London (TfL). The purpose of the annual report is to provide the committee and the pub

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Viewpoint Mon, 10 Dec 2018 16:36:00 GMT 59682
DMUK calls for more prosecutions of Blue Badge fraudsters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59681/dmuk-calls-for-more-prosecutions-of-blue-badge-fraudsters Disabled charity Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) says it wants to see the Blue Badge Scheme properly administered and enforced. The Blue Badge Statistics for 2017/18 released on 29 November 2018 reveal that the majority of local authorities in England are not taking abuse of the scheme seriously. The number of prosecutions for misuse during this period was 1,251, compared with 1,131 prosecutions which took place the previous year. In 99% of cases, the prosecution was against non-disabled people usin

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Viewpoint Mon, 10 Dec 2018 16:34:00 GMT 59681
Blue Badge thefts up six-fold in five years says LGA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59680/blue-badge-thefts-up-six-fold-in-five-years-says-lga

The theft of Blue Badges used by disabled motorists in England has risen by 45% in the past 12 months and is up sixfold since 2013, the Local Government Association (LGA) reports. The number of people caught abusing the scheme has more than doubled, with 1,215 successful council prosecutions in 2018, up from 535 in 2014. More than two million disabled people use Blue Badges for parking in pay & display bays and for up to three hours on yellow lines. In London, badge holders are exempt from

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Enforcement News Mon, 10 Dec 2018 16:33:00 GMT 59680
Private parking sector on course to issue 68m PCNs a year says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59679/private-parking-sector-on-course-to-issue-6-8m-pcns-a-year-says-rac-foundation Private parking firms are on course to issue 6.8 million a year, the equivalent of one parking charge notice being written every five seconds, the RAC Foundation claims. The motoring research body has analyses information published by the DVLA that shows in the second quarter of 2018-19 the agency sold 1.71 million sets of vehicle keeper records to car parking management companies. These records are used to issue drivers with penalty tickets of up to £100 for alleged infringements of par

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Enforcement News Thu, 6 Dec 2018 17:14:00 GMT 59679
Mobile camera enforcement aids vulnerable people says Welsh council https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59678/mobile-camera-enforcement-aids-vulnerable-people-says-welsh-council Using a camera car to enforce parking regulations at bus stops, schools and pedestrian crossings helps the most vulnerable members of society, according to an authority that recently began its own mobile enforcement.  Rhondda Cynon Taf Council (RCT) is one of several Welsh unitary authorities that have taken up the option of deploying a camera car. RCT began its deployment on 3 September, issuing 172 warning notices in the first fortnight. More than 800 motorists had been caught parking un

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Enforcement News Thu, 6 Dec 2018 17:13:00 GMT 59678
Rhondda Cynon Taf to establish regional PCN processing hub https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59677/rhondda-cynon-taf-to-establish-regional-pcn-processing-hub Five more unitary authorities in South Wales are preparing to take on civil parking enforcement (CPE), using the established back office function of Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) council for processing. Gwent Police has informed Caerphilly, Newport, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent councils of its withdrawal of traffic wardens. In response, all five have resolved to apply for CPE powers. Some will begin enforcement operations in April 2019. RCT is in the South Wales Police area, where traffi

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Enforcement News Thu, 6 Dec 2018 17:12:00 GMT 59677
Thinking inside the yellow box https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59672/thinking-inside-the-yellow-box

Road traffic regulations are normally enforced by police, but declining officer numbers and the difficulty of catching offenders has resulted in little or no enforcement. Local authorities are calling for a more consistent approach to enforcing moving traffic regulations. While many are able to detect and deter unauthorised parking and driving in bus lanes, the picture on regulations covering box junctions and banned turns is inconsistent. Under the Traffic Management Act 2004 local authorities

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Enforcement Lead Story Mon, 3 Dec 2018 13:13:00 GMT 59672
Former global CEO of Fitness First becomes JustPark chairman https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59670/former-global-ceo-of-fitness-first-becomes-justpark-chairman

Oren Peleg, the former global chief executive of Fitness First, has been appointed as executive chairman of JustPark. Peleg specialises in accelerating business growth and was credited with transforming the fortunes of the Fitness First Worldwide health club group. Over the last two decades he has also held senior strategic and operational roles at private equity firm Oaktree Capital Management LP, Terra Firma Capital Partners and McKinsey & Company.  Peleg, who has been supporting Ju

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Business News Mon, 3 Dec 2018 13:01:00 GMT 59670
NCP appoints new property leads https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59669/ncp-appoints-new-property-leads NCP has appointed a trio of leads to its property team as the business seeks over 100 new city centre sites in the coming three years. Nick Gravells has been appointed as head of property asset management. This marks a return to NCP, as he was previously a senior regional surveyor before he left to join Costcutter Supermarkets Group where he was head of property and estates.  Gravells will now take responsibility for the management of NCP’s portfolio and will work with developers an

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Business News Mon, 3 Dec 2018 12:59:00 GMT 59669
Legal and ethical implications of driverless vehicles threaten their future development says French academic https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59658/legal-and-ethical-implications-of-driverless-vehicles-threaten-their-future-development-says-french-academic The legal and ethical implications of driverless vehicles threaten their development, warns research from Université Paris-Saclay. The two main issues that self-transport vehicles face are the protection of personal data and responsibility, says Professor Mélanie Clément-Fontaine, an expert on the impact of AI and data on intellectual property and digital law.  If smart and autonomous machines have the capacity to be trained and make decisions independently, it requir

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Transport Mon, 3 Dec 2018 12:03:00 GMT 59658
ITS professionals split over driverless car investment https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59656/its-professionals-split-over-driverless-car-investment

The UK’s intelligent transport sector appears to be split over whether taxpayers’ money should be spent on the development of driverless cars, the outcome of a debate at the ITS (UK) Summit in Bristol suggests. A panel of experts debated the motion: “This House believes that driverless vehicles are the biggest opportunity for a step change in mobility and therefore it is right that resources and investment are channelled towards them.”  At the end of the 48% agreed

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Debates Mon, 3 Dec 2018 12:00:00 GMT 59656
50m EV network planned for East Midlands https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59651/-50m-ev-network-planned-for-east-midlands A group of local authorities and other public bodies in the East Midlands are planning to invest £50m in creating and running a new electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Efficiency East Midlands (EEM) procurement consortium is made up councils, housing organisations, hospitals, universities and the emergency services. EEM wants to enter into a framework with multiple contractors able to provide EV charging infrastructure, including the supply of charging points, signage, a back office s

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Electric vehicles Mon, 3 Dec 2018 11:47:00 GMT 59651
Hackneys appeals team manages higher volumes of correspondence using Barbour Logic system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59648/hackney-s-appeals-team-manages-higher-volumes-of-correspondence-using-barbour-logic-system

Increased enforcement around schools has led to a significant increase in penalty charge notice (PCN) challenges for the London Borough of Hackney’s correspondence team. Hackney is one of the capital’s three most densely populated boroughs. It is a relatively young borough, with a quarter of the population under the age of 20 and a fifth of residents between 20 and 29 years of age. Air quality and road safety issues around many of the borough’s 78 schools have been a major cau

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IT Mon, 3 Dec 2018 11:42:00 GMT 59648
Cambridge introduces JustPark service https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59642/cambridge-introduces-justpark-service

Cambridge City Council has selected JustPark as the cashless provider for its surface car parks. The JustPark service will also be extended into the council’s multi-storey car parks over the next few months through being integrated with Skidata barrier systems.  The JustPark team were in the council’s car parks during October launching the payment platform and assisting members of the public in accessing the payment app. Cambridge City Council said: “Cashless car parking

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Payment systems Mon, 3 Dec 2018 11:12:00 GMT 59642
PayByPhone offers tips on how to make parking hassle-free this Christmas https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59640/paybyphone-offers-tips-on-how-to-make-parking-hassle-free-this-christmas Cashless parking has proven to be hit in the Dorset resort ofBournemouth, with PayByPhone now processing more than 80,000 transactions per month and 84% of users relying on the app to pay for their parking.  Hannah Fuller, operations director for PayByPhone UK, said: “Cashless parking is becoming very popular with drivers in Bournemouth. We have registered 250,000 unique users in the area over the past year, and the uptake in drivers using the app to pay for their parking is phenomen

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Payment systems Mon, 3 Dec 2018 11:10:00 GMT 59640
RingGo stars in Basingstoke transfer of phone parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59639/ringgo-stars-in-basingstoke-transfer-of-phone-parking

Tesco and Volkswagen plans to install around 2,400 charging bays at up to 600 stores by 2020. The charging bays will be based in Tesco Extra and Superstore car parks throughout the UK, and will be installed by independent public charging network operator Pod Point.  Customers will be able to charge their electric cars using a standard 7kW fast charger for free, or benefit from the use of a rapid 50kW charger for a fee in line with the market rate. Volkswagen has two electric vehicles on t

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Payment systems Mon, 3 Dec 2018 11:07:00 GMT 59639
A day in the life https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59673/a-day-in-the-life

Local authority parking teams across the UK were among the local authority services that took to Twitter on 20 November for the seventh annual #OurDay social media marathon. The 24-hour campaign is organised by the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 370 councils in England and Wales. The LGA encouraged councillors and local authority staff to take a couple of minutes out of their day to explain how they keep their communities running as part of the live tweetathon by using the

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Viewpoint Sun, 2 Dec 2018 13:38:00 GMT 59673
Croydon school pedestrian zones use Siemens camera technology https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59643/croydon-school-pedestrian-zones-use-siemens-camera-technology

Croydon’s enforcement pilot scheme, developed to restrict parking and create safe pedestrian zones outside three schools in Croydon, has now been made permanent.  The council uses an ANPR system that has been designed to operate automatically in an unattended capacity during the morning and afternoon school runs.  Safety concerns had been raised by the public and the schools that led to the council trialling an experimental enforcement scheme outside three schools. The council

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ANPR Sun, 2 Dec 2018 11:14:00 GMT 59643
AppyParking named best parking app by AutoExpress https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59644/appyparking-named-best-parking-app-by-autoexpress Motoring magazine Auto Express has named AppyParking as its favourite parking app following a group test of services that provide parking information and payment services. The magazine tested each function and ranked their individual strengths to see which package gives the best overall experience. Bonus points were awarded to the apps that were “slick to use”, for providing live availability or giving the option of navigating to the car park or street via a mapping app. “The

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Technology Sat, 1 Dec 2018 11:16:00 GMT 59644
MPs back parking code of practice legislation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59686/mps-back-parking-code-of-practice-legislation

Legislation that will see a dramatic overhaul of how parking on private land is regulated and enforced took a step closer to becoming law when the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons on 13 November. It received its first reading in the House of Lords on 26 November and is expected to gain Royal Assent by Easter.  The Bill sets out a legislative framework for a single standard-setting body, single code of practice and a single independent appeals

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Enforcement Fri, 16 Nov 2018 16:56:00 GMT 59686
Haverings fixed penalties for school parking offences unlawful says campaigner https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59523/havering-s-fixed-penalties-for-school-parking-offences-unlawful-says-campaigner The London Borough of Havering has been illegally issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for parking offences outside schools for the past two years, a parking campaigner claims. In November 2016 the council passed Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) making parking a criminal offence outside four primary schools. In response to a Freedom of Information request from parking campaigner Edward Williams, the council revealed that it has issued 678 FPNs for vehicles that “have breached the o

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Enforcement News Wed, 14 Nov 2018 13:04:00 GMT 59523
Wirral works with NSL and JustPark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59514/wirral-works-with-nsl-and-justpark

Wirral Council has confirmed that NSL will continue to run the council’s parking enforcement regime for the next five years, with the option of extending for a further five years. NSL staff will continue to enforce parking regulations, monitor parking permits and support school crossing patrols. The council has also introduced phone parking for the first time, opting to use the JustPark service in 47 on-street locations and 32 car parks. The contract will run for four years with the optio

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Payment systems Sat, 10 Nov 2018 15:07:00 GMT 59514
PATROL cuts costs to member councils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59513/patrol-cuts-costs-to-member-councils PATROL has reviewed the basis for charging for 2018-19 and reduced the level for its 300-plus member authorities in England (outside London) and Wales from 35p to 30p per penalty charge notice (PCN). PATROL’s (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) Joint Committee agreed in January this year to review its charges to member authorities in October and have stated the reduction will be back-dated to April 2018. This reduction follows a five pence reduction from 40p to 35p approved f

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Enforcement News Sat, 10 Nov 2018 15:00:00 GMT 59513
IPC sets out its agenda for years ahead https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59687/ipc-sets-out-its-agenda-for-years-ahead

The International Parking Community used its annual conference to launch its ‘Raising the Bar’ manifesto. The document sets out the organisation’s ambition to push for better parking practices and an improved parking experience to address the negativity, distrust and cynicism felt by some of the motoring public. In his opening address at the conference, IPC chief executive Will Hurley told the 200 delegates at the Hilton Double Tree in Milton Keynes: “We’ve injected

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Partnership Working Thu, 8 Nov 2018 17:03:00 GMT 59687
Brighton Hove's 10th annual parking report shows citys progress https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59390/brighton--hove-s-10th-annual-parking-report-shows-city-s-progress Brighton & Hove City Council has published its tenth annual parking report, using the document to highlight a number of major developments.  The period 2017-18 saw the completion of a large-scale project to replace and upgrade all of the city’s pay & display ticket machines, with over 800 new solar-powered machines on the city’s streets.  The report states that this has given drivers more payment choices, lower maintenance costs, and the reduction of criminal dama

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Operational Sun, 4 Nov 2018 11:59:00 GMT 59390
School Streets launched in Greenwich https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59389/school-streets-launched-in-greenwich

The roads outside four primary schools in the Royal Borough of Greenwich will close to traffic in the mornings and afternoons during term times. The School Streets initiative is designed to cut pollution and make it safer and easier for children to walk and cycle to school. The stretch of roads outside school gates will become pedestrian and cycle only zones at 8am to 9.30am and 3pm to 4pm during term time. The schools and the council will talk to parents and residents about the scheme over t

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Operational Sun, 4 Nov 2018 11:58:00 GMT 59389
Greenwich cracks down on car criminals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59388/greenwich-cracks-down-on-car-criminals

Enforcement officers from the Royal Borough of Greenwich played a key role in an anti-car theft operation in which over 30 vehicles were seized. The officers led Operation Stop-It with colleagues from Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the Environment Agency, Immigration Officers and colleagues from the Metropolitan Police. The officers seized 31 vehicles at New Lyndenburg Industrial Estate in Charlton, including a Range Rover valued at over £10,000, for driving with false numbe

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Crime Sun, 4 Nov 2018 11:56:00 GMT 59388
Essex updates digital TRO mapping following countywide survey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59383/essex-s-digital-tro-mapping-following-countywide-survey

Two parking partnerships from Essex have embarked on a programme of improvements to their traffic regulations. The North and South Essex Parking Partnerships (NEPP and SEPP) are working with software solutions provider Buchanan Computing to create an accessible and interactive map-based inventory of all parking restrictions, lines and signage.  The £250,000 project includes a full roadside survey by consultant Buchanan Order Management of every on-street line, sign and parking area i

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Operational Sun, 4 Nov 2018 11:48:00 GMT 59383
Calderdale appoints APCOA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59379/calderdale-appoints-apcoa Calderdale Council has retained APCOA Parking as its enforcement services contractor.  The new contract covers both on-street and off-street parking enforcement. APCOA will also provide support for special events and supplementary services as required.  The contract has a four-year term, with a possible extension for a further four years.

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Enforcement News Sun, 4 Nov 2018 11:41:00 GMT 59379
Gloucester City Council hires Indigo https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59378/gloucester-city-council-hires-indigo Gloucester City Council has appointed Indigo to undertake off-street civil parking enforcement and management services across 14 car parks in the city. The locations include the Eastgate Centre, Hampden Way Car Park and Station Road Car Park. The new contract is for five years, with the potential for two one-year extensions. Indigo will also undertake car park maintenance tasks such as litter picking and weed control, as well as a monthly deep clean.  Chris Singleton, Indigo’s regio

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Enforcement News Sun, 4 Nov 2018 11:40:00 GMT 59378
TfL funds ideas to minimise the impact of deliveries https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59373/tfl-funds-ideas-to-minimise-the-impact-of-deliveries

Funding has been awarded to six business groups to make deliveries more efficient and reduce congestion in London.  Transport for London (TfL) has awarded over £230,000 to schemes which will focus on consolidating deliveries, but also support cargo bike and electric vehicles. The funding from TfL’s Healthy Streets Fund for Business will be matched by the business groups. The six schemes include the promotion of cycle freight, single suppliers and co-ordination of waste collect

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Transport Sat, 3 Nov 2018 16:08:00 GMT 59373
Business secretary hosts first cross-government working group on future regulation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59372/business-secretary-hosts-first-cross-government-working-group-on-future-regulation The regulation of new mobility modes and technologies was on the agenda of the UK government’s Ministerial Working Group on Future Regulation, which met for the first time on 23 October. The group, chaired by the Business Secretary Greg Clark, is responsible for ensuring the government can shape the regulatory environment for future industries such as driverless cars and Artificial Intelligence.  The new group reflects the government’s drive to transform regulation to support

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Transport Sat, 3 Nov 2018 16:06:00 GMT 59372
Homeless man sets up home in car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59370/homeless-man-sets-up-home-in-car-park A homeless man has turned a parking space in a Cornish car park into his home. Paul Lindsay-Jones, 55, transformed the disabled parking bay in Truro, Cornwall, after being evicted in mid-October. He decked the bay on the fourth floor of the multi-storey with framed pictures, bedding, a sofa made from two chairs, a table, a cardboard carpet and doormat saying ‘Welcome’. He found pictures and furnishings in bins and skips around the city, while other pieces donated by charities. 

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Operational Sat, 3 Nov 2018 16:03:00 GMT 59370
Cambridge cabbies urged to go electric https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59366/cambridge-cabbies-urged-to-go-electric

Taxi drivers in Cambridge are being encouraged to consider switching electric vehicles (EVs) following the launch of rapid charging points.  This is the first phase of a £600,000 project by Cambridge City Council and Greater Cambridge Partnership to install more than 20 rapid chargers for taxis in Cambridge by 2020. Two rapid chargers have been installed at the Adam and Eve car park off East Road, and two at Arbury Court car park.  Two further charging points are being install

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Electric vehicles Sat, 3 Nov 2018 15:58:00 GMT 59366
Dundee is Europe's most visionary EV city https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59365/dundee-is-europe-s-most-visionary-ev-city Dundee was named as the most visionary city in Europe for electric vehicles (EVs) at a ceremony in Japan.  At its annual gathering in Kobe, the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA) presented Dundee City Council with an E-visionary Award for its initiatives to encourage the wider use of EVs. The E-Visionary Award is presented by WEVA to cities and regions from across the globe for initiatives to promote electric vehicles as a sustainable mode of transportation, and for making electric

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Electric vehicles Sat, 3 Nov 2018 15:57:00 GMT 59365
Canterbury delivers digital parking services https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59357/canterbury-delivers-digital-parking-services

Canterbury City Council sees the digitalisation of services as a path to delivering a better and more responsive service to residents, businesses and visitors. The transformation of parking permits has been a pathfinder exercise that has set the standard for future projects across the Kent council.  Canterbury launched a dedicated digital transformation team in 2016 in a bid to explore the potential for simplifying customer transactions and improving customer service levels. The team has d

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Case Studies Sat, 3 Nov 2018 15:21:00 GMT 59357
Camera car will protect school keep clears https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59354/camera-car-will-protect-school-keep-clears-

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council has taken delivery of a new CCTV enforcement vehicle, which will be used to enforce school locations where illegal parking on the yellow ‘keep clears’ has been identified as putting children’s lives in danger.  The mobile enforcement vehicle (MEV), supplied by Videalert, has an unattended operating capability.  Cllr Bob Norton, Redcar & Cleveland cabinet member for economic growth and highways, said: “We know that mea

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ANPR Sat, 3 Nov 2018 15:17:00 GMT 59354
Greenlight for Kerb trials in Belfast and Dublin https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59351/greenlight-for-kerb-trials-in-belfast-and-dublin

Dublin City Council and Belfast City Council are seeking smart, low-cost solutions to optimise freight and cargo deliveries in urban centres in order to reduce the number of goods vehicles and improve air quality and noise pollution.  Six companies have been awarded Phase One innovation contracts to develop their solutions. One is a real-time booking system developed by Grid Smarter Cities that allows local authorities to designate stretches of kerbspace as temporary stopping areas to enab

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Technology Sat, 3 Nov 2018 15:12:00 GMT 59351
Stripe Consulting to design Cirencester multi-storey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59342/stripe-consulting-to-design-cirencester-multi-storey

Cotswold District Council has engaged Stripe Consulting, a specialist in car park structures, to help create a proposed multi-storey car park at the Waterloo surface parking site in Cirencester. Stripe is the lead designer on the project, providing architectural, structural and civil design services, as well as drainage, mechanical and electrical design services. Stripe will also devise the cladding brief for the car park’s façade, which will be used to select a cladding designer v

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Developments Sat, 3 Nov 2018 14:56:00 GMT 59342
Enabling access for all The DMUK Awards 2018 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59332/enabling-access-for-all-the-dmuk-awards-2018

The work of local authority and private sector parking professionals in supporting people with disabilities have been supporting by Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) at its annual awards. DMUK is a national campaigning charity for disabled drivers, passengers and Blue Badge holders. It works with government and businesses to improve parking, refuelling and access provision for disabled people, so that they can access the goods and services that they need. DMUK also campaigns for and supports scooter a

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Awards Sat, 3 Nov 2018 14:25:00 GMT 59332
Building better relationships https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59331/building-better-relationships

Like all relationships, those that work best are the ones where everybody wants to them to work. Most of us have experienced relationships, either personal or in business, that we haven’t really wanted to be involved in. Partnerships generally work best when there is a common goal or objective and all parties benefit from its success. From a local authority’s point of view, joining together with neighbouring authorities to carry out parking management and enforcement makes a lot of s

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Viewpoint Sat, 3 Nov 2018 14:23:00 GMT 59331
The road to wellbeing https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59329/the-road-to-wellbeing

Greater Manchester has a new way of thinking about the role streets have in creating sustainable, healthy and resilient places. The Streets for All approach is a sub-strategy to our 2040 Strategy.  It begins with a focus on the needs of people and place, rather than prioritising the movement of vehicles alone. A key aim of Streets for All is to set out a more integrated approach to the design and management of Greater Manchester’s streets. This will enable us to address multiple agend

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Viewpoint Sat, 3 Nov 2018 14:16:00 GMT 59329
Bristol commits to trial modular ZEDpod houses https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59328/bristol-commits-to-trial-modular-zedpod-houses

Bristol City Council has identified sites available across the city to test and deliver innovative affordable housing solutions over the next five years. Cllr Paul Smith, cabinet member for housing, made the announcement at the Bristol Housing Festival’s launch at City Hall. Smith also committed the council to investing in six rapid-build, modular homes from ZEDpods. The modular homes will to be put up on a site that would normally be seen as undeliverable in terms of conventional developm

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Case Studies Sat, 3 Nov 2018 14:14:00 GMT 59328
Do you live in a car park? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59327/do-you-live-in-a-car-park-

New housing developments seem to be designed around the car, leading to streets dominated by parked cars, suggests a report by Transport for New Homes, a new organisation that aims to bring transport and planning together. The report reveals what Transport for New Homes feels are deep flaws in the planning system which leave new housing developments with inadequate walking, cycling and public transport connections to surrounding areas. With limited facilities locally, residents are for the most

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Case Studies Sat, 3 Nov 2018 14:11:00 GMT 59327
Council-run parking contributes 358bn per year to Londons economy says ITP report https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59191/council-run-parking-contributes-3-58bn-per-year-to-london-s-economy-says-itp-report

Parking management undertaken by councils is an “essential public service” that benefits London’s economy while helping to deal with traffic, improve air quality and ensure better road safety, states a report commissioned by London Councils.  The London boroughs association commissioned consultant Integrated Transport Planning (ITP) to evaluate the cumulative impact of parking management measures such as bays, yellow lines and parking zones.  Benefits of Parking Man

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Parking Policy Sat, 6 Oct 2018 17:21:00 GMT 59191
Bristol looks at congestion and parking levies to fund transport strategy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59190/bristol-looks-at-congestion-and-parking-levies-to-fund-transport-strategy

Bristol City Council has suggested introducing a workplace parking levy or a congestion charge to fund significant investments in public transport infrastructure. The prospect of new levies on motorists is raised in the Bristol Transport Strategy, which sets out how the city’s council plans to tackle challenges affecting journeys such as traffic congestion, growth in housing and jobs, inequality and health problems caused by inactivity and air pollution. A Congestion Task Group has helped

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Parking Policy Sat, 6 Oct 2018 17:19:00 GMT 59190
Scots back clearer rules on private parking says MSP https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59189/scots-back-clearer-rules-on-private-parking-says-msp There is widespread support in Scotland for better regulation of the management of parking on private land, a consultation on proposed legislation indicates. Respondees also want to see an independent appeals service, but do not like the idea of introducing keeper liability, the consultation reveals.  The Privately Operated Car Parks (Scotland) Bill was proposed by Murdo Fraser, Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife. He outlined the results of the consultation for delegates at the Br

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Parking Policy Sat, 6 Oct 2018 17:17:00 GMT 59189
Councils underestimate costs of pavement parking says Living Streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59188/councils-underestimate-costs-of-pavement-parking-says-living-streets

‘Don’t underestimate true cost of pavement parking’: Living Streets  The cost of pavement parking vastly underestimated by councils, says Living Streets Scotland. The walking charity submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament on the costs of the Transport (Scotland) Bill. It called for action to bring forward a national footway parking ban. The Transport (Scotland) Bill 2018 set out plans to introduce a national ban on pavement and double parking to make it easier for

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Operational Sat, 6 Oct 2018 17:14:00 GMT 59188
Pavement trips cost councils at least 21m in compensation says AA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59187/pavement-trips-cost-councils-at-least-2-1m-in-compensation-says-aa

Pedestrians were awarded at least £2.1m in compensation after tripping on pavements in the past year, research by the AA has revealed. The motoring association found that 10,572 people made claims against local councils, although only 859 (8%) were successful. While some councils paid compensation on more than 75% of claims, others made no payouts, despite hundreds of claims. The AA’s Freedom of Information request to 421 councils throughout the UK resulted in 365 responses, repres

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Operational Sat, 6 Oct 2018 17:08:00 GMT 59187
CEO attacked by street gang in Birmingham https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59186/ceo-attacked-by-street-gang-in-birmingham

A civil enforcement officer was dragged off his moped and assaulted by a gang of youths on a Birmingham street. The attack on CEO Charlie Weston, who works for Birmingham City Council’s contractor NSL, took place in the Alum Rock area of the city on 14 September. Video footage of the assault shows a group of young men abusing and stamping on the CEO, including kicking him in the throat and head.  Following the attack, Weston spent four hours at hospital but was back at work the next

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Enforcement News Sat, 6 Oct 2018 17:06:00 GMT 59186
'Drug dealers only' parking spaces highlight London crime https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59181/-drug-dealers-only-parking-spaces-highlight-london-crime

Parking spaces designated for “Drug dealers only” appeared on an east London street last month as residents sought to highlight drug crime. Locals have been concerned about open drug dealing in the area so they commissioned a group of artists called the Columbia Road Cartel to launch the campaign on Sunday 17 September. Penny Creed, vice-chair of the Columbia Road Tenants and Residents’ Association said: “Eight to 10 users congregate on a street waiting for dealers to c

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Crime Sat, 6 Oct 2018 16:57:00 GMT 59181
Tower Hamlets schools to be car-free zones https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59179/tower-hamlets-schools-to-be-car-free-zones-

Parents in Tower Hamlets can ask for temporary street closures Schools in east London will be able to pilot streets closures to cars for a few hours a day where parents are concerned about their children’s health. Tower Hamlets Council is also going to enable ‘Play Streets’, where some roads are closed off at weekends at a community’s request. This is part of #Breathe Clean, a campaign to reduce air pollution in Tower Hamlets, introduced in March 2018.  John Biggs,

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Operational Sat, 6 Oct 2018 16:52:00 GMT 59179
Hertfordshire councils appoint APCOA as enforcement contractor https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59176/hertfordshire-councils-appoint-apcoa-as-enforcement-contractor East Hertfordshire District Council, Stevenage Borough Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council have appointed APCOA Parking (UK) as their parking management contractor. The five-year contract, which comes into effect on 17 January 2019, covers services including the enforcement of on-street and off-street parking, car park management, introduction of a cashless payment solution, cash collection and the maintenance of pay & display machines.  APCOA will be working in partnership wi

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Enforcement News Sat, 6 Oct 2018 16:46:00 GMT 59176
APCOA to process Lincolnshires PCNs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59175/apcoa-to-process-lincolnshire-s-pcns Lincolnshire County Council has appointed APCOA Parking (UK) to run its notice processing service. The five-year contract will see APCOA provide a full back office service to the county’s parking enforcement contract, which is also operated by APCOA.  APCOA is working with parking enforcement IT specialist Chipside to deliver the service. Like the enforcement contract, the notice processing arrangement is a framework agreement that gives districts across the county the option to jo

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Enforcement News Sat, 6 Oct 2018 16:45:00 GMT 59175
DfT clarifies that shared surfaces hiatus only applies to town centres https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59171/dft-clarifies-that-shared-surfaces-hiatus-only-applies-to-town-centres

The Department for Transport (DfT) has conceded a letter that instructed councils in England to pause work on level surface street designs was targeted at town centres and not residential developments. The DfT is now working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to clarify what it means for residential streets. The Local Transport Note 1/11: Shared Space has been temporarily withdrawn. Most observers believe the government’s request for a pause on new pro

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Parking Policy Sat, 6 Oct 2018 16:34:00 GMT 59171
Neville heads to Milton Keynes for OCS Group https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59150/neville-heads-to-milton-keynes-for-ocs-group

Jade Neville has become parking services manager for OCS Group in Milton Keynes. Her new role involves the running and maintenance of parking enforcement provision in the Centre:MK shopping centre. The Milton Keynes role is her latest appointment within facilities management specialist OCS Group. She joined the group’s Legion Parking operation last year after a decade with APCOA Parking. She received the Front Line trophy at the British Parking Awards 2014 in recognition of her work as A

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People News Sat, 6 Oct 2018 11:13:00 GMT 59150
Rochford makes PayByPhone its cashless option https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59145/rochford-makes-paybyphone-its-cashless-option

The PayByPhone mobile parking app is now the only cashless parking option on offer in the Essex town of Rochford. Rather than accept card payments at pay & display terminals, Rochford District Council has opted to provide drivers with a choice of either cash payment at terminals or cashless via phone in 11 town centre car parks.  Using the PayByPhone app means drivers do not have to remember to carry cash to pay to park, said Rochford District Council‘s portfolio holder for enter

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Payment systems Sat, 6 Oct 2018 11:04:00 GMT 59145
All hail King Cashless https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59143/all-hail-king-cashless

Over the past few years technological advancements have revolutionised the way people park. Traditional pay & display machines have faced a technical onslaught from interactive voice response (IVR) phone systems, websites and apps. Behind this rapid evolution is a shift in customer behaviour that is driving parking operators, including local authorities, to focus on cashless payment systems.  The start of the evolution The first parking meters in Britain started operating in Mayfair,

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Technology Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:59:00 GMT 59143
A cure for mixed-use car parks? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59142/a-cure-for-mixed-use-car-parks-

Many car parks have a mix of users, comprising the public, contract customers and permit holders. Parking payment and access control systems can now be configured to distinguish between different user groups using increasingly nuanced algorithms. Cheshire West & Chester Council wanted to find a way of accommodating visitors to the Delamare Street car park in the city that serves both the general public and patients and visitors to four doctor’s surgeries and a sexual health clinic.&nb

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Payment systems Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:57:00 GMT 59142
Solving the clean air conundrum https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59140/solving-the-clean-air-conundrum

While environmental issues do not rank high in the overall list of motorists’ major concerns, a large number are increasingly worried about the impact of vehicles on local air quality, according to the RAC Report on Motoring 2018. Only 12% of the 1,800 drivers interviewed said the environmental impact of motoring is a top-four concern this year, although this is up from 9% in 2017. However, 44% said they are more concerned about the impact of vehicles on local air quality than they were 12

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Debates Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:37:00 GMT 59140
PARKing Day Redefining the kerbside https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59135/park-ing-day-redefining-the-kerbside

Something strange happened on kerbsides and in car parks across the globe on 21 September. Spaces normally used by cars were filled up with chairs, rugs, potted plants and pets. The simultaneous transformation of parking bays into, well, people places in towns and cities around the globe on Friday 21 September was a sign that it was PARK(ing) Day. PARK(ing) Day was launched in 2005 in San Francisco by a design collective called Rebar, which took over a parking bay for a couple of hours to show

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Yellow Lines Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:21:00 GMT 59135
GDPR is here to stay https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59134/gdpr-is-here-to-stay

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was a prominent issue for many in the parking sector earlier this year. After the frenetic (and sometimes frantic!) preparations for the brave new world of GDPR, most parking operators appear to have taken the new data protection legislation in their stride. It was reassuring to see the enthusiastic engagement and high attendance of operators at the nationwide series of training courses run by the International Parking Community (IPC) to help maximis

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Viewpoint Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:20:00 GMT 59134
Thurrock expands use of IPS PD https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59131/thurrock-expands-use-of-ips-p-d

Thurrock Council have added a further 18 machines to their portfolio of IPS MS1 parking terminals to replace its existing stock of machines. Following a really successful deployment of the machines last year the authority chose to replenish their remaining on-street and car park terminals with IPS hardware, all with the latest in contactless payments. Richard Boultbee, executive director at IPS (UK), said: “We are really grateful to Thurrock Council for believing in our product and we kno

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Payment systems Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:12:00 GMT 59131
Tandridge council adopts Flowbird ticketless parking in Oxted https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59130/tandridge-council-adopts-flowbird-ticketless-parking-in-oxted

Tandridge District Council in Surrey is introducing a ticketless parking system that combines automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology and account-based billing.  The council has installed a Flowbird ‘MiniPark with barriers’ system in a car park in the centre of Oxted. This ticketless system integrates vehicle sensors and license plate recognition cameras with barriers on entry and exit lanes.  The MiniPark system allows users to pay for parking in a variety o

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Payment systems Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:10:00 GMT 59130
UK transport innovators hit the accelerator https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59129/uk-transport-innovators-hit-the-accelerator Digital parking specialist AppyParking is among a group of companies that will join the Intelligent Mobility (IM) Accelerator in Milton Keynes. The second cohort of UK businesses successful businesses are working on: making it easier to park; predicting road accidents; managing swarms of autonomous vehicles; and using Blockchain to create an ‘Internet of Mobility’. The IM Accelerator is a partnership between Transport Systems Catapult and Wayra UK, a start-up accelerator that is par

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Business News Sat, 6 Oct 2018 10:07:00 GMT 59129
Preston Bus Station awarded Park Mark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59127/preston-bus-station-awarded-park-mark

The multi-storey car park at Preston Bus Station has been awarded a Park Mark under the Safer Parking Scheme. The car park at the Grade II-Listed building is owned by Lancashire County Council. As part of the recent multi-million pound redevelopment of the building by the county council, work has been completed on the car park levels including repairs to the concrete, improved lighting, new security cameras, and repairs and improvements to the access ramps. The car park was awarded a Park Mar

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Safer Parking Sat, 6 Oct 2018 08:51:00 GMT 59127
Ford Uber and Lyft join SharedStreets data platform https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59122/ford-uber-and-lyft-join-sharedstreets-data-platform

Ford, Uber and Lyft will work together to develop a universal data standard for real-time kerb demand and availability. The car-maker and ride-share companies will work with SharedStreets, Bloomberg’s ‘open transport partnership’, to develop a data platform that will make it easier for the private sector to work with cities around the world and leverage data to improve urban mobility.  The agreement seeks to provide a common standard for sharing data across all cities, wh

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Business News Sat, 29 Sep 2018 15:03:00 GMT 59122
Passport appoints Warnes and Mahendra to lead UK expansion https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59029/passport-appoints-warnes-and-mahendra-to-lead-uk-expansion

Mobile payments specialist Passport has appointed Adam Warnes to head up its UK operations. Warnes was previously head of parking at Westminster City Council. Passport is a US-based company whose product lines span parking payment, parking enforcement, and permit management. It is also active in public transport and road tolling. Its new office will be run by Adam Warnes, who is the newly apppinted vice president of UK operations. Warnes worked at Westminster for over five years, fulfilling a

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Business News Mon, 24 Sep 2018 16:11:00 GMT 59029
Half of councils have problem parking areas survey suggests https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59028/half-of-councils-have-problem-parking-areas-survey-suggests

Over half of UK local authorities have parking problem areas and a third are experiencing an increase in illegal parking, according to a survey conducted for mobile payments specialist Passport. The sector review, carried out by Passport in partnership with survey VIGA, was designed to get a better understanding of the pressures faced by local authorities. It also reveals concerns over the impact of reduced local authority budgets and that new mobility modes such as ride-sharing and dockless cyc

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Operational Mon, 24 Sep 2018 16:07:00 GMT 59028
British Parking Awards 2019 are live https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/59027/british-parking-awards-2019-are-live-

The 2019 edition of the British Parking Awards is up and running. Now in its 18th year, the competition encourages both public and private sector organisations to nominate people and projects that represent the best in parking management, design and innovation. The awards encompass both the on-street and off-street sides of the parking sector. The diverse nature of the parking sector means that the competition has categories that cover the design and upkeep of buildings, as well as ground-break

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Awards Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:37:00 GMT 59027
Watford commissions parking sensor trials https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58920/watford-commissions-parking-sensor-trials

A system for monitoring the occupancy of parking bays is to be developed for Watford in Hertfordshire. Watford Borough Council and the Digital Catapult teamed up to run the Low-Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) Innovation Competition.  There were two strands to the competition: one invited ideas on managing parking?(attracting a £20,000 prize); the other focussed increasing footfall (which has a £10,000 prize). For the parking brief, technology experts were challenged to develop

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Business News Sat, 8 Sep 2018 15:13:00 GMT 58920
Hammersmith Fulham to end use of bailiffs for collecting unpaid Council Tax https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58914/hammersmith--fulham-to-end-use-of-bailiffs-for-collecting-unpaid-council-tax The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham has adopted what it terms ethical debt, which include ending the use of bailiffs for Council Tax collection and helping residents avoid debt in the first place. The project will begin with former tenant arrears and housing benefit overpayments. Other types of debt will be phased in. This means the borough will use the agents to collect unpaid parking and road traffic penalties for the time being. A council spokesperson told Parking Review: “W

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Enforcement Sat, 8 Sep 2018 14:00:00 GMT 58914
Citizens Advice calls to kerb bailiffs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58913/citizens-advice-calls-to-kerb-bailiffs Citizens Advice is calling for better regulation of bailiff firms as it claims households have fallen behind on their essential bills, such as Council Tax and utilities, by an estimated £18.9 billion. The charity suggests that debt levels have risen by 40% over the past five years, when £13.5bn was owed in 2011-12. Citizens Advice reports that it has seen a significant rise in the proportion of calls it receives for help regarding bailiffs, now known as civil enforcement agents. &ldq

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Debates Sat, 8 Sep 2018 13:58:00 GMT 58913
Uniforms for all seasons https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58911/uniforms-for-all-seasons

The UK has been experiencing a heatwave this summer, and there is every sign that the hot weather will last into autumn. A heatwave was officially declared on 22 June and the hot weather lasted through June, July and August. On 6 August the Met Office warned that the warmer than average temperatures could last until October. The record-breaking temperatures have boosted tourism but have also made life difficult, as a widespread drought has resulted in hosepipe bans, crop failures and a number of

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Staff issues Sat, 8 Sep 2018 13:49:00 GMT 58911
Solihull automates correspondence and public engagement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58909/solihull-automates-correspondence-and-public-engagement

Solihull Council in the West Midlands has adopted a pair of sister software systems that have helped it simplify the way it deals with challenges to parking and bus lane fines. The use of correspondence and interactive public information platforms developed by Barbour Logic has enabled the council’s in-house parking team to manage an increase in challenges. The council’s contactor, NSL, fields 24 civil enforcement officers, who cover all on-street parking, as well as the 4,500 spaces

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IT Sat, 8 Sep 2018 13:38:00 GMT 58909
Private parking sector is ready to deliver a single code of conduct https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58907/private-parking-sector-is-ready-to-deliver-a-single-code-of-conduct

As the Parking (Code of Practice) Bill continues to proceed through the parliamentary process, the industry is moving inexorably towards a single code of practice, a move wholeheartedly endorsed by both the International Parking Community (IPC) and the British Parking Association (BPA).  Both Accredited Trade Associations are now in close discussion as steps are taken to create a unified code of practice and submissions are invited following the Bill being committed to Public Bill Committe

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Viewpoint Sat, 8 Sep 2018 13:14:00 GMT 58907
Fitsall leaves Westminster to lead AppyParking expansion into Asia-Pacific region https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58903/fitsall-leaves-westminster-to-lead-appyparking-expansion-into-asia-pacific-region

Kieran Fitsall, former head of service improvement and transformation at Westminster City Council, has joined parking technology firm AppyParking as regional director of Asia-Pacific.  Fitsall, who joins AppyParking with immediate effect, will be based in Sydney, Australia, where he will be looking at new international opportunities across Australia, China and Japan.  Fitsall will support Dan Hubert, AppyParking’s chief executive and founder, in promoting the service to local a

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Business News Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:46:00 GMT 58903
Airport parking scam detected by vehicle tracking device https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58819/airport-parking-scam-detected-by-vehicle-tracking-device Manchester City Council trading standards officers used a tracking device to show that the director of an off-airport meet & greet firm left a customer’s car outside his own home. The trading standards team booked the tracker-fitted car in with PPS Manchester, a company advertising secure off-airport parking. PPS Manchester claimed the car would be parked securely, but it was actually parked at company director Nabeel Khoury’s home in Wythenshawe.  The company was found g

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 16:13:00 GMT 58819
RSPB appeals against decision to block parking fees at Anglesey reserve https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58818/rspb-appeals-against-decision-to-block-parking-fees-at-anglesey-reserve The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has appealed against a council decision to prevent pay & display machines being installed at the South Stack on Holy Island in North Wales. Anglesey Council’s planning committee went against the advice of officers and turned down an application to install P&D machines at Elin’s Tower and the visitor’s centre car parks at South Stack near Holyhead.  Council officers had advised the committee that its only consid

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Operational Thu, 30 Aug 2018 16:11:00 GMT 58818
MPs get a guide to Blue Badges and parking for disabled people https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58814/mps-get-a-guide-to-blue-badges-and-parking-for-disabled-people

The House of Commons Library has produced a briefing paper for MPs on the operation of disabled parking policy in England. It has been written by Louise Butcher, senior policy researcher at the House of Commons Library, who has also produced a briefing paper for MPs on the operation of disabled parking policy in England. Blue Badges and parking for disabled people in England focusses on the permit scheme but also includes information on the provision of parking bays and off-street parking for di

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Parking Policy Thu, 30 Aug 2018 16:00:00 GMT 58814
MPs get briefing on parking policy in England https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58813/mps-get-briefing-on-parking-policy-in-england

A digest of government policies on public and private parking has been published by the House of Commons Library, which provides research, analysis and information services for MPs and their staff.  Two briefing documents on parking have been produced for MPs, one on parking policy and another on the operation of the Blue Badge scheme (see page 49). Both briefings have been authored by Louise Butcher, senior researcher at the House of Commons Library. Parking Policy in England summarises:

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Parking Policy Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:58:00 GMT 58813
Tower Hamlets penalises idling engines https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58812/tower-hamlets-penalises-idling-engines

Tower Hamlets Council is now issuing fines to drivers who leave their engine running when they are parked. The penalty is initially £20 but rises to £40 if it is not paid in 28 days. The new policy is part of the council’s #BreatheClean campaign, which aims to reduce air pollution across the borough. It will particularly focus on drivers who idle outside schools. The council said more than 50% of pollution that damages health comes from cars and other vehicles and 7.4% of all d

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:49:00 GMT 58812
Private parking enforcement activity is soaring warns RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58811/private-parking-enforcement-activity-is-soaring-warns-rac-foundation The RAC Foundation has raised its concerns over what it sees as the rapid increase in the number of parking tickets being issued on private land. Figures published by the DVLA shows that in the first quarter of the 2018-19 financial year private parking companies requested 1,479,152 sets of vehicle keeper records. This is a 14% rise on the 1,299,716 sets of records bought in the same quarter of 2017-18. The data is used by the firms to identify motorists who have been issued parking charge noti

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:43:00 GMT 58811
Charities urge the government to curb pavement parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58810/charities-urge-the-government-to-curb-pavement-parking

Twenty charities and organisations, along with almost 17,000 members of the public, have urged the government to outlaw dangerous pavement parking. In a letter, Guide Dogs and Living Streets called on the government to take urgent action exactly 1,000 days after ministers first promised to tackle the problem of unsafe pavement parking. The letter, signed by groups representing people with disabilities, older people and a wide-range of road users, challenges the government for repeatedly stalling

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Parking Policy Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:40:00 GMT 58810
Doncaster puts payment machines back into phone-only car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58808/doncaster-puts-payment-machines-back-into-phone-only-car-parks

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council has reintroduced pay & display terminals in a car park following a two-year period in which customers were limited to just using the RingGo phone payment service. The council has installed IPS (UK) terminals at the Chappell Drive car park, meaning that drivers now have a choice on how to pay for parking. The new machines accept both coins and contactless cards. Richard Boultbee, executive director at IPS, said: “Providing a choice on how to pay

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Payment systems Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:15:00 GMT 58808
InaParc integrates ANPR and payment systems https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58807/inaparc-integrates-anpr-and-payment-systems

InaParc is working with three other technology companies to offer an integrated management solution that connects payment terminals, automatic number plate reading camera systems and cashless transaction services. InaParc is integrating payment terminals produced by Hectronic GmbH with ANPR enforcement systems produced by ZatPark, a software as a service provider.  These systems are being married with InaParc’s latest products, which have been developed in partnership with cashless

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Technology Thu, 30 Aug 2018 15:13:00 GMT 58807
Sandwell shows there is no profit in parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58805/sandwell-shows-there-is-no-profit-in-parking-enforcement West Midlands council’s parking enforcement operation run at a small loss, reports Patrick McDonnell The cost of enforcing parking restrictions in West Midlands towns such as Oldbury, Wednesbury and West Bromwich outweighs the value of the penalty charge notices (PCNs) being issued, figures from Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council reveal. Statistics on parking enforcement were released by Sandwell following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Birmingham Mail newspaper. The

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 11:06:00 GMT 58805
Pavement parking swoop in Liverpool https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58804/pavement-parking-swoop-in-liverpool A joint action between Liverpool City Council, Merseyside Police and the DVLA resulted in over 20 vehicles being ticketed for obstructing the pavement and their owners issued with Traffic Offence Reports. Nine of the 22 vehicles found parking on pavements in the Tuebrook area of the city were untaxed, with seven being removed by recovery trucks. The action was mounted following concerns raised by the community about vehicles being parked on the pavement causing an obstruction. Sergeant Paul Me

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 11:03:00 GMT 58804
Hounslow considers expanding number of parking patrol officers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58802/hounslow-considers-expanding-number-of-parking-patrol-officers Hounslow Council is looking at significantly increasing the number of civil enforcement officers (CEOs) in the west London borough as way of better policing parking regulations and violations. An increase in the number of CEOs has been recommended in a report to the council because the number of controlled parking zones (CPZ) has increased substantially, with 14 new CPZs coming into operation over the last five years. The number of CEOs on the borough’s streets has not risen since the co

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 10:56:00 GMT 58802
Hackney launches personalised Blue Badge scheme https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58801/hackney-launches-personalised-blue-badge-scheme Hackney Council is proposing to introduce personalised Blue Badge disabled bays in Hackney following requests from resident Blue Badge holders. The aim is to better protect disabled parking for residents who most need it and make parking for other Blue Badge holders simpler to understand. Hackney parking services is proposing to implement personalised bays for all Blue Badge holders who meet the current criteria for a disabled bay, with only the vehicle registered to the personalised disabled

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 10:53:00 GMT 58801
Most polluting vehicles to be banned from east London streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58797/most-polluting-vehicles-to-be-banned-from-east-london-streets Petrol and diesel cars will be banned from nine of the most polluted streets in east London during rush hour in a bid to tackle toxic air. The trial is a partnership between Hackney and Islington councils via the City Fringe Ultra Low Emission Streets scheme. The scheme went live on 3 September. It will prohibit vehicles that emit over 75g/km of CO2 from streets over two zones in the Shoreditch and Hoxton areas between the hours of 7-10am and 4-7pm. Vehicles that can enter the zones during the

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Enforcement News Thu, 30 Aug 2018 10:18:00 GMT 58797
Gemini Parking Solutions names Vadgama as new finance director https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58795/gemini-parking-solutions-names-vadgama-as-new-finance-director

Gemini Parking Solutions has appointed Mahesh Vadgama as its new financial director. With 30 years’ experience in finance, Vadgama was most recently interim group finance director with Minerva Cosmetics, a globally operating SME. He previously spent 12 years as finance and operations director with PSAV EMEA, an organiser of meetings, events and on-site event support services to the hospitality industry. Ryan Jackson, founder and director of Gemini Parking Solutions, said: “At w

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Business News Wed, 29 Aug 2018 09:55:00 GMT 58795
International data standard for parking consultation opens https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58786/international-data-standard-for-parking-consultation-opens

The Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) has announced the launch of the first release of its international standard and is calling on organisations and individuals involved in parking to share their views as part of an industry-wide consultation. Work in creating and developing these common data standards is being done by the APDS, which was formed by the British Parking Association (BPA), the European Parking Association (EPA) and the International Parking Institute (IPI). Additional f

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Parking Policy Tue, 28 Aug 2018 15:37:00 GMT 58786
Stockholm adopts ticketless and cashless machines https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58784/stockholm-adopts-ticketless-and-cashless-machines

The Swedish city of Stockholm has ordered 330 cashless and ticketless payment terminals from German supplier Hectronic.  Municipal company Stockholm Parking has ordered the Citea machines via Hectronic sales partner Modul System SE.  The solar-powered machines feature touchscreen controls that enable users to enter their number plate. Only the actual amount of parking time used is paid for via chip & PIN or contactless cards.  Foregoing cash means that the machines do not n

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Payment systems Tue, 28 Aug 2018 15:27:00 GMT 58784
West Sussex issues parking vouchers in Chichester https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58783/west-sussex-issues-parking-vouchers-in-chichester

West Sussex County Council is allowing local businesses to issue free street parking vouchers in a bid to encourage more visitors to Chichester city centre. The council has given Chichester Business Improvement District (BID) 1,000 books of its on-street parking vouchers to be distributed from September though to the lead-up to Christmas. Businesses can give the vouchers to regular customers for use when picking up orders or to extend appointments.  Roger Elkins, county council cabinet me

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Payment systems Tue, 28 Aug 2018 15:25:00 GMT 58783
Videalert opens enforcement vehicle hub https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58782/videalert-opens-enforcement-vehicle-hub

Videalert has opened a new mobile enforcement vehicle (MEV) engineering hub in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The facility has a fully equipped workshop for fitting out and refurbishing MEVs for the company’s customer base. Videalert’s chief executive Dave Richmond said: “This new facility will enable us to meet the growing need for multi-purpose vehicles, both cars and bikes, with the flexibility to be used for a wide range of parking and traffic management applications. It also repr

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ANPR Tue, 28 Aug 2018 15:21:00 GMT 58782
Council waives parking fine after receiving a poetic appeal https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58780/council-waives-parking-fine-after-receiving-a-poetic-appeal A woman’s poem about having to park on double yellows while going to the toilet charmed a council so much that it waived a fine issued against her car. Jayne Parsons received the penalty charge notice for parking on yellow lines outside her home on Butts* Road in Salisbury on Sunday 12 August. Parsons was loading up her car with homemade cakes and biscuits to be sold in aid of a local riding club.  She knew that she had parked illegally, but decided to appeal in the form of a poem.

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Yellow Lines Tue, 28 Aug 2018 15:05:00 GMT 58780
TfGM seeks operator for Manchesters electric vehicle charging network https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58779/tfgm-seeks-operator-for-manchester-s-electric-vehicle-charging-network

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is seeking a private sector partner to upgrade and expand its electric vehicle (EV) charging point infrastructure. The contract will be worth £58m over five years.  The transport body said it wishes to procure an infrastructure operation and maintenance agreement for the Greater Manchester Electric Vehicle (GMEV) programme. The deadline for expressions of interest is 24 September. The contract is set to commence on 5 April 2019. The GMEV EVCI

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Electric vehicles Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:40:00 GMT 58779
Poole named UK's most electric car friendly town https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58778/poole-named-uk-s-most-electric-car-friendly-town Poole in Dorset is the UK town best prepared for home EV charging, a survey of the housing market indicates. The study, conducted by the car buying comparison website Motorway.co.uk, analysed the property market in towns and cities across the UK to find the areas best suited to electric vehicle (EV) ownership. Areas with the greatest proportion of houses with private, off-street parking were deemed best, as the homeowners would be able to install a charging point and top up their vehicles. In

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News Lead Story Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:29:00 GMT 58778
Superdry HQ staff can now charge electric cars https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58777/superdry-hq-staff-can-now-charge-electric-cars

UK clothing brand Superdry has invested in nine electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints for its Cheltenham headquarters after seeing a rise in the number of employees switching to plug-in cars. Currently, seven of the 700 staff based at the company’s Cheltenham headquarters drive plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) or EVs, up from just one driver in 2016.  Following the new chargepoint installations – which include seven 7kW and two 22kW Pod Point Solos – drivers will be able to leave th

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Electric vehicles Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:28:00 GMT 58777
Scunthorpe retail park offers electric vehicle charging https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58776/scunthorpe-retail-park-offers-electric-vehicle-charging

Electric vehicle drivers visiting the North Lincolnshire Shopping Park in Scunthorpe can now charge while they shop, after managing agent MK2 Real Estate installed a Pod Point twin charger. To use the 7kW chargepoints, drivers need to plug in their EV and confirm their charge using the Pod Point Open Charge smartphone app. Marcello Della Croce, director at MK2 Real Estate, said: “North Lincolnshire is clearly getting on board with the electric vehicle revolution and demand for public char

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Electric vehicles Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:26:00 GMT 58776
Bristol boosts electric vehicle footprint https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58775/bristol-boosts-electric-vehicle-footprint

Bristol City Council has launched new electric vehicle (EV) charging points and converted part of its vehicle fleet to electric. Using £2m of grant money provided by the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) through the Go Ultra Low West project, the council will be adding 120 new public chargepoints across the West of England. The council’s parking services team is taking delivery of six Nissan LEAF cars to use in and around central Bristol. Seven new electric Peugeot Partner van

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Electric vehicles Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:25:00 GMT 58775
VW to launch electric car-sharing service in Berlin https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58774/vw-to-launch-electric-car-sharing-service-in-berlin

Volkswagen is to launch an all-electric car-sharing offering in major cities in Europe and North America under its We Share sub-brand. The programme will be launched in the German capital Berlin, which will be served by 2,000 vehicles. The Berlin fleet will comprise 1,500 e-Golfs when the service begins operating in the second quarter of 2019, with an additional 500 e-up! following later. These vehicles will gradually be replaced by the first models from the new Volkswagen I.D. family from 2020

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Electric vehicles Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:21:00 GMT 58774
Cities should plan now for arrival of autonomous vehicles says Siemens https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58771/cities-should-plan-now-for-arrival-of-autonomous-vehicles-says-siemens

The advent of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) has the potential to cause major and disruptive changes to cities worldwide, claims a report by German technology group Siemens.  The Cities in the Driving Seat: Connected and Autonomous Vehicles in Urban Development report stresses the need for cities to plan early and tackle the issue in a wider context of mobility transformations. The study explores the interdependencies between urban development, public transportation policies, pow

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Transport Tue, 28 Aug 2018 13:55:00 GMT 58771
FiveAI to trial shared autonomous vehicles in London https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58769/fiveai-to-trial-shared-autonomous-vehicles-in-london Autonomous vehicle technology company FiveAI is planning to run its first on-street trial next year. The trial will be aimed at commuters in the south London boroughs of Bromley and Croydon.  The project will commence a 10-month data gathering exercise that will involve five FiveAI vehicles collect information about road conditions, the movement of pedestrians and various vehicles, and other variables to help train its AI platform. These vehicles will have with drivers. Up until now FiveA

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Traffic Management Tue, 28 Aug 2018 13:52:00 GMT 58769
Taxing discussions https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58910/taxing-discussions Edinburgh is the latest city to look into raising money for public transport by taxing company parking spaces. The workplace parking levy is a system that sees local businesses charged for having more than a certain number of parking spaces. Companies can pay the charge or they can get employees to pay. The pros and cons of introducing a workplace parking levy were discussed on the BBC Radio 4 consumer affairs programme You and Yours on 15 August, when presenter Winifred Robinson debated the ide

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Debates Fri, 17 Aug 2018 13:46:00 GMT 58910
Gunman who killed man in Florida parking row will be charged https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58806/gunman-who-killed-man-in-florida-parking-row-will-be-charged A man who shot and killed an unarmed man over a parking dispute in Florida has now been charged with manslaughter, prosecutors say. Michael Drejka, who is white, shot Markeis McGlockton, who is black, after dispute about a disabled parking space on 19 July. Drejka was not immediately arrested due to the state’s ‘Stand your ground’ law, designed to protect those claiming self-defence after a violent incident. His bail has been set at $100,000 (£78,000). According to the

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Crime Fri, 17 Aug 2018 13:05:00 GMT 58806
City of London to introduce emissions-based parking charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58684/city-of-london-to-introduce-emissions-based-parking-charges

On-street parking charges based on a vehicle’s emissions levels have been introduced in the City of London. On 20 August charges will increase for polluting vehicles low and and dropped for zero emission capable vehicles.  The initiative is designed to improve air quality and reduce nitrogen oxides and particulates by encouraging motorists to consider using cleaner vehicles. The on-street parking tariff in the Square Mile was previously £1.20 for every 15 minutes. Drivers of e

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Parking Policy Wed, 15 Aug 2018 14:34:00 GMT 58684
Let's make the Blue Badge reforms work https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58674/let-s-make-the-blue-badge-reforms-work

On 29 July the Department for Transport (DfT) released its Blue Badge consultation: summary of responses and government response. This followed a public consultation about eligibility issues in relation to the Blue Badge (Disabled Parking) Scheme particularly with regards to non-visible disabilities. The consultation received a total of 6,349 responses from members of the public, local authorities, groups representing disabled people and other organisations including People’s Parking.

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Debates Thu, 9 Aug 2018 19:56:00 GMT 58674
It's time to make transport truly inclusive https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58673/it-s-time-to-make-transport-truly-inclusive

The Department for Transport (DfT) has set out its Inclusive Transport Strategy (ITS), which aims to improve accessibility for disabled people across the UK’s transport network. It is hoped that the measures set out in the strategy will make travel fully accessible and inclusive for disabled passengers by 2030. This strategy was produced following the Accessibility Action Plan (AAP) consultation, which received over 1,000 responses from disabled people and passenger groups. In parallel to

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Debates Thu, 9 Aug 2018 19:53:00 GMT 58673
No-deal Brexit could cause gridlock warns Dover council https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58671/-no-deal-brexit-could-cause-gridlock-warns-dover-council A no-deal Brexit could see the M20 in Kent become an almost permanent 13-mile long lorry park, Dover District Council has warned in its assessment of plans being made by the Highways Agency. The assessment by Dover council has expressed concern over how ports would cope with a potential ‘no-deal’ situation. The council’s document is critical of what it regards as the slow pace of work on a scheme to manage potential tailbacks on the motorway. Cllr Nigel Collor, Dover’s ca

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Operational Thu, 9 Aug 2018 19:47:00 GMT 58671
Wandsworth expands cashless parking provision https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58573/wandsworth-expands-cashless-parking-provision

Wandsworth Council is rolling out almost 800 new cashless and contactless pay & display across the borough, starting this month. The London council has ordered around 590 new Flowbird StradaPAL cashless and around 200 StradaPAL coin and card machines, which will be installed in line with the council’s terminal estate renewal and refresh programme, which started in 2014.  The initiative includes the replacement of a number of older machines that are at the end of their useful work

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Payment systems Thu, 2 Aug 2018 14:42:00 GMT 58573
City of Paris works with Renault on electric mobility plan https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58772/city-of-paris-works-with-renault-on-electric-mobility-plan

The City of Paris has teamed up with French car-maker Groupe Renault to develop an electric mobility strategy. The partnership envisages a series of short, medium and long-term actions in favour of the development of connected and autonomous electric vehicles (EVs). Initially, Groupe Renault will roll out a commercial offer of electric mobility for Parisians, Ile-de-France residents and visitors, starting in September 2018. The projects include: electric bicycle offered via Marcel from Gro

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Electric vehicles Wed, 1 Aug 2018 14:09:00 GMT 58772
People with 'hidden disabilities' will qualify for Blue Badges says DfT https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58569/people-with-hidden-disabilities-will-qualify-for-blue-badges-says-dft

People with hidden disabilities, including autism and mental health conditions will be given access to Blue Badges, the Department for Transport has confirmed. The Blue Badge scheme already means those with physical disabilities can park closer to their destination than other drivers, as they are less able to take public transport or walk longer distances. This will now be extended to those with less visible conditions early next year. The changes follow an 8-week consultation and are being bi

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Parking Policy Mon, 30 Jul 2018 17:03:00 GMT 58569
RSPB to appeal after Anglesey rejects parking meters plan for South Stack https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58564/rspb-to-appeal-after-anglesey-rejects-parking-meters-plan-for-south-stack The RSPB is appeal against Anglesey Council’s refusal of planning permission for pay & display machines at a reserve in North Wales.  Anglesey Council’s planning committee went against the advice of officers and turned down an application install meters at Elin’s Tower and the visitor’s centre car parks at South Stack near Holyhead.  Council officers advised the committee that its only consideration should be the merits of the machines and not necessarily

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Operational Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:45:00 GMT 58564
Scale of assaults on Welsh council staff revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58560/scale-of-assaults-on-welsh-council-staff-revealed Council workers in Wales, including civil enforcement officers (CEOs), have been attacked almost 6,500 times in the last four years, according to research by BBC Wales. The broadcaster sent a Freedom of Information Act enquiry to all Welsh councils. The responses revealed that in the four years from April 2014, council employees were attacked at work 6,421 times, with at least 3,500 of these being physical assaults. However, the real numbers could be much higher as City of Cardiff Council, the

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Crime Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:39:00 GMT 58560
Croydon to retain free parking bays and cheap residents permits https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58556/croydon-to-retain-free-parking-bays-and-cheap-residents-permits The cost of residents’ parking permits and free parking bays will be protected under planned revisions to charges across Croydon. The current fee for a first resident’s parking permit would remain and short-stay free parking bays in 11 district and local centres across the south London borough would be preserved under plans considered by councillors last month. The aim of the changes is to ensure empty parking bays are available for drivers when they are needed while also applying a

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Operational Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:25:00 GMT 58556
Oxfordshire councils to look at taking over parking enforcement from police https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58554/oxfordshire-councils-to-look-at-taking-over-parking-enforcement-from-police Two district councils in Oxfordshire district councils have agreed to explore ways in which parking enforcement could be taken off the police.  South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are looking at ways of making enforcement more responsive and freeing up police time.  Thames Valley Police is responsible for the enforcement of all on-street restrictions across the rest of Oxfordshire, except Henley and Abingdon, where town councils are responsible for enforcing s

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Enforcement News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:23:00 GMT 58554
Canterbury launches 'park pedal' scheme https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58553/canterbury-launches-park--pedal-scheme

Canterbury City Council has launched a ‘park & pedal’ scheme at one of its park & ride sites. The council is offering free parking at its Wincheap site for people who then cycle into the city rather than take the bus. A new 28-space cycle compound, which can only be accessed via a key card and is available 24/7, has been built to provide secure storage for bikes. Maintenance equipment is also available. There are two signposted routes into the city: the Chartham to Canterbu

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Park & Ride Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:21:00 GMT 58553
Vienna to pilot school run driving ban https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58552/vienna-to-pilot-school-run-driving-ban Parents of a school Vienna are to be banned from driving their children to school during the morning. The Austrian capital is to conduct a two-month pilot at the Vereinsgasse primary school in the Leopoldstadt district of the Austrian capital.  Cars will no longer be able to use the roads around the school between 7.45 and 8.15am, though cyclists will be able to use the thoroughfare. The new restrictions will see barriers at the street’s entry point in order to close the road to veh

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Operational Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:14:00 GMT 58552
How a small fine turned into a massive legal bill https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58551/how-a-small-fine-turned-into-a-massive-legal-bill An Australian man’s insistence on taking a parking fine costing around £50 all the way to the country’s supreme court cost a local authority the equivalent of almost £25,000 in legal fees. Andrew Crowther received the A$93 parking from Whitehorse Council in the Nunawading district of Melbourne, Victoria. Crowther was fined in May 2017 for violating a road regulation after he parked his mobile home in a disabled parking bay. He appealed after local law officers issued hi

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Enforcement News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:13:00 GMT 58551
Halton will not be refunding Mersey Gateway toll charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58548/halton-will-not-be-refunding-mersey-gateway-toll-charges Halton Borough Council has said it will not refund toll fees paid by users of the new Mersey Gateway river crossing. A review hearing earlier this year upheld a Traffic Penalty Tribunal decision that five motorists were not liable to pay the toll or charge for using the road bridge, which opened in October 2017. The adjudicators had found that the council had not specified the sum of the charge in the Mersey Gateway Road Charging Order 2017.  The council remedied this situation by issuing

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Enforcement News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:09:00 GMT 58548
Restoring Preston's Brutalist masterpiece https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58547/restoring-preston-s-brutalist-masterpiece

Preston Bus Station, a massive structure that combines a bus terminus and multi-storey car park, has reopened after a major refurbishment. The building is an iconic piece of Brutalist architecture. The bus station and 1,000-space car park was designed by Keith Ingram and Charles Wilson of Building Design Partnership (BDP), engineered by Ove Arup and built by John Laing. Its façade is defined by the white ‘scallop shell’ balconies formed at the edge of the parking decks that ri

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Case Studies Mon, 30 Jul 2018 15:42:00 GMT 58547
English councils are set to generate 900m surplus from parking says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58546/english-councils-are-set-to-generate-900m-surplus-from-parking-says-rac-foundation Local authorities in England are predicting to make a joint surplus of almost £900m from their parking operations in the current financial year, reports the RAC Foundation. The official figures supplied to government by the 354 local authorities (including Transport for London) forecast that they are on course to generate a combined ‘profit’ of £885m in 2018-19. This is a 13% rise on the £786m they forecast for financial year just ended, 2017-18, the final outturn f

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Case Studies Mon, 30 Jul 2018 15:34:00 GMT 58546
Devon wins Best Overall Report award at PATROL PARC Awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58545/devon-wins-best-overall-report-award-at-patrol-parc-awards

Devon County Council was named overall winner of the PARC (Parking Annual Reports by Councils) Awards at a ceremony held the Houses of Parliament. The awards, launched by Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London (PATROL) in 2009, promote and share best practice among councils in the production of parking annual reports. The competition recognises local authorities that have “articulated and communicated on parking enforcement in their area in a compelling, well-structured way”

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Case Studies Mon, 30 Jul 2018 15:23:00 GMT 58545
Hammerson calls halt to Brent Cross expansion https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58539/hammerson-calls-halt-to-brent-cross-expansion

Hammerson has put its £1.4bn plan to extend north London’s Brent Cross shopping centre on hold. Hammerson, which owns Brent Cross with Standard Life, feels the currently turbulent retail market means the expansion plans would be too risky. The project, which would have seen the mall almost double and size and receive a new multi-storey car park, had been due to start on site in the summer and complete in 2022. Hammerson chief executive David Atkins made the announcement when reveal

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Developments Mon, 30 Jul 2018 14:17:00 GMT 58539
Q-Park to roll-out of LED lighting across Europe https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58538/q-park-to-roll-out-of-led-lighting-across-europe

Q-Park is to upgrade the lighting systems across its European estate under a single contract. Around 100,000 luminaires will be replaced in 200 car parks across seven countries. The operator has awarded a contract for the supply, installation and maintenance of light emitting diode (LED) lighting to Future Energy Solutions (FES).  The turnkey solution incorporates all elements of the implementation process, from survey and design, to installation, commissioning and maintenance. The roll-ou

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Construction Mon, 30 Jul 2018 14:15:00 GMT 58538
Francis takes Redbridge's civic pride brief https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58531/francis-takes-redbridge-s-civic-pride-brief

Barry Francis has been appointed as the London Borough of Redbridge’s operational director of civic pride, a role that encompasses parking. He joins Redbridge from parking contractor NSL, where he has been director of local government accounts for the past two years. Francis started his parking career as an attendant at NCP in 2003, before taking on administrative roles with the operator and Brighton & Hove City Council before moving into management capacities at the London Borough o

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People News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 13:09:00 GMT 58531
Hectronic invests in software provider https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58527/hectronic-invests-in-software-provider

Hectronic has invested 24% in the software development and IT consulting company Hypermedia, which is based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.  Hypermedia developed the CityLine management system used by Hectronic. Paul Fratila, Hectronic’s parking product manager, said: “Hypermedia is responsible for our web and mobile based software solutions, such as for our intelligent parking management software CityLine, which is already used by over 10,000 parking ticket machines. This is a real

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Business News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 13:03:00 GMT 58527
ParkCloud to expand shareholder base https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58524/parkcloud-to-expand-shareholder-base

Parking reservation specialist ParkCloud is expanding its shareholder base with investment partner Mercia Fund Managers allowing the company to move forward with a new ownership structure. Mercia Fund Managers’ equity stake, which has been invested through funding from its £45.1m EV Growth II Fund, will enable co-founders Joe Kennedy and Mark Pointon to step down, and ParkCloud’s founder and current managing director Mark Pegler to focus on the continued growth of the company

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Business News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 12:55:00 GMT 58524
Barbour Logic founder takes the reigns as new tech chief joins https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58523/barbour-logic-founder-takes-the-reigns-as-new-tech-chief-joins

Jason Barbour is resuming his role as managing director of Barbour Logic, which provides automated back office and public engagement solutions for the parking sector.  The move comes as Barbour Logic’s current managing director leaves the company and it also appoints a chief technology officer. In recent years Barbour has focussed on product development, with business development being managed by Fiona Deans, who been managing director since 2016.  Deans was tasked with helpin

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Business News Mon, 30 Jul 2018 12:54:00 GMT 58523
OLEV and Innovate UK offer 40m for electric vehicle charging projects https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58519/olev-and-innovate-uk-offer-40m-for-electric-vehicle-charging-projects

Up to £40m in grant funding is being made available to UK businesses to develop and demonstrate new ways of charging electric vehicles.  The funding comes from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK, which is part of UK Research and Innovation. UK government’s new Road to Zero strategy sets out a vision of nearly all cars and vans being zero emission by 2050. A major challenge will be to grow the UK’s charging infrastructure quickly enough to make electric v

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Electric vehicles Mon, 30 Jul 2018 12:03:00 GMT 58519
Management of 400m electric vehicles charge fund opens to bidders https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58518/management-of-400m-electric-vehicles-charge-fund-opens-to-bidders

Bidding has opened for the management of the government’s £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund, which will support businesses to build electric vehicle chargepoints across the country and boost jobs in the industry. The government wants to make it easier for the public to own ultra-low emission cars, helping to improve air quality and protect the environment. The bidding process follows the launch of the Road to Zero Strategy, which sets out the government’s long ter

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Electric vehicles Mon, 30 Jul 2018 12:01:00 GMT 58518
Source London launches Powermystreet https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58516/source-london-launches-powermystreet

Source London is offering the capital’s residents the chance to share their preferred charge point locations via an online tool. The EV chargepoint network operator believes the Powermystreet engagement campaign will boost the development of London’s EV infrastructure across the city. Powermystreet is an online tool that will enable residents and businesses to demonstrate demand by mapping where they want EV chargepoints. The tool will now have the ability to select their preferred

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Electric vehicles Mon, 30 Jul 2018 11:54:00 GMT 58516
SEA ROADflow camera system deployed at Bedford schools https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58511/sea-roadflow-camera-system-deployed-at-bedford-schools Bedford Borough Council has deployed 20 traffic camera detection systems outside schools to help improve child safety. The council has adopted the SEA ROADflow system, which captures details of vehicles that stop in a specific area and for longer than defined location permits. These cameras are automated and re-deployable, and can use existing road lighting columns. The technology also allows two lanes to be monitored with a single camera. Encrypted communications use the mobile network to trans

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ANPR Mon, 30 Jul 2018 11:05:00 GMT 58511
Cardiff expands camera enforcement system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58510/cardiff-expands-camera-enforcement-system Cardiff Council has expanded is road traffic enforcement network, installing ten more cameras to enforce yellow box-junctions and unlawful manoeuvres The council is using a system designed and installed by SEA. The new cameras will join 30 SEA Flexi and Motion roadside cameras already in operation in the Welsh capital as it seeks to reduce the congestion impact of traffic growth. The city’s moving traffic offences scheme to help persuade more commuters to switch from cars to buses. 

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ANPR Mon, 30 Jul 2018 11:04:00 GMT 58510
Sensors enable smarter parking of cars in Venice https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58506/sensors-enable-smarter-parking-of-cars-in-venice

Venice, famous for its canals and gondolas, is a popular tourist destination. Parking in the canal areas is necessarily scarce, and there is great pressure on what parking exists in the mainland Mestre area of the city. The city of Venice has thus opted for an app and sensor solution to improve on-street parking in two paid-parking zone. It has opted to install a sensor-based vehicle detection system in a total of 1,949 parking bays.  SENSIT enables motorists to find an available parking

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Technology Mon, 30 Jul 2018 10:58:00 GMT 58506
Canterbury to expand ticketless parking operation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58500/canterbury-to-expand-ticketless-parking-operation Canterbury City Council is expanding its use of camera and barrier-controlled ticketless parking. Canterbury claims it has more council-run public car parks featuring automatic number plate recognition systems (ANPR) than any other local authority in the country. The council is increasing the number of car parks covered by ANPR to 16, following a trial in four car parks over the last two years. The new ticketless regime will begin with the city’s three park & ride sites this month, be

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Payment systems Mon, 30 Jul 2018 10:49:00 GMT 58500
Private parking code takes shape https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58679/private-parking-code-takes-shape

Proposed legislation that will create a single code of practice for the private parking management sector is now being discussed by a committee in the House of Commons. The new code would be overseen by the government and supersede ones drawn up by the two UK parking organisations – the British Parking Association and Independent Parking Community. Adhering to the code of practice will enable parking companies to access vehicle keeper data held by DVLA when they are seeking settlement of u

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Parking Policy Lead Story Fri, 20 Jul 2018 08:28:00 GMT 58679
55% of drivers oppose UK-wide ban on pavement parking survey suggests https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58298/55-of-drivers-oppose-uk-wide-ban-on-pavement-parking-survey-suggests

A majority of people are against a UK-wide pavement parking ban, a survey undertaken by YourParkingSpace suggests. The online parking marketplace undertook the survey in the wake of the Scottish Government’s decision to proceed with a nationwide pavement parking ban. The survey of 500 people reveals that 55% of respondents do not want to stop motorists from being able to park their cars on a pavement. The YourParkingSpace research indicates that 10% of motorists park on a pavement every

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Enforcement News Thu, 5 Jul 2018 14:51:00 GMT 58298
Online service goes live for parking and bus lane penalty appeals in Scotland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58297/online-service-goes-live-for-parking-and-bus-lane-penalty-appeals-in-scotland

Motorists across Scotland can now appeal parking and bus lane penalties online using a new service introduced by the Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal. The body, which deals with appeals rejected by councils, launched its online platform this month.  The platform being used is a customised version of the Fast Online Appeals Management (FOAM) system developed by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal for England and Wales outside London. Motorists receiving a penalty in areas where parking is decrimina

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Enforcement News Thu, 5 Jul 2018 13:23:00 GMT 58297
Nottinghamshire deploys new CCTV car at schools https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58296/nottinghamshire-deploys-new-cctv-car-at-schools Nottinghamshire County Council has deployed a second CCTV enforcement vehicle to deter dangerous and inconsiderate parking outside schools. Councillors agreed to the new car following the high demand for the current vehicle, which has been helping enforce ‘keep clear’ markings outside schools since March 2016. Latest figures show that 1,500 penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been issued to motorists since March 2016, with two-thirds of these (around 1000) PCNs for dangerously and i

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Enforcement News Wed, 4 Jul 2018 22:10:00 GMT 58296
Surrey Heath urges parents to 'park smarter' around schools https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58295/surrey-heath-urges-parents-to-park-smarter-around-schools

“Park Smart and put children’s safety first” is the message being delivered to parents in Surrey. Surrey Heath Borough Council has teamed up with Surrey County Council and Police to encourage safer parking around schools, particularly at drop-off and pick-up times. The partnership says parking on pavements, zigzags and yellow lines surrounding schools, reduces space and visibility for drivers and pedestrians, making accidents more likely, especially at busy times.  The

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Enforcement News Wed, 4 Jul 2018 22:08:00 GMT 58295
Slough extends Indigo's parking enforcement contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58294/slough-extends-indigo-s-parking-enforcement-contract

Slough Borough Council has awarded Indigo a new five-year parking enforcement contract. Indigo has worked for the council since 2010. The contractor has made a commitment to employee development, sustainability and technical innovation. The company will upgrade the Berkshire town’s entire pay & display machine portfolio. It has also pledged to use only electric vehicles and bikes and launch an apprenticeship scheme. The company will replace the current fleet of vans with an electric

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Enforcement News Wed, 4 Jul 2018 22:05:00 GMT 58294
Scottish Government backs private land Bill https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58293/scottish-government-backs-private-land-bill The Scottish Government is giving its backing to a Bill aimed at regulating the management of parking on private land.  SNP transport minister Humza Yousaf supported the Regulation of Privately-Operated Car Parks (Scotland) Bill, proposed by Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser during a legislative session discussing the separate Parking Code of Practice Bill, which is currently making its way through the Parliamentary process in Westminster. Fraser has been working with Sir Greg Knight MP, spon

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Parking Policy Wed, 4 Jul 2018 22:04:00 GMT 58293
Curfew imposed on man for spitting at parking officer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58287/curfew-imposed-on-man-for-spitting-at-parking-officer Curfew for man who spat at CEO A Workington man has been placed on an electronic tag after assaulting a civil enforcement officer in Cumbria. Thomas Clough, 31, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and using threatening behaviour when he appeared at North and West Cumbria Magistrates Court in Workington last month. Rachel Parker, prosecuting, told judge Gerald Chalk that Clough had parked on a restricted loading bay on Upton Street in Workington. When the CEO asked him to move, Clough became a

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Crime Wed, 4 Jul 2018 21:49:00 GMT 58287
Portsmouth cracks down on parking fraudsters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58285/portsmouth-cracks-down-on-parking-fraudsters Portsmouth City Council has undertaken its 100th successful prosecution for parking fraud. Since 2009 the authority’s civil enforcement team has been pursuing people attempting to avoid paying penalty charge notices, abusing parking permits and misusing disabled Blue Badges in order to park for free. The average fine imposed on each offender has been £500. Many of the offenders were prosecuted for multiple offences of fraud and dishonesty, with 279 separate crimes being recorded.&n

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Crime Wed, 4 Jul 2018 21:46:00 GMT 58285
Scottish pavement parking ban draws closer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58284/scottish-pavement-parking-ban-draws-closer The Transport (Scotland) Bill will introduce a national ban on pavement and double parking to make it easier for local authorities to ensure pavements and roads are  safer and more accessible.  The Bill states: “The Scottish Government’s intention is to undertake a nationwide publicity campaign involving local authorities, Police Scotland and other stakeholder groups prior to the commencement to ensure there is widespread awareness of the new prohibitions.” Transpor

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Parking Policy Wed, 4 Jul 2018 21:43:00 GMT 58284
Sheffield machine attacks cause damage costing 60k https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58283/sheffield-machine-attacks-cause-damage-costing-60k Attacks on parking machines have cost Sheffield City Council around £60,000, a new financial report has revealed. Although the amount of cash stolen in attacks during May 2017 was relatively small, the cost of replacing the damaged machines was significant, according to a report for the audit and standards committee.  The report stated: “Although the cash stolen in each case was only small in relation to the efforts taken by the criminals, the cost of replacing the machines is

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Crime Wed, 4 Jul 2018 21:42:00 GMT 58283
The kerb is the key to the city https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58278/the-kerb-is-the-key-to-the-city

The kerbside is a transition zone between the road and pavement. There is a great deal of competition for this space, with pedestrians, drivers, freight companies, public utilities and many other organisations competing for access and use. Cities are now also having to manage growing competition for kerb access due to the rise of ride-sharing services and the growth in urban goods delivery, both of which are challenging traditional ways of managing kerb space. It is becoming increasingly clear

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Case Studies Wed, 4 Jul 2018 20:32:00 GMT 58278
The moving image https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58277/the-moving-image

The Swedish city of Gothenburg is undergoing an intense development phase. In the coming 20 years, the city’s population will grow by almost a third. The construction period will entail major challenges, including congested roads and heavy queues in rush hour.  Public transit agency Västtrafik wants to tell people about the problems and show that public transport is part of the solution. Lars Backström, CEO of Västtrafik, says: “The traffic situation will be heav

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Case Studies Wed, 4 Jul 2018 20:26:00 GMT 58277
How Glasgow is creating smarter streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58276/how-glasgow-is-creating-smarter-streets

The streets of Glasgow are set become smarter and more attractive spaces. The Avenues programme will see key Glasgow city centre streets redesigned to protect and prioritise space for cyclists and pedestrians, improve connectivity, introduce sustainable green infrastructure through attractive streetscapes and enhancing biodiversity and improve the way public transport is accommodated. The £115m project is being funded through the Glasgow City Region City Deal. Councillor Susan Aitken, le

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Consultations Wed, 4 Jul 2018 20:24:00 GMT 58276
Parking is finding its voice https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58272/parking-is-finding-its-voice

Every day millions of journeys end in a parking space. We all want to live in a cleaner, safer, less congested world, yet without effective parking management there would be chaos, and access to places and people would be significantly harder. The British Parking Association (BPA) is the recognised and leading authority within the parking sector. We have 50 years’ worth of experience. We work closely with government, stakeholders and members on driving excellence in parking for all. We do

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Viewpoint Wed, 4 Jul 2018 19:59:00 GMT 58272
New BPA president backs a positive approach to parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58271/new-bpa-president-backs-a-positive-approach-to-parking

Delivering a consistent and professional service to motorists is a key ambition for Zulfiqar Ali, the new president of the British Parking Association (BPA) on 27 June. Ali, who took up the office at a reception held at the House of Commons on 27 June, is now the voice of a parking organisation that has over 700 corporate members drawn from both the public and private sectors. Ali takes over from Peter Lowe, managing director of consultant RTA Associates. It was confirmed that John McArdle will

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Profiles Wed, 4 Jul 2018 19:52:00 GMT 58271
JustPark completes roll out of service in Dorset https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58267/justpark-completes-roll-out-of-service-in-dorset

PaParking technology provider JustPark completed the roll-out of its cashless payments service across Dorset in June. JustPark’s cashless payments service went live in North Dorset, West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland, and Dorset County on 18 June. The Borough of Poole, Swanage Town Council and Purbeck District Council car parks switched over to JustPark at the end of May.  The seven contracts cover payments at 189 car parks in total, including both on-street and off-street sites.

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Payment systems Wed, 4 Jul 2018 19:24:00 GMT 58267
Response Master 40 makes it debut https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58263/response-master-4-0-makes-it-debut

Barbour Logic unveiled the next generation of its letter-generating system at Parkex 2018.  Response Master 4.0 has been totally redesigned to deliver  greater efficiencies for local authority parking teams.  The new system builds on Barbour Logic’s decade of experience of developing correspondence systems for its 65 local authority customers.  Response Master 4.0 harnesses new web development methods and usability practices to offer back office teams an “intui

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IT Wed, 4 Jul 2018 19:18:00 GMT 58263
The street is our catwalk https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58261/the-street-is-our-catwalk

Keltic Clothing staged a fashion show celebrating the changing look of parking patrol officers at Parkex 2018. The fashion show saw members of the British Parking Association team don a range of uniforms ranging from those worn by police traffic wardens in the 1960s and ‘70s, local  authority parking attendants in the 1980s and ’90s, and more contemporary looks adopted by civil enforcement officers. “The fashion show had a lot of positive feedback,” says David Bar

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Uniforms Wed, 4 Jul 2018 19:12:00 GMT 58261
IONITY network opens first EV service station in Switzerland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58255/ionity-network-opens-first-ev-service-station-in-switzerland

IONITY, a Europe-wide electric vehicle (EV) charging network being established by a consortium of carmakers, has opened its first service station. The fast charging facility is now operational at Neuenkirch on the A2 motorway in Switzerland.  IONITY is a joint venture formed by BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche. By 2020, IONITY plans to operate a network of approximately 400 fast charging stations across 24 European countries. 

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Electric vehicles Fri, 29 Jun 2018 09:50:00 GMT 58255
BP buys UK electric car charging firm Chargemaster https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58254/bp-buys-uk-electric-car-charging-firm-chargemaster

Oil company BP is buying Chargemaster, the UK’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging network, for £130m. Founded in 2008, Chargemaster runs POLAR, the largest public charging network in the UK. The POLAR network now includes over 6,500 public charging points. The company has over 40,000 customers of its POLAR network, of which an increasing number choose to pay a monthly subscription, with the remainder on a pay-as-you-go basis.  Chargemaster is also a supplier of home charg

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Electric vehicles Fri, 29 Jun 2018 09:48:00 GMT 58254
Renault to let public test autonomous on-demand vehicles from 2019 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58253/renault-to-let-public-test-autonomous-on-demand-vehicles-from-2019

Renault is planning to launch what it claims will be the first on-demand shared mobility service to use autonomous vehicles on open roads in Europe. The service will be made available to the public in northern France during the final quarter of 2018.  The Rouen Normandy Autonomous Lab service will operate in Technopôle du Madrillet business park in Saint-Etienne du Rouvray through connections to the Technopôle tram stop.  The project’s goal is to provide mobility so

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Business News Fri, 29 Jun 2018 09:37:00 GMT 58253
30m fund for self-parking car development https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58252/-30m-fund-for-self-parking-car-development

UK technology and automotive businesses have been invited to bid for £30m to help make self-parking cars a reality. Two new funding competitions will create two permanent self-driving test sites in the UK, the first of the kind in Europe.  The funding is part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy aimed at developing the transport system of the future. The competitions are designed to help realise the government’s ambition to see fully self-driving vehicles on UK

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Business News Fri, 29 Jun 2018 09:34:00 GMT 58252
Southampton rolls out electric vehicle charging in city centre car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58147/southampton-rolls-out-electric-vehicle-charging-in-city-centre-car-parks

Southampton City Council has installed 30 new electric vehicle (EV) charging points across five city centre multi-storey car parks. Southampton selected NewMotion’s charging points, which were installed by JoJu over a six-week period. JoJu was able to connect the charging points using the car parks’ existing electrical grids.  The EV charging scheme is part of a broader initiative to tackle air pollution in the city. Last year, Southampton was one of 40 UK cities named in the

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Electric vehicles Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:26:00 GMT 58147
CitiPark lets kids check out electric car in run-up to Clean Air Day https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58146/citipark-lets-kids-check-out-electric-car-in-run-up-to-clean-air-day

Operator CitiPark, which has been a vocal advocate of providing facilities for electric vehicles, is supporting the second UK National Clean Air Day UK on 21 June.  National Clean Air Day (NCAD) sees local schools, hospitals, workplaces and communities across the UK hold events designed to improve public understanding of air pollution and build awareness of how it affects health. As part of its support for NCAD, CitiPark brought the New Nissan LEAF electric car to the main mall at the Mer

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Electric vehicles Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:23:00 GMT 58146
Glasgow secures 940k EU funding for solar car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58140/glasgow-secures-940k-eu-funding-for-solar-car-park

Glasgow City Council has secured £940,000 from the European Commission to realise its plan to transform a city car park into a solar power centre. The award from the EU Horizon 2020 fund will go towards building a canopy of solar panels above the council-owned car park on Duke Street. The panels will be primarily used to power the car park, which has ten electric vehicle charging points. Money from the award will also be used to install a 500kW battery and a controller that will allow for

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Operational Wed, 20 Jun 2018 14:12:00 GMT 58140
Passport hires Karpovich to lead mergers and acquisitions https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58135/passport-hires-karpovich-to-lead-mergers-and-acquisitions

Igor Karpovich has joined Passport, a US-based mobile payments provider working in the parking and transportation industry. Karpovich has been named chief corporate development officer. Karpovich most recently served as the senior vice president of Verifone in London. After earning his MBA from Harvard Business School, he led teams for companies such as GE Capital, where he was the vice president of strategy and business development. He was also Citigroup Global Wealth Management as the managin

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Business News Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:43:00 GMT 58135
York's parking income rises to 76m https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58132/york-s-parking-income-rises-to-7-6m Parking charge revenue in York rose to £7.6m in the last financial year, it has been revealed.  After costs had been subtracted City of York Council was in profit with a surplus of £4.8m, according to the council’s draft parking report for 2017/18. Income came from parking fines, car park charges and resident parking zones. Penalty revenue was also generated for bus lane infractions. Although income increased, up from £7.4m in 2016/17, there have been increases in

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Operational Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:34:00 GMT 58132
Sheffield parking machine thefts cause damage costing 60k https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58131/sheffield-parking-machine-thefts-cause-damage-costing-60k Attacks on parking machines have cost Sheffield City Council around £60,000 to make good, a new financial report has revealed.  Although the amount of cash stolen in attacks during May 2017 was relatively small, the cost of replacing the damaged machines was significant, according to a report for the audit and standards committee.  The report states: “Although the cash stolen in each case was only small in relation to the efforts taken by the criminals, the cost of replac

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Crime Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:33:00 GMT 58131
Scottish Borders asks residents to identify parking problems https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58130/scottish-borders-asks-residents-to-identify-parking-problems People living in the Scottish Borders are being asked to complete an online survey to highlight areas were parking is a problem. The Scottish Borders Council Parking Issues Working Group is collecting evidence on parking in the county, and also gathering information about what happens in other local authority areas. An online survey has been launched to give local people and businesses the opportunity to provide evidence of any parking related issues faced in their communities. It is available

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Operational Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:31:00 GMT 58130
Middlesbrough tailors parking fees to needs of commuters and shoppers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58129/middlesbrough-tailors-parking-fees-to-needs-of-commuters-and-shoppers Shoppers in Middlesbrough will continue to receive two hours free parking after an independent review’s recommendations were approved by the council. The changes, which were approved by the authority’s executive, will see a refocusing of how Middlesbrough Council promotes its major central car parks: the Captain Cook and Zetland sites. The current two hour’s free parking offer will continue at the 741-space Captain Cook car park but come to an end at the Zetland car park. At

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Operational Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:26:00 GMT 58129
Bath parking price changes aim to reduce congestion https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58128/bath-parking-price-changes-aim-to-reduce-congestion Bath and North East Somerset Council is consulting on proposals to increase the cost of long-stay parking charges in its car parks and to limit the length of stay in kerbside bays. The proposed changes form part of plans aimed at improving air quality and also reducing congestion. The council is planning to launch a new Clean Air Zone. Park & ride prices would remain unchanged and Sunday on-street parking will remain free. In addition, residents would receive a 10% discount under a ‘r

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Operational Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:23:00 GMT 58128
Aberdeen has processed no parking appeals since January https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58127/aberdeen-has-processed-no-parking-appeals-since-january Aberdeen City Council has processed no penalty charge notice appeals this year, citing a backlog of cases caused by a high volume of appeals as the reason. None of the 2,289 PCN appeals received between 1 January and 20 May had been dealt with, the council revealed to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by The Press and Journal newspaper. The city council had issued 15,305 PCNs over the same time period, with 5,897 remained unpaid as at 20 May. An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said

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Enforcement News Wed, 20 Jun 2018 13:18:00 GMT 58127
Parking and front gardens to be removed to make space for Dublins new bus and cycle lanes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58118/parking-and-front-gardens-to-be-removed-to-make-space-for-dublin-s-new-bus-and-cycle-lanes

Proposals to re-design street layouts across Dublin to provide new bus and cycle lanes will require the removal of on-street parking bays and sections of front gardens. The Irish National Transport Authority (NTA) has published a discussion document - Core Bus Corridors Project - which sets out draft proposals to improve bus journey times and cycling priority along an increasing number of congested corridors in the Dublin region. The project is part of the NTA’s Government funded €2

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Developments Thu, 14 Jun 2018 13:26:00 GMT 58118
Why is the European parking sector attracting investors? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58055/why-is-the-european-parking-sector-attracting-investors-

There was a flurry of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions in the parking sector in 2017, with interest from infrastructure and private equity investors. Empark was put up for sale. Indigo-Infra Park was put up for sale. We saw the successful acquisition of Q-Park by KKR. We also saw the sale of NCP by Macquarie, which then bought Empark. This spate of M&A activity was unique. In turn, S&P Global Ratings received a huge number of calls from investors and financial advisors kee

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Case Studies Wed, 6 Jun 2018 17:37:00 GMT 58055
Could car parks help solve house crisis and remain operating as car parks? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58053/could-car-parks-help-solve-house-crisis-and-remain-operating-as-car-parks-

Demand for housing is far outstripping supply, leading to a severe shortage of suitable accommodation for key workers, young professionals and first-time buyers in towns and cities across the UK. Could the solution be to build homes on existing city centre car parks and hard-standing areas? This is an idea advocated by architect Bill Dunster, who has come up with a housing concept called the ZEDpod.  Dunster wants to provide homes for younger key workers that are close to their workplace a

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Case Studies Tue, 5 Jun 2018 21:40:00 GMT 58053
Holland's one-stop parking payment shop https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58052/holland-s-one-stop-parking-payment-shop

The Netherlands is a highly urbanised country where space is always in short demand. Therefore, the country needs to use its space in a smart and inventive way. The country’s municipalities are responsible for their own parking policies. In about 150 of the 390 Dutch municipalities, anyone who wants to park must pay for a parking space. And all municipalities have regulations in place for parking places and permits for people with a disability. The municipalities decided that the key to m

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Viewpoint Tue, 5 Jun 2018 21:37:00 GMT 58052
Lets get connected https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58051/let-s-get-connected

Parking is one of the cornerstones of enabling ‘smart cities’ across the UK. It offers the opportunity to reduce pollution and congestion and enable new mobility solutions such as car sharing, electric vehicle and ride sharing infrastructure. But to achieve that, the UK parking sector has to modernise and enable, rather than hinder as it does today, these much-needed developments. Achieving connected transport systems are a critical part of the plans for UK smart cities and parking i

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Viewpoint Tue, 5 Jun 2018 21:35:00 GMT 58051
Why the government supports a single code of practice for private parking sector https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58045/why-the-government-supports-a-single-code-of-practice-for-private-parking-sector

For many people, their day begins and ends in a car park. The majority of parking operators play their part by supplying an easy, fair and transparent experience for motorists. Millions of drivers park their cars without issue, and the minority that are given a parking charge notice either accept that they were in the wrong, or use the appeals system available. A few rogue operators, however, are casting a shadow over the profession by using confusing signs and scare tactics to take advantage o

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Viewpoint Tue, 5 Jun 2018 15:53:00 GMT 58045
Parking guru Shoup edits new book https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58043/parking-guru-shoup-edits-new-book

Donald Shoup, the US academic widely regarded as the world’s leading thinker on parking issues, is the editor of a new book looking at the relationship between cars and cities. Parking and the City is a follow-up to Shoup’s 1996 book The High Cost of Free Parking, which showed how city parking policies often prohibit walkability, damage the economy, raise housing costs, and penalise people who cannot afford or choose not to own a car. Using a combination of analysis and creative th

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Parking Policy Sat, 2 Jun 2018 15:39:00 GMT 58043
International Parking Community launches local authority forum https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58042/international-parking-community-launches-local-authority-forum

The International Parking Community (IPC) has held the first of its new quarterly forums for local authority parking managers. The forum’s members include county, metropolitan and district authorities, including Birmingham City Council, Milton Keynes, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire County, and Derbyshire Dales, Wycombe District Council and Aberdeenshire. Attendees at the first meeting at the IPC’s head offices in Macclesfield, Cheshire, discussed the ability to capitalise on ANPR techn

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Parking Policy Sat, 2 Jun 2018 15:37:00 GMT 58042
Transport Scotland survey reveals 83% want pavement parking banned https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58040/transport-scotland-survey-reveals-83-want-pavement-parking-banned

There appears to be overwhelming support for a footway parking ban in Scotland, a report published by Transport Scotland suggests. The Improving Parking in Scotland report considers the views of stakeholders and individuals who answered a series of questions on pavement parking and double parking. Transport Scotland conducted a public consultation on parking between March and August 2017. The consultation found that 83% of people support an all-out ban on footway parking and 70% have experience

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Parking Policy Sat, 2 Jun 2018 15:33:00 GMT 58040
Private Member's Bill proposing free hospital parking to get second reading https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58039/private-member-s-bill-proposing-free-hospital-parking-to-get-second-reading A Private Member’s Bill seeking to prohibit charging for car parking at NHS hospitals for patients, staff and visitors in England will receive its second reading in the House of Commons on 15 June.  The Hospital Car Parking Charges (Abolition) Bill 2017-19, sponsored by Robert Halton MP, seeks to harmonise England with Wales and Scotland, where parking at NHS hospitals is free. The Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 14 November 2017.

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Parking Policy Sat, 2 Jun 2018 15:31:00 GMT 58039
I thought I was going to die https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58036/-i-thought-i-was-going-to-die- A civil enforcement officer (CEO) in Nottinghamshire was attacked and hospitalised while issuing a penalty charge notice. The female patrol officer suffered multiple injuries and was hospitalised for two days.  Gillian Brooks said she noticed a car parked in a Shopmobility bay. As she was issuing a parking ticket she was attacked by a male. The attack left the 61-year-old with a bleed on the brain, a swollen jaw and a bruised neck. She had to have a cut on her head glued together. &ldquo

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Crime Sat, 2 Jun 2018 15:17:00 GMT 58036
Coventry City Council defends its Restricted Parking Zone https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58035/coventry-city-council-defends-its-restricted-parking-zone Coventry City Council is standing by a city centre parking control scheme that was criticised by the chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT). The tribunal upheld a group of appeals by drivers who said a lack of signs and double yellow lines within the city centre Restricted Parking Zone (RPZs) meant they did not realise parking restrictions applied. The adjudication noted that almost 60,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been issued in the six years since the RPZ became ope

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Enforcement News Sat, 2 Jun 2018 15:15:00 GMT 58035
Aberdeen withdraws card option in pay display car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58029/aberdeen-withdraws-card-option-in-pay--display-car-parks Card payment functions have been removed from pay & display machines in Aberdeenshire car parks, but cashless parking is still available via RingGo phone system. The card payment function was withdrawn due to a change in legislation relating to cashless payment security and the high cost associated with the upgrade of the machines.  The cost associated with upgrading card payments at machines is around £53,000, so the council’s Infrastructure Services Committee had decided

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Payment systems Fri, 1 Jun 2018 17:17:00 GMT 58029
Doncaster goes phone-only in two car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58028/doncaster-goes-phone-only-in-two-car-parks

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council has gone phone-only in two of its car parks. The decision to simply use the RingGo service in the car parks is estimated to have already saved the Yorkshire council £40,000 and will mean it does not pay for constant machine maintenance. The move follows wave of vandalism which saw the council losing £300 per day in thefts, as well as covering the cost of machine replacement. Over a three-month period ten pay & display machines were routine

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Payment systems Fri, 1 Jun 2018 17:16:00 GMT 58028
Apple Pay and Google Pay parking arrive in Cheltenham https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58027/apple-pay-and-google-pay-parking-arrive-in-cheltenham PayByPhone is extending the use of Apple Pay and Google Pay to Cheltenham Borough Council. Users will be now able to select from multiple payment options, but the PayByPhone app will automatically default to Apple Pay or Google Pay if the user’s device is already set up to make payments using the service. Drivers currently without Apple Pay can follow instructions in their mobile phone settings and be up and running in a matter of minutes. Drivers can then choose Apple Pay as a default fo

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Payment systems Fri, 1 Jun 2018 17:14:00 GMT 58027
JustPark rolls out cashless service across Dorset https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58026/justpark-rolls-out-cashless-service-across-dorset

Parking technology provider JustPark has secured a group of seven local authority mobile payments contracts in Dorset. The cashless service contracts cover 189 car parks as well as on-street parking. The payments service is being delivered in two phases. The first batch went live in the Borough of Poole, Swanage Town Council and Purbeck District Council car parks on 29 May. North Dorset, West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland and Dorset County Council to follow during June.  JustPark won th

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Payment systems Fri, 1 Jun 2018 17:13:00 GMT 58026
End of the road for Oxford's fake street signs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58019/end-of-the-road-for-oxford-s-fake-street-signs Oxford is a historic city, so some visitors may have been intrigued by the very contemporary street names when coming across signs for Facebook Row, Twitter Lane and Snapchat End. However, the social media-inspired signage are not real, but part of a hoax created by a guerrilla artist. About 20 of the fake street names were identified, including Emoji Alley, Instagram Ave, Google Walk, Selfie Passage and WTF Lane. The anonymous artist told BBC News that he wanted to highlight the public’s

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Yellow Lines Fri, 1 Jun 2018 16:44:00 GMT 58019
Taskforce to expand Londons electric vehicle infrastructure https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58007/taskforce-to-expand-london-s-electric-vehicle-infrastructure Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has formed a taskforce to boost the infrastructure needed to increase the take-up of electric vehicles across London. The mayor’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce brings together 16 organisations including UK Power Networks, the British Retail Consortium and the RAC Foundation.  “The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce brings together industry, businesses and the public sector to work together to deliver electric vehicle charging infra

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News Lead Story Fri, 1 Jun 2018 11:23:00 GMT 58007
Brighton Hove boosts school run parking patrols https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58006/brighton--hove-boosts-school-run-parking-patrols

Brighton & Hove City Council has approved additional civil enforcement officers (CEOs) to patrol the roads around schools during drop-off and pick-up times. During the last academic year, 45 schools in Brighton & Hove asked the council for enforcement visits to deal with inconsiderate and dangerous parking on school ‘keep clear’ road markings. Three additional CEOs will join the two assigned officers currently patrol streets around schools during morning and afternoon schoo

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Enforcement News Thu, 31 May 2018 09:46:00 GMT 58006
Call for mayor to lead pan-London approach to EV charging https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/58008/call-for-mayor-to-lead-pan-london-approach-to-ev-charging

The London Assembly Environment Committee has called for a pan-London approach to electric charging points to be spearheaded by the capital’s mayor. There are now 12,000 electric vehicles in London, ten times as many as in 2012, the committee notes in a new report. In is report, Do Londoners Dream of Electric Cars?, the committee expressed a concern that the growth in the number of electric vehicles in London is outstripping the number of charge points, which could limit the number of pe

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Electric vehicles Fri, 25 May 2018 11:27:00 GMT 58008
Local authorities compete for annual parking report award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56870/local-authorities-compete-for-annual-parking-report-award

Eight local authorities have been named as finalists in PATROL’s annual search for the best local authority parking reports. Annual reports are used by councils undertaking civil parking enforcement to present their parking policies, parking information and details about performance to the general public.  PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London) is the body that represents local authorities across England and Wales that have adopted civil enforcement. As part of its

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Awards Tue, 22 May 2018 17:38:00 GMT 56870
DfT unveils plan to keep Kent moving during Channel disruption https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56856/dft-unveils-plan-to-keep-kent-moving-during-channel-disruption

Plans to improve overnight lorry parking and to ease traffic in the event of cross-Channel disruption in Kent have been announced by the Department for Transport. The new plans for ‘Operation Stack’ are designed allow traffic to travel in both directions between junctions 8 and 9 of the M20 while lorries are being queued for the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel. That means drivers can access these junctions, rather than being diverted onto smaller local roads. The DfT said this will be

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Parking Policy Mon, 21 May 2018 15:34:00 GMT 56856
New laws pave way for remote control parking in the UK https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56855/new-laws-pave-way-for-remote-control-parking-in-the-uk

Drivers will be able to use remote control parking on British roads from next month under new laws introduced on 16 May. The Department for Transport says the updates will provide clarity for motorists about how the technologies can be used, and allow the increased use of features like cruise control, providing significant advantages for drivers. Changes to the Highway Code and relevant regulations were consulted on earlier this year and received overwhelming support from groups including manu

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Parking Policy Mon, 21 May 2018 15:32:00 GMT 56855
Parking fees to vanish from all Welsh hospitals this year https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56854/parking-fees-to-vanish-from-all-welsh-hospitals-this-year Hospital car parking will finally become free at all Welsh hospitals by the end of the year a decade after the Welsh Government announced this as its policy. The free hospital parking policy was announced by the then Welsh Health Minister Edwina Hart in March 2008. Most hospitals scrapped parking fees within weeks, but some health boards were bound by long-term contracts with parking management contracts. These contracts have expired over time, with just three NHS sites in Wales currently still

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Business News Mon, 21 May 2018 15:30:00 GMT 56854
Scotland adopts Traffic Penalty Tribunal's FOAM appeals system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56849/scotland-adopts-traffic-penalty-tribunal-s-foam-appeals-system Scottish councils undertaking civil parking and bus lane enforcement are to adopt the online appeal system developed by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) for English and Welsh authorities outside London. This means Scottish motorists who feel they have been wrongly issued with penalty charge notices will be able to appeal via TPT’s award-winning FOAM (Fast Online Appeal Management) system. TPT and consumer tech experts Resolver will be working with the Parking and Bus Lanes Tribunal for

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Enforcement News Tue, 15 May 2018 15:36:00 GMT 56849
DfT withdraws Operational Guidance on civil parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56848/dft-withdraws-operational-guidance-on-civil-parking-enforcement The Department for Transport has withdrawn its Operational Guidance on parking policy and enforcement under the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA). However, the department’s Statuary Guidance on the TMA sets out the requirements for local authorities in managing parking enforcement.  The operational guidance is a 166-page toolkit of advice that was last updated in 2015. It was officially withdrawn on 28 March. The British Parking Association (BPA) said suspension of the Operational

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Enforcement News Tue, 15 May 2018 15:33:00 GMT 56848
Essex e-bulletin published https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56841/essex-e-bulletin-published The North East Parking Partnership (NEPP) has started publishing an e-newsletter that aims improve the public’s understanding of parking management and encourage innovation in its delivery.  The first NEPP E-Brief looks at the enforcement of pavement parking, a schools parking project, changes to on-street parking permit charges and the nationwide Positive Parking Agenda. NEPP manages parking on behalf of Braintree, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Tendring and Uttlesford councils

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Operational Tue, 15 May 2018 15:04:00 GMT 56841
Swansea drivers abuse of disabled bays exposed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56838/swansea-drivers-abuse-of-disabled-bays-exposed Over 1,600 motorists in Swansea have been penalised for parking in disabled bays without displaying a Blue Badge over last year. Figures released by Swansea Council reveal that between March 2017 and February 2018 some 1,660 drivers were fined for illegally parking in the bays. A total of 344 people have contested the fines over the last financial year. The total number of people who have been issued blue badges to use legally in Swansea is 5,759. A Swansea Council spokesman said: “Disa

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Enforcement News Tue, 15 May 2018 14:59:00 GMT 56838
Parking Hell TV series on the way https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56837/-parking-hell-tv-series-on-the-way Every broadcaster needs a programme about parking, it seems. The BBC had Parking Mad, ITV had Parking Wars and Channel 4 went undercover for The Secrets of Parking Wardens. Now even Channel 5 has its own parking series. Channel 5 has commissioned Bristol-based Plimsoll Productions to produce Britain’s Parking Hell, which will follow the experiences of motorists, councils and parking companies from across the UK. The series will feature segments on a father fighting to make the streets ar

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Viewpoint Tue, 15 May 2018 14:51:00 GMT 56837
Coventry City Council accused of acting like King Canute over parking zone signage https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56836/coventry-city-council-accused-of-acting-like-king-canute-over-parking-zone-signage

Shortcomings in signing mean that Coventry City Council’s city centre parking scheme is not easily understood by motorists, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) has ruled. Instead of road markings such as double yellow lines, the RPZ scheme uses ‘gateway’ signs placed at each entry point to the city centre to inform motorists that parking is restricted at any time. Coventry City Council argued that the appellants should have realised that parking was restricted since they must h

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Enforcement Tue, 15 May 2018 14:43:00 GMT 56836
Bracknell's Princess Square car park gets a new lease of life https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56835/bracknell-s-princess-square-car-park-gets-a-new-lease-of-life

The Lexicon in Bracknell is one of the biggest town centre regenerations in the UK. In addition to 70 new shops and restaurants, the project also encompasses improvements to the Berkshire town’s existing High Street buildings and the restoration of local landmark, The Bull public house. The Lexicon, which is being delivered by Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, is a joint venture between Legal & General Capital and Schroder UK Real Estate Fund. The shopping centre is well served by ca

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Case Studies Mon, 14 May 2018 15:05:00 GMT 56835
What's driving change in the parking sector? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56832/what-s-driving-change-in-the-parking-sector-

Emerging technologies provide the key for improving mobility and delivering smarter, better and safer experiences for urban communities. But the real driver for change is coming from society itself. Technology is already helping to improve urban mobility but, today, we’re only scratching the surface. The potential of technology to truly transform the way we move in and around our towns and cities is absolutely huge. Two-thirds of adults now own a smartphone with mobile internet access and,

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Viewpoint Mon, 14 May 2018 13:52:00 GMT 56832
Somerset rolls out home-based parking patrol officers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56831/somerset-rolls-out-home-based-parking-patrol-officers

Somerset is a quintessentially English county with rolling hills and a wealth of historical and cultural heritage as well as vibrant market towns and a number of popular seaside resorts along a 60-mile coastline. For local residents and around 26 million day and staying visitors every year, accessibility and effective parking management around the main retail areas and public venues and facilities in the county’s main towns is of great importance.However, the fact that this predominantly r

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Case Studies Mon, 14 May 2018 13:47:00 GMT 56831
PayByPhone extends Apple Pay and Google Pay to Lincoln https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56826/paybyphone-extends-apple-pay-and-google-pay-to-lincoln Motorists parking in Lincoln can now pay via Apple Pay and Google Pay when using the PayByPhone app.  PayByPhone users can now select from multiple payment options, but within select UK cities such as Lincoln the app will automatically default to Apple Pay or Google Pay if the user’s device is already set up to make payments using these services. With Apple Pay, credit or debit card details are not stored on the user’s device or on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Accou

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Payment systems Sat, 12 May 2018 17:09:00 GMT 56826
Greenwich opts for Smart Parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56824/greenwich-opts-for-smart-parking

Smart Parking has been selected to supply its sensor and analysis technology to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Sharing Cities and Low Emission Neighbourhood initiatives. Greenwich is a culturally significant area in south-east London. It is a complex urban environment with a mixture of historic sites, urban housing, businesses and green spaces. It is the location of the Prime Meridian, Greenwich Observatory, Cutty Sark, National Maritime Museum and a university. Greenwich council is ke

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Technology Sat, 12 May 2018 17:06:00 GMT 56824
Isle of Wight invests in new PD machines https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56822/isle-of-wight-invests-in-new-p-d-machines

The reliability of parking terminals across the Isle of Wight is set to improve after Island Roads decided to replace its ageing meter estate with new solar-powered technology. The machines are being supplied by Parkeon, which is now part of the new Flowbird Urban Intelligence business. Island Roads is responsible for the island’s highways network and associated services. It recently opted to install 40 energy-efficient Parkeon Strada Rapide parking terminals as part of a programme that w

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Payment systems Sat, 12 May 2018 17:01:00 GMT 56822
Highland Council chooses IPS technology https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56821/highland-council-chooses-ips-technology

Highland Council has modernised existing pay & display machines using a third party upgrade solution produced by International Parking Systems (UK). The Scottish local authority has adopted IPS (UK) equipment in 19 Metric Accent machines located in the towns of Fort William and Inverness. In addition, two of IPS’s own MS1 pay & display machines have been installed in Fort Augustus.  All the machines are installed with contactless payment technology. Richard Boultbee, execut

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Payment systems Sat, 12 May 2018 16:59:00 GMT 56821
The Crown is restored to Ipswich as new car park takes shape https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56812/the-crown-is-restored-to-ipswich-as-new-car-park-takes-shape

A new multi-storey car park is set to open in the centre of Ipswich. The 546-space Crown car park has been created by Ipswich Borough Council to replace a structure demolished in 2009. The new £5.5m multi-storey park replaces the old 1,000-space Crown car park, which had to be closed and demolished after it was found to be suffering from concrete corrosion.  The site then became a surface car park until work on the replacement structure began. The new Crown car park has been d

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Construction Sat, 12 May 2018 16:08:00 GMT 56812
Rhyl car park renovation will help coastal town's regeneration https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56810/rhyl-car-park-renovation-will-help-coastal-town-s-regeneration

The planned renovation of a car park in Rhyl will make it more user-friendly and help attract tourists and visitors to the North Wales coastal resort.  The £2m car park refurbishment is part of a wider regeneration of the town, which includes a council-funded £15m waterpark, restaurant and two hotels.  The car park serves the town’s Family Entertainment Zones, which includes the Children’s Village. It is expected that the improved facility will help with footf

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Construction Sat, 12 May 2018 16:03:00 GMT 56810
PayByPhone scraps transaction charge in Exeter https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56828/paybyphone-scraps-transaction-charge-in-exeter PayByPhone has scrapped transaction charge across Exeter City Council car parks. The mobile parking payment app is now free to use at all 27 council car parks. The removal of the previous 10p transaction charge became effective on 9 April and represents a total savings of nearly £15,000 over a year for users.  “PayByPhone has provided the cashless parking solution to Exeter City Council for the past four years and we now process over 12,000 parking transactions per month,&rdquo

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Payment systems Fri, 11 May 2018 17:12:00 GMT 56828
Bournemouth drops 10p phone parking surcharge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56827/bournemouth-s-10p-phone-parking-surcharge Bournemouth Borough Council has dropped the 10p transaction fee levied on phone payments for parking in the Dorset coastal resort’s 72 car parks and on-street locations.  Cllr Mike Greene, cabinet member for transport, cleansing and waste, said: “We are pleased to make it easier for those using the PayByPhone service by removing the transaction fee. This will be more convenient for motorists while allowing the council’s operations to be more efficient meaning less cost to

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Payment systems Fri, 11 May 2018 17:10:00 GMT 56827
Parking associations reach transatlantic deal on parking data https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56732/parking-associations-reach-transatlantic-deal-on-parking-data

UK, US and European parking associations have launched a transatlantic data harmonisation project. The Alliance for Parking Data Standards has been created by the British Parking Association (BPA), European Parking Association (EPA), which represents 23 countries, and the International Parking Institute (IPI) in the United States to develop a uniform global standard that will allow organisations to share parking data across platforms worldwide. The alliance’s board of directors, chaired b

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Awards Lead Story Tue, 8 May 2018 19:40:00 GMT 56732
London Paris and Brussels become testbeds for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fleets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56726/london-paris-and-brussels-become-testbeds-for-hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-fleets

A project designed to demonstrate the benefits of zero emission fuel cell cars for large urban fleets will deploy 180 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as taxis, private-hire vehicles and police cars in London, Paris and Brussels.  ZEFER (Zero Emission Fleet vehicles for European Roll-out) will deploy fleets of 60 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles in each city. These vehicles will be used in the applications where vehicles drive long distances every day, need rapid refuelling, and have polluted

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Electric vehicles Fri, 4 May 2018 20:34:00 GMT 56726
Grid Smarter Cities makes top 10 of Intellectual Property League Table https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56725/grid-smarter-cities-makes-top-10-of-intellectual-property-league-table-

Technology firm Grid Smarter Cities has made 7th place in an annual list that ranks UK companies based on their intellectual property (IP) assets and value. The 2018 IP League Table was developed by Metis Partners, a company that advises companies on how to monetise their IP. Grid develops smart city solutions and systems from its head offices at The Core in Newcastle upon Tyne.  Grid has been granted UK, European and US and other international patents in solutions relevant to parking, f

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Traffic Management Fri, 4 May 2018 17:18:00 GMT 56725
JustPark adds to public sector team https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56721/justpark-adds-to-public-sector-team

Parking technology provider JustPark has made two new appointments to its local authority team. Simon Powley brings nearly 20 years of parking experience while Ninh Hao has worked extensively with local government. They join commercial relationship manager Gavin Manger, who joined the company last year to support its move in the public sector mobile payments space. Since Autumn 2017 the company has won contracts with Cornwall, South Bedfordshire, Wrexham and Wyre Forest councils. Simon Powley

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People News Fri, 4 May 2018 15:42:00 GMT 56721
West Yorkshire Combined Authority invests in expanding station car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56716/west-yorkshire-combined-authority-invests-in-expanding-station-car-parks

New park & ride spaces are being created as part of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s £32m programme of station car park extensions. The Station Car Park Extensions programme seeks to increase car parking capacity at selected stations. Two parking projects have already been completed at Fitzwilliam station and South Elmsall stations and more are in the pipeline. A surface level car park extension costing £700,000 at Fitzwilliam rail station has supplemented the exis

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Park & Ride Fri, 4 May 2018 15:28:00 GMT 56716
Volkswagen pilots autonomous parking at Hamburg Airport https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56627/volkswagen-pilots-autonomous-parking-at-hamburg-airport

In the future drivers will leave their cars at the entrance to the car park and the vehicle will set off, look for a space and park autonomously, without any stress, scratches and without wasting any time. This is the vision that some carmakers are now seriously examining. Volkswagen Group is currently testing autonomous parking in a multi-storey car park near the terminal of Hamburg Airport. The trial involves a range of Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles.  The target is for the first

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Business News Thu, 26 Apr 2018 16:56:00 GMT 56627
ParkBee raises 44m to finance UK growth https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56535/parkbee-raises-4-4m-to-finance-uk-growth

Dutch technology start-up ParkBee, which enables owners of private car parks to rent them to the public, has raised €5m (£4.4m) funding to grow its parking business in the UK. ParkBee uses smart technology to enable users to open up barriers and doors from RingGo and Parkmobile apps. It currently has 60-plus locations in the Netherlands and around 20 in the UK. ParkBee was founded in 2013 in the Netherlands by Jian Jiang and Tom Buchmann after they realised that while a lot of drive

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Business News Fri, 13 Apr 2018 05:28:00 GMT 56535
Harrogate to be AppyParking's smart parking testbed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56526/harrogate-to-be-appyparking-s-smart-parking-testbed The Yorkshire town of Harrogate will become the testbed for a system that links around 1,600 sensors in both on-street and off-street public parking bays to a payment app. Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council will enter into a contract with AppyParking for an 18-month trial. The trial will see the installation of the sensors at 915 on-street parking bays and the remainder in an off-street surface car park in the town centre. The sensors, with embedded Bluetooth technolog

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Operational Fri, 13 Apr 2018 05:11:00 GMT 56526
Manchester to refund late issued bus lane fines https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56525/manchester-to-refund-late-issued-bus-lane-fines Manchester City Council may have to repay thousands of bus lanes penalties after an internal review discovered some charges were issued too late. An error in the council’s automated system meant up to 23,500 penalty charge notices (PCNs) for bus lane contraventions were issued late over a three-month period. The law states that PCNs must arrive in the post within 28 days unless the council needed to check details with the DVLA. The council said that not all tickets would be invalid as ex

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Enforcement News Fri, 13 Apr 2018 05:07:00 GMT 56525
Government says it will review pavement parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56524/government-says-it-will-review-pavement-parking

The government may give councils the power to make pavement parking illegal unless they expressly grant permission, potentially landing offenders with fines of £50 or £70. The move would bring the rest of England into line with London, which has had an all-out ban on pavement parking for more than 40 years. Two years ago, the Department for Transport (DfT) suggested that a review of pavement parking would be carried out as part of a reform of measures designed to promote more cyclin

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Parking Policy Fri, 13 Apr 2018 05:05:00 GMT 56524
Half-on half-off pavement idea tested in Bath https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56523/-half-on-half-off-pavement-idea-tested-in-bath A trial of a potential solution to pavement parking has taken place in Bath. Parking bays that straddle the street and footpath have been painted by Bath and North East Somerset Council at the suggestion of a councillor who had received complaints from residents about drivers parking fully on the pavement.  Previous proposals to solve the problem on Caledonian Road included narrowing the pavements, but this idea was scrapped because of utility services underground. The ‘half-on half

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Operational Fri, 13 Apr 2018 05:04:00 GMT 56523
Cornwall to cut disabled parking charges to 350 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56522/cornwall-to-cut-disabled-parking-charges-to-350 Cornwall Council is to cut the cost of creating disabled parking spaces for residents from over £3,000 to £350. Councillors agreed to a review after a woman with multiple sclerosis said it would have cost her £3,800 to put in a special space where she lives. Cornwall has also announced that anyone who paid the higher amount will be refunded. Deb Race, who lives in St Austell, made national headlines when she decided against putting a disabled bay outside her home after saying

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Operational Fri, 13 Apr 2018 05:02:00 GMT 56522
Parking Property 2018 Building the future of parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56521/parking--property-2018-building-the-future-of-parking

Parking & Property 2018 will look at how social and technological changes will shape the design and operation of car parks The annual Parking & Property event is the one day in the year when property, parking, transport, technology and construction experts get together to explore the interaction between cars, people and places. Parking & Property 2018, which takes place in London on 10 May, will focus on how property developers and parking operators are developing new business mode

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News Lead Story Thu, 12 Apr 2018 22:17:00 GMT 56521
Chipside users launch Modern Transport and Parking Forum https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56519/chipside-users-launch-modern-transport-and-parking-forum

Local authorities using systems and services provided by parking and smart cities IT specialist Chipside have relaunched its user group as a forum for discussing and delivering enhanced parking experiences. The Modern Transport and Parking Forum was unveiled at the inaugural Chipside Conference, which was held in London on 16 March. The forum’s membership is the 160 local authorities now using Chipside’s MiPermit, Case Manager and mobile computing systems as well as the Oppidatim sm

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Business News Thu, 12 Apr 2018 22:07:00 GMT 56519
International Parking Community launches Education Forum https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56517/international-parking-community-launches-education-forum

Universities are being invited to join a forum for sharing knowledge and best practice to improve the quality, resilience and fairness of parking arrangements for students, staff and visitors.  The International Parking Community (IPC) has launched the Education Forum to offer both city centre and campus universities a way to learn from each other’s experiences at quarterly meetings and via a dedicated online platform.  “Having insufficient parking spaces to meet demand i

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Operational Thu, 12 Apr 2018 22:02:00 GMT 56517
Welsh community rugby club parking upgraded https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56516/welsh-community-rugby-club-parking-upgraded

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is spending £150,000 on upgrading parking at a local rugby club. The investment in Pontyclun Rugby Club comes after the South Wales local authority completed the purchase of the building from Pontyclun Community Council. The car park is located between the Windsor Arms Hotel and the railway line. The project will funded through #RCTinvest. The month-long project will see the entire car park resurfaced, footways improved and the installation of new street li

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Construction Thu, 12 Apr 2018 21:08:00 GMT 56516
Cause of falling debris in Pontypridd car park investigated https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56515/cause-of-falling-debris-in-pontypridd-car-park-investigated The cause of falling debris in a multi-storey car park in Pontypridd, South Wales, is being investigated by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. The problem is affecting the basement level of the Berw Road car park, which is used to park police vehicles so is not open to the general public. The car park was closed for a couple of days in mid-March as a precautionary measure, but the public decks are now open again. Officers at the adjoining Pontypridd police station have had to move the police but the s

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Construction Thu, 12 Apr 2018 21:07:00 GMT 56515
Fine for littering increases from 80 to 150 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56510/fine-for-littering-increases-from-80-to-150

Councils throughout the country now have the power to almost double the cost of on-the-spot fines for littering.  The maximum fine for littering and graffiti increased from £80 to £150, from 1 April. For the first time, local authorities can penalise vehicle owners if it can be proved that litter was thrown from their vehicle. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that keeping the country’s streets clean cost local councils almost £700m i

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Enforcement News Mon, 2 Apr 2018 10:59:00 GMT 56510
Wyre Forest adopts JustPark phone payment service https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56408/wyre-forest-adopts-justpark-phone-payment-service

Motorists in parts of Worcestershire can now use their phones to pay for parking in council-owned facilities. Wyre Forest District Council is working in partnership with parking technology company JustPark to offer motorists the new service, which launched on 21 March. Visitors to council car parks across the district can download the free JustPark app to pay on their smartphones, or pay by text or phone call at no extra cost. People using the app will get free reminders that their parking se

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Payment systems Fri, 30 Mar 2018 11:27:00 GMT 56408
Essex works with Imperial to expand bus lane enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56407/essex-works-with-imperial-to-expand-bus-lane-enforcement

Essex County Council’s highways team is extending its use of bus lane CCTV enforcement to improve the reliability of public transport and the safety of pedestrians in busy urban areas. The expanded CCTV operation is being developed with enforcement solutions provider Imperial, which has worked with the county since the end of 2016.  Essex says that since it started working with Imperial there has been a marked increase in motorists complying with bus lane regulations and a dramatic i

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ANPR Fri, 30 Mar 2018 11:25:00 GMT 56407
Newham opts for Videalert bus lane enforcement system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56406/newham-opts-for-videalert-bus-lane-enforcement-system

The London Borough of Newham has installed a CCTV-based Videalert system to provide unattended enforcement of bus lanes and moving traffic contraventions with a special focus on box junctions. The contract was awarded to OpenView Security Solutions, a provider of CCTV systems to local authorities, under the ELS framework agreement, which is available to all London boroughs. “An important factor in the decision-making process was to ensure that the chosen solution was open-standards based

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ANPR Fri, 30 Mar 2018 11:23:00 GMT 56406
TfL now has 100 rapid electric vehicle charging points across London https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56390/tfl-now-has-100-rapid-electric-vehicle-charging-points-across-london

A network of 100 rapid charge points for electric vehicles across London has been launched by the city’s mayor Sadiq Khan. The network includes 51 points for use by taxis. As of this year no more diesel taxis are being licensed and all taxis that are licensed for the first time need to be zero-emission capable. Over the past six months Transport for London (TfL) has worked with suppliers on the installation of 100 rapid charge points across the capital where a vehicle can be charged in 20

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Electric vehicles Fri, 30 Mar 2018 09:57:00 GMT 56390
Hampshire to back roll out of electric vehicle charging points https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56389/hampshire-to-back-roll-out-of-electric-vehicle-charging-points Hampshire County Council promoting plans for public sector organisations to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points. The county council is working with other public sector organisations across the south of England on plans to help local authorities access grant funding and private sector investment, to install charging points for general public use, as well as public sector facilities and vehicles. Earlier this year, Hampshire began an electric vehicles pilot that it hopes will reduce en

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Electric vehicles Fri, 30 Mar 2018 09:56:00 GMT 56389
78% of people support the idea of driverless cars reports GATEway https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56386/78-of-people-support-the-idea-of-driverless-cars-reports-gateway

A majority of the public supports the idea of driverless vehicles using town and city streets, as long as they are safe and protected from computer hacking, a study conducted in London has found. The team behind the GATEway (Greenwich Automated Transport Environment) Project presented a summary of findings from its three-year research programme last month. The research was conducted by consultant TRL, the University of Greenwich, ideas-hub Commonplace and the Royal College of Art. The project s

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Transport Fri, 30 Mar 2018 09:48:00 GMT 56386
BMW and Daimler to combine mobility services https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56385/bmw-and-daimler-to-combine-mobility-services

German automobile giants BMW and Daimler will be pooling their urban mobility services, which means work on developing parking, car-sharing and electric vehicle charging will be shared. The companies have signed an agreement to merge their mobility services business units. The BMW Group and Daimler AG plan to combine and expand their existing on-demand mobility offering in areas such as parking, car-sharing, ride-hailing, electric vehicle charging and multi-modality. Each company will hold a 50

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Business News Fri, 30 Mar 2018 09:44:00 GMT 56385
Milton Keynes Autodrive trials commence https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56626/milton-keynes-autodrive-trials-commence A major trial of autonomous vehicles is now underway in Milton Keynes, with self-driving electric pods taking to the pavements and streets of the city over the next 12 months. The trial is part of UK Autodrive, which is funded by Innovate UK.  It is a three-year project that is evaluating the use of connected and self-driving vehicles on the streets of Milton Keynes and Coventry. Milton Keynes Council is working with Aurrigo, the autonomous vehicle division of RDM Group, to test out a new

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Transport Mon, 26 Mar 2018 15:48:00 GMT 56626
Siemens to develop London ULEZ software https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56378/siemens-to-develop-london-ulez-software

Software enabling the implementation of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be developed for Transport for London by Siemens, which will build on experience gained from working on the city’s Congestion Charge scheme. Over the next 12 months Siemens will carry out work enabling the software to be deployed for service preparation activities leading up to the ULEZ scheme going live on a 24/7/365 basis from April 2019. Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL’s general manager

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Enforcement News Fri, 23 Mar 2018 10:02:00 GMT 56378
Can data cure parking pain? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56284/can-data-cure-parking-pain-

Parking is a pain. It just doesn’t work. You get in your vehicle, leave your home and head to where you want to be. The route guidance technology in your car focuses on how long it is going to take to drive there and, if you have a very good system, it will be very accurate. But the sat-nav does not usually account for the parking, which is the pain. So at the end of the journey you need to allow 20 to 30 minutes to make sure you can find a parking space, put some money in a meter and the

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Technology Lead Story Thu, 15 Mar 2018 17:51:00 GMT 56284
Nottingham is charging ahead with electric vehicle charging https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56283/nottingham-is-charging-ahead-with-electric-vehicle-charging

Nottingham is an Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ funded Go Ultra Low City. The city successfully bid for £6.12m to increase the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles and become an exemplar city in this field. Some £2m from the OLEV award is being used to establish a network of around of 230 chargepoints for electric vehicles (EVs) across Nottingham, Derby and Nottinghamshire. At the moment, across the UK there is a still a legacy of the provision of chargepoints that are free

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Case Studies Thu, 15 Mar 2018 17:46:00 GMT 56283
CarTap enables deliveries to parked cars https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56280/cartap-enables-deliveries-to-parked-cars

An app that enables couriers to make deliveries to car boots is being trialled at various locations around the UK. The app has been developed by CarTap, a vehicle technology company, with support from Innovate UK, a public body that helps realise the potential of new technologies, develop ideas and make them a commercial success. The app is being trialled by a vegetable supplier, builders merchant and at a staff car park. CarTap believes that delivery to vehicles offers a range of benefits to

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Technology Thu, 15 Mar 2018 15:32:00 GMT 56280
Parking patrol officer loses press privacy case https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56278/parking-patrol-officer-loses-press-privacy-case A North East Lincolnshire Council civil enforcement officer who complained about a newspaper publishing a photograph of him has failed in a bid to get an apology.  The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) rejected Kit Johnston’s complaint against the Grimsby Telegraph after it published a picture of him issuing a penalty to a coach. The Grimsby Telegraph interviewed the coach driver who had been issued a ticket, reporting that the vehicle had been fined “for parking

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Enforcement News Thu, 15 Mar 2018 15:18:00 GMT 56278
CP Plus sets out the facts on hospital parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56277/cp-plus-sets-out-the-facts-on-hospital-parking A parking management company has decided to counter widespread calls by politicians, some health charities and parts of the national media to make parking at hospitals free. Parking company CP Plus is concerned that a lack of balance in the debate over parking at NHS sites could lead to an ill thought out scrapping of pricing controls that will leave hospitals unable to manage parking demand and having to raid healthcare budgets to finance facilities and traffic management. CP Plus, which provi

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Hospitals Lead Story Thu, 15 Mar 2018 15:06:00 GMT 56277
Lets look at all options to sort out pavement parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56276/let-s-look-at-all-options-to-sort-out-pavement-parking

Pavement parking is a common issue for local authorities and communities around Britain, but PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London) suggests there may be more than one solution to solving the issue and multiple benefits to be derived.  In August 2017 a draft Transport Accessibility Action Plan was issued for public consultation by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC). The action plan includes a section on unauthori

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Viewpoint Thu, 15 Mar 2018 15:01:00 GMT 56276
British Parking Awards 2018 winners revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56271/british-parking-awards-2018-winners-revealed

Youth and experience were both honoured at the British Parking Awards 2018, which were held in London on Friday 9 March. The awards ceremony saw a group of six people recognised as the Young Parking Professionals of the Year. The recipients carry out a wide variety of roles, including traffic consultancy, structural engineering, project management within local government, financial control, customer and client relationships. One of the group, structural engineer Andrea Piniella from Stripe Con

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Awards Mon, 12 Mar 2018 11:07:00 GMT 56271
Over 150k PCNs issued in Northern Ireland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56172/over-150k-pcns-issued-in-northern-ireland Over 150,000 parking fines were issued in Northern Ireland last year, according to figures from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI). More than 94,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued in 2017 for on-street parking offences. A further 57,000 PCNs were issued for off-street and bus lane offences.  The £90 cost of a PCN in Northern Ireland is reduced to £45 if paid within 14 days of receiving the ticket.  A total of 94,452 PCNs were issued in 2017 for on street

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Enforcement News Sat, 3 Mar 2018 14:34:00 GMT 56172
Northern Ireland council writes of 180k parking debt https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56171/northern-ireland-council-writes-of-180k-parking-debt Derry City and Strabane District Council has agreed to write off nearly £180,000 in unpaid parking fines, because it has exhausted all avenues for retrieving the bad debts.  The Northern Ireland council’s business and culture committee approved the move. A spokesman explained that the council currently operates 15 paid car parks in the city of Derry/Londonderry and Strabane Town Centre.  The council took over responsibility for the car parks from the Department for Infra

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Enforcement News Sat, 3 Mar 2018 14:33:00 GMT 56171
Embassies have clocked up 110m Congestion Charge debt https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56170/embassies-have-clocked-up-110m-congestion-charge-debt Foreign embassies based in London owe almost £110m in unpaid Congestion Charge penalties. The £109,955,525 debt stretches back to the road user charging scheme’s launch in 2003. Some embassies incur PCNs on diplomatic vehicles because they define the congestion charge as a local tax, from which they are exempt. Transport for London (TfL), which operates the Congestion Charge, disagrees with this definition. “We and the UK government are clear that the Congestion C

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Enforcement News Sat, 3 Mar 2018 14:30:00 GMT 56170
English councils prosecute over 1100 Blue Badge fraudsters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56169/english-councils-prosecute-over-1-100-blue-badge-fraudsters Over 1,100 people were successfully prosecuted by local authorities for misuse of disabled parking permits in England in the last financial year, according to new figures from the Department for Transport (DfT). There were 1,131 successful prosecutions for Blue Badge fraud in 2016-17, up from 535 in 2013-14. The DfT’s annual Blue Badge survey, completed by local authorities in England, collates data on whether authorities have a policy for prosecuting misuse of the Blue Badge scheme and t

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Enforcement News Sat, 3 Mar 2018 14:27:00 GMT 56169
Three London boroughs share 766k low emission vehicle funding https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56167/three-london-boroughs-share-766k-low-emission-vehicle-funding

The Mayor of London, Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils have announced £766,000 of new funding for three local boroughs to help accelerate the switch to zero emission vehicles to tackle London’s toxic air pollution. The 'Neighbourhoods of the Future' projects include a new school low emission zone in Camden to protect pupils from filthy air, electric charging points in streets in Hackney's markets, and a zero emission street and wider Low Emission Zone near Hammersmith t

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Operational Sat, 3 Mar 2018 14:23:00 GMT 56167
New Leeds bus stops to meet demand for PR https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56166/new-leeds-bus-stops-to-meet-demand-for-p-r The popularity of park & ride bus services from Elland Road and Temple Green into Leeds have seen additional bus stops opened in the city centre. Two new bus stops have been created on the city centre’s Boar Lane. With increasing numbers of people choosing to leave their car at the 800-space Elland Road facility or the 1,000-space site to the east of the city at Temple Green, and complete their journey by bus, the numbers waiting at the existing Boar Lane stop were growing.  In

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Park & Ride Sat, 3 Mar 2018 14:20:00 GMT 56166
APT Security Systems bought by NVM https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56151/apt-security-systems-bought-by-nvm

A Lancashire business that supplies control systems for automatic doors has bought Hertfordshire access control manufacturer APT Security Systems from SWARCO. The deal will give North Valley Metal (NVM), which is based in Nelson, a presence in the south of England and provide a new market for its products. Founded in 1966, NVM makes electric control systems are used in industrial doors, garage doors and automated gate and entrance systems.  Managing director John Seymour took over in 200

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Enforcement News Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:27:00 GMT 56151
Grayling blocks TfLs plan to increase cost of Red Route PCNs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56168/grayling-blocks-tfl-s-plan-to-increase-cost-of-red-route-pcns Transport secretary Christopher Grayling has denied Transport for London’s request for an increase in the cost of penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued on the Red Route network. The penalties are imposed on vehicles that stop or park on some of the capital's main arterial routes. TfL announced its intention to increase Red Route PCNs from £130 to £160 in December last year. It claimed the existing charge had become an ineffective deterrent and the number of motorists issued w

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Enforcement News Mon, 19 Feb 2018 14:26:00 GMT 56168
British Parking Awards 2018 finalists revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56140/british-parking-awards-2018-finalists-revealed

The British Parking Awards 2018 attracted around 100 entries from across the country, from which a short list of finalists has been selected. The entries have been assessed by a panel of experts made up of parking managers, transport and parking consultants, representatives from the major parking associations and bodies representing the motoring and freight sectors. The winners will be revealed at a gala lunch to be held in London on 9 March. To see the list of finalists click here The diverse

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Awards Sun, 18 Feb 2018 16:15:00 GMT 56140
Workplace parking levy proposal causes tension in Manchester https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56139/workplace-parking-levy-proposal-causes-tension-in-manchester A workplace parking levy is among measures being considered by local authorities in the Greater Manchester area as they prepare a strategy to tackle unlawful air quality levels. However, Manchester City Council has already signalled its unease about either a workplace parking levy or congestion charge. Manchester City Council and six of the nine other Greater Manchester authorities are working to cut nitrogen dioxide levels “in the shortest possible time” as required in rulings by t

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Parking Policy Sun, 18 Feb 2018 16:10:00 GMT 56139
The strange world of customer complaints https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56133/the-strange-world-of-customer-complaints

I first started working in the parking industry as a parking attendant in 1999, on a three-month contract, enforcing the on-street restrictions in the Heritage City of Bath. In the 19 years since then, almost everyone I’ve encountered has expressed an opinion on parking, especially on the money councils make from it. The common refrain is: “It’s not the money, it’s the principle…” Anyone that has worked in parking for any length of time is likely to have hea

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Viewpoint Sun, 18 Feb 2018 15:45:00 GMT 56133
Source London sets out expansion plan for London EV network https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56131/source-london-sets-out-expansion-plan-for-london-ev-network The company that installs chargepoints under the Source London scheme says it has around £75m to invest in the capital. An agreement signed with Tower Hamlets at the end of 2017 means that BluepointLondon is now working with 20 local authorities in the capital.  However, the company has so far spent only £25m of the £100m budget it has allocated to transform London’s EV infrastructure. There are currently close to 1,000 chargepoints stored in a warehouse in Ealing,

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Electric vehicles Sun, 18 Feb 2018 15:11:00 GMT 56131
Price changes have increased car park usage in Flintshire https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56011/price-changes-have-increased-car-park-usage-in-flintshire Parking charges introduced in 2015 by Flintshire County Council have increased utilisation levels at most of the car parks concerned. The North Wales authority introduced charges at its car parks in Buckley, Talacre, Holywell, Connah’s Quay, Shotton and Queensferry in summer and autumn 2015, while parking charges in Mold were revised. Charging was introduced at County Hall, near Mold, in summer 2016. Stephen Jones, chief officer for streetscene and transportation, presented a council scru

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Operational Sat, 10 Feb 2018 13:10:00 GMT 56011
Airport parking specialist Looking4com looking to grow https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56004/airport-parking-specialist-looking4-com-looking-to-grow

Looking4.com, an airport parking price comparison company, has appointed audit, tax and consulting firm RSM to support its growth plans. The Leeds-based business recently secured a partnership agreement with Paris-Beauvais Airport and its first acquisition in the southern hemisphere with the purchase of Airport Parking Australia. It currently serves countries including the UK, France, Italy, Germany, South Africa, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. RSM has now been appointed audit

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Business News Sat, 10 Feb 2018 12:44:00 GMT 56004
Worthing's car parks key to towns regeneration https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56000/worthing-s-car-parks-key-to-town-s-regeneration Worthing & Adur Borough Council has made investment in the High Street and Buckingham Road car parks a key element of the town’s regeneration plans.  The West Sussex council’s plans include the redevelopment of key town centre sites, starting with the demolition of the derelict Aquarena leisure centre, which will be replaced with new residential and retail buildings. ? Worthing & Adur Borough Council will use increases to tariffs at some of the car parks it operates to

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Construction Sat, 10 Feb 2018 12:16:00 GMT 56000
BP to deliver rapid charging at retail sites https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55999/bp-to-deliver-rapid-charging-at-retail-sites

BP plans to roll out mobile electric vehicle (EV) rapid charging systems at selected filling station sites in the UK and Europe during 2018. This follows BP Ventures investing $5m (£3.5m) in FreeWire Technologies, a US-based manufacturer. BP Ventures supports each of these areas by identifying emerging trends and businesses, making strategic investments and testing technologies and solutions for their scalability. Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive of BP Downstream, which looks after the

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Electric vehicles Sat, 10 Feb 2018 12:11:00 GMT 55999
Cleverciti secures funding for international growth https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55995/cleverciti-secures-funding-for-international-growth Smart parking solution provider Cleverciti Systems has secured $13m growth funding round. Cleverciti’s overhead sensors for on-street and outdoor parking provide real-time parking data to parking operators, local authorities and drivers. New investor EnBW New Ventures, which provides venture capital for young companies, has joined existing lead investor SPDG to support the international gro

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Business News Sat, 10 Feb 2018 11:57:00 GMT 55995
PayByPhone launches at Northampton General Hospital https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55994/paybyphone-launches-at-northampton-general-hospital PayByPhone is now available at Northampton Hospital’s seven on-site car parks, enabling users to skip the pay & display machines and purchase parking via their phone.  “We have been listening to feedback from our patients and visitors and know it is important to make it as easy as possible for people to pay for parking. We think this new opportunity to use PayByPhone will help us do that,” said Brian Willett, hotel services manager at Northampton General Hospital NHS

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Payment systems Sat, 10 Feb 2018 11:56:00 GMT 55994
Southwark parking patrols to enforce anti-idling rules https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55981/southwark-parking-patrols-to-enforce-anti-idling-rules

Drivers are now being asked to turn off their engines when parked in the London Borough of Southwark. Civil enforcement officers (CEOs) are engaging with drivers of cars, buses, taxis and HGVs whose engines are idling. Failure to comply will incur an £80 penalty charge notice (PCN). Southwark cabinet member for public health and regeneration, Maisie Anderson, said: “Needlessly keeping your engine running pollutes roads, schools and children’s lungs. Asking people to turn off t

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Enforcement News Tue, 6 Feb 2018 17:56:00 GMT 55981
Sir Greg Knight's bid to regulate parking moves forward https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56136/sir-greg-knight-s-bid-to-regulate-parking-moves-forward

The government has given its blessing to a Private Member’s Bill that seeks to place regulation of the private parking sector on a statutory footing. The Bill had already been endorsed both by organisations representing the parking sector and motorists. The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday 2 February. It was presented by Sir Greg Knight MP and supported by a cross-party group of MPs comprising Jacob Rees-Mogg, Daniel Zeichner Kevin

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Parking Policy Mon, 5 Feb 2018 15:58:00 GMT 56136
Cornwall Council reviews disabled resident parking bay charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56008/cornwall-council-reviews-disabled-resident-parking-bay-charges Cornwall Council says it will review the fees it charges applicants for creating disabled bays outside their homes. A woman with multiple sclerosis made headlines last month when she said it would have cost her £3,800 to put in a special space where she lives. Deb Race, who lives in St Austell, decided against putting the disabled bay outside her home. Cornwall council said the £3,800 fee covered a Traffic Regulation Order, advertising, public consultation and painting the new space

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Operational Fri, 2 Feb 2018 12:55:00 GMT 56008
Government to back regulation of parking on private land https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55879/government-to-back-regulation-of-parking-on-private-land

Communities secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that government will support new legislation aimed at raising standards in the industry. The government is supporting a Private Member’s Bill that is due to have its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday 2 February. Sajid Javid said: “For too long drivers have suffered from unjust fines at the hands of dodgy parking firms. We need a f

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Business News Sun, 28 Jan 2018 10:35:00 GMT 55879
Barbour Logic parking correspondence systems now used by half of London boroughs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55853/barbour-logic-parking-correspondence-systems-now-used-by-half-of-london-boroughs

The London Borough of Lambeth has adopted Barbour Logic’s correspondence technologies to create letters replying to drivers who have contacted the authority about penalty charge notices (PCNs) that they have received.  Response Master uses decision-making software to create letters in Plain English. The system takes account of PCN regulations, the council’s specific policies and a range of questions and explanations raised by motorists.  Lambeth is the latest London borou

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Business News Sat, 27 Jan 2018 14:57:00 GMT 55853
Shepway swaps scratchcards for RingGo virtual permits https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55852/shepway-swaps-scratchcards-for-ringgo-virtual-permits Shepway District Council has scrapped the physical parking scratchcards it supplied to residents and hoteliers in the coastal towns of Folkestone and Hythe, replacing them with virtual parking permits. The Kent council is now using RingGo Resident Visitor Permits (RVPs) and the RingGo Virtual Wallet.  The move to virtual permits is expected to save the council £12,000 a year through reduced staff time and the costs of distribution. The council was ordering and selling 20,000 scratch

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Payment systems Sat, 27 Jan 2018 14:54:00 GMT 55852
Parkeon and Cale finalise merger agreement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55851/parkeon-and-cale-finalise-merger-agreement

Parking system manufacturers Parkeon and Cale have finalised a merger. French company Parkeon and its Swedish rival Cale entered into exclusive negotiations in November last year and, with agreement reached, work is now underway to establish a new umbrella organisation. Danny Hassett, Parkeon’s regional parking director in the UK, will take over responsibility for the Cale business in the UK.  Hassett confirmed that both the Parkeon and Cale brands will continue as separate entities

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Transport Lead Story Sat, 27 Jan 2018 14:52:00 GMT 55851
Liverpool City Council publishes images and video of aftermath of car park blaze https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55850/liverpool-city-council-publishes-images-and-video-of-aftermath-of-car-park-blaze

Pictures and a video have been released showing for the aftermath of the fire at Liverpool’s Waterfront Car Park. The New Year’s Eve blaze lasted almost 12 hours and took more than 20 fire crews to bring under control. Unprecedented in its nature, the fire spread throughout the multi-storey car park, which sits within the ACC Liverpool complex, causing extensive damage that the insurance industry estimates will result in claims worth more than £20m. Liverpool City Council is

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Operational Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:25:00 GMT 55850
Government to extend Blue Badge parking rights to people with hidden disabilities https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55832/government-to-extend-blue-badge-parking-rights-to-people-with-hidden-disabilities

People with hidden disabilities could soon have greater access to Blue Badges under new plans from transport minister Jesse Norman. The proposals would help remove barriers to travel for people with conditions such as dementia and autism, allowing them better access to work, shops and amenities. The Department for Transport says the changes are part of a drive for greater parity between the treatment of physical and mental health conditions. About 2.4m disabled people in England have a Bl

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Parking Policy Mon, 22 Jan 2018 16:22:00 GMT 55832
JustPark is new mobile payments provider for Central Bedfordshire https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55856/justpark-is-new-mobile-payments-provider-for-central-bedfordshire

Online payments in Central Bedfordshire Council’s pay & display car parks are now being managed by JustPark. The online parking provider took over the contract from current provider RingGo on 16 January. It is now running mobile payments across Dunstable, Flitwick and Leighton Buzzard.  “Moving the service to the JustPark app will see drivers benefit from a range of new features, including being able to search for a vacant parking space in any of the pay & display car p

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Payment systems Fri, 19 Jan 2018 15:08:00 GMT 55856
How will autonomous vehicles drive the parking sector? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55736/how-will-autonomous-vehicles-drive-the-parking-sector-

Nobody can avoid the absolute deluge of articles that are coming out now and media stories relating to autonomous vehicles (AVs). Typically, these are fairly polarised. Some can be characterised as predicting a real reduction in the demand for parking. There are images from various urban designers and architects showing romanticised 2050 visions of what the future might look like, of how our streetscape might start to evolve. But the debate about AVs starts to become a lot more nuanced when we&

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Business News Tue, 16 Jan 2018 14:06:00 GMT 55736
Sandwell councillor beached code of conduct https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56014/sandwell-councillor-beached-code-of-conduct Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council has found that a former deputy leader breached its code of conduct by selling public toilets at a discount and trying to cancel parking tickets for family members. The West Midlands’ authority’s standards committee members found Cllr Mahboob Hussain has brought the council into disrepute. The hearing last month ruled Mr Hussain ignored a £130,000 valuation of public toilets and instead sold them for £35,000 to a family friend. An in

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Operational Mon, 15 Jan 2018 13:19:00 GMT 56014
Source London plan to provide 1000 additional chargepoints across the capital https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55872/source-london-plan-to-provide-1-000-additional-chargepoints-across-the-capital

The company that installs chargepoints under the Source London scheme says it has around £75m to invest in the capital. An agreement signed with Tower Hamlets at the end of 2017 means that BluepointLondon is now working with 20 local authorities in the capital. However, the company has so far spent only £25m of the £100m budget it has allocated to transform London’s EV infrastructure and that are currently close to 1,000 charge points stored in a warehouse in Ealing

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Electric vehicles Fri, 12 Jan 2018 16:31:00 GMT 55872
Union leader slams rip-off rail parking charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56006/union-leader-slams-rip-off-rail-parking-charges A trade union leader has accused rail companies of charging passengers “rip-off” parking charges at stations.  Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, accused train operating companies (TOCs) of driving up the cost of parking.  “Enough is enough,” said Whelan. “It’s time to stop squeezing commuters until the pips squeak. Every year the TOCs put up the price of parking for passengers and they’re putting up pric

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Operational Mon, 8 Jan 2018 12:50:00 GMT 56006
A shortage of charging points could staff driverless car revolution warns AXA boss https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55871/a-shortage-of-charging-points-could-staff-driverless-car-revolution-warns-axa-boss A shortage of charging points and National Grid limitations will hinder to the spread of driverless electric cars in the UK, the head of insurance company Axa has warned. Axa is involved in several self-driving car trials funded by the government, including Venturer in Bristol and UK Autodrive in Milton Keynes. Amanda Blanc, group chief executive of AXA UK & Ireland, has warned said a lack of rapid charging bays and pressure on the National Grid have overtaken questions about accident liab

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Electric vehicles Fri, 5 Jan 2018 16:25:00 GMT 55871
Wolverhampton refurbishment recognised at Structural Concrete Alliance Awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/56001/wolverhampton-refurbishment-recognised-at-structural-concrete-alliance-awards

The refurbishment of the Wolverhampton Civic Centre Car Park came second in the 2017 Structural Concrete Alliance Award for Repair and Refurbishment. The car park forms the basement of the city council’s offices. The 40-year-old reinforced concrete structure had been plagued with defects for years, including delaminating concrete decks, spalling and cracking in the soffits and damaged columns. Refurbishment contractor VolkerLaser developed an innovative repair and protection scheme for t

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Construction Fri, 5 Jan 2018 12:19:00 GMT 56001
JustPark raises 28m via crowdfunding https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55598/justpark-raises-2-8m-via-crowdfunding Parking technology firm JustPark has raised £2.8m via a crowdfunding campaign that has attracted 2,433 investors.  The London-based company’s initial aim was to raise £1.5m via the Crowdcube online platform. This was not a general offer, as investors had to be registered with Crowdcube to participate. In 2015 JustPark used Crowdcube to raise a total of £3.5m. The new round of crowdfunding raised includes £700,000 made by existing backers Index Ventures and Lo

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Business News Wed, 3 Jan 2018 17:14:00 GMT 55598
MSP calls for change in Scottish law on private parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55594/msp-calls-for-change-in-scottish-law-on-private-parking

A Scottish politician has launched a consultation on legislation that he hopes will clarify on the way privately operated car parks are enforced. Murdo Fraser, a member of the Scottish Parliament, says he has received hundreds of complaints about private parking penalty notices. The Conservative MSP wants to introduce a Member’s Bill in the Scottish Parliament that will provide greater consistency and transparency.  The consultation will last for three months. Parking tickets issued

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Parking Policy Wed, 3 Jan 2018 17:05:00 GMT 55594
Northern Ireland parking reforms could raise 5m a year https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55593/northern-ireland-parking-reforms-could-raise-5m-a-year The extension of street parking controls across Northern Ireland could raise up to £5m a year, a briefing document produced for the Northern Ireland Assembly suggests.  Introducing parking charges at all hospital and social care sites and a new policy for civil servants are also discussed in the Briefing on Northern Ireland Budgetary Outlook 2018-20. The 188-page briefing, produced by the Department of Finance, states additional revenue could be raised by introducing charging for on

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Parking Policy Wed, 3 Jan 2018 17:03:00 GMT 55593
Brighton deploys parking officer to keep the buses running https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55592/brighton-deploys-parking-officer-to-keep-the-buses-running

Brighton & Hove City Council is tasking one of its civil enforcement officers (CEOs) with focussing on inconsiderate parking that obstructs buses in a bid to improve air quality by keeping services moving. The CEO works for the city council via contractor NSL. The officer selected has worked as a CEO in the city for the last nine years but has tended to focus on checking car permits. The CEO’s new role includes ensuring bus stops have the correct instructions for cars and, in turn, t

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Enforcement News Wed, 3 Jan 2018 17:02:00 GMT 55592
Parking IT company Imperial makes GovTech top 100 list https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55589/parking-it-company-imperial-makes-govtech-top-100-list Parking IT specialist Imperial been named as one of the Top 100 most influential specialist companies in the 'GovTech' market. The State of the UK GovTech Market report was produced by Public, a specialist venture capital and research group, to highlight the sector’s growth and opportunities for digital service transformation.  Imperial offers software systems, consultancy and back office processing services. It also works in partnership with traffic and parking camera enforcement sy

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Business News Wed, 3 Jan 2018 16:56:00 GMT 55589
How Cambridge revamped three car parks in record time https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55586/how-cambridge-revamped-three-car-parks-in-record-time

When Cambridge City Council decided to refurbish three of its high use multi-storey car parks it invested a lot of time in planning ways to minimise disruption to the general public, businesses and the city centre as a whole. The planning and pre-risk analysis work paid off with  the project starting on 15 May 2017. It had originally been anticipated that these works would run into late September, but adopting a due diligence approach, clear communications and effective contract management

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Case Studies Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:57:00 GMT 55586
First look at designs for Nottingham's new Broadmarsh bus station and car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55583/first-look-at-designs-for-nottingham-s-new-broadmarsh-bus-station-and-car-park

Nottingham City Council has unveiled the designs of the new Broadmarsh bus station and car park, which will provide 1,397 parking spaces, almost 250 more than in the previous car park. The city council said the development will significantly improve the approach to the city centre from Nottingham Station. The car park includes charging points on each floor for electric cars, with infrastructure in place to increase these as usage of electric cars increases. Solar panels will be installed on the

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Construction Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:31:00 GMT 55583
ANPR weight limit check system for Oxfordshire bridge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55582/anpr-weight-limit-check-system-for-oxfordshire-bridge

An ANPR-based traffic enforcement system has been introduced by Trading Standards in Oxfordshire to help protect one of the oldest river crossings on the River Thames at Newbridge. The Siemens solution identifies traffic that exceeds the weight limit on the A415 between Abingdon and Witney, and can also maintain an enforcement schedule and permitted vehicle lists. The schedule will allow for selected enforcement periods required for other types of restriction, with the permitted vehicle lists i

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ANPR Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:25:00 GMT 55582
Newcastle awards parking IT specialist Imperial new contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55581/newcastle-awards-parking-it-specialist-imperial-new-contract

Newcastle City Council has awarded parking IT company Imperial a new contract that covers the digitisation of permit services.  Imperial has been working with Newcastle for the past decade. The new contract with Imperial is for an initial period of five years, with the option for two further extensions. Craig Mordue, service manager, parking services, said: “The new contract we have now signed with the company will see the introduction of new smartphone technologies fitted with Rialt

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IT Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:22:00 GMT 55581
Leeds deploys Videalert CCTV enforcement vehicle https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55580/leeds-deploys-videalert-cctv-enforcement-vehicle

Leeds City Council is using a new CCTV vehicle to provide unattended enforcement of a range of offences including parking on city centre bus stops and school keep clears. The mobile enforcement vehicle has been supplied by Videalert after a two-year pilot scheme resulted in a reduction in offences of more than 74% and faster journey times for public transport users, said Mark Jefford, Leeds City Council parking manager. “The new mobile enforcement vehicle provides us with the flexibility

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ANPR Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:20:00 GMT 55580
Enhanced PayByPhone smartphone service launched in Manchester https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55579/enhanced-paybyphone-smartphone-service-launched-in-manchester

Motorists in Manchester can now use the PayByPhone app to pay for their parking session without the need to create an account. PayPyPhone was first rolled out in Manchester in 2011 and now gains an average of 5,000 first-time users in the city each month. PayByPhone is also currently available in 206 on-street locations and 154 car parks in Manchester. A new single screen registration process and a ‘favourite spot’ option now enable drivers can park and pay in less than 30 seconds

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Payment systems Wed, 3 Jan 2018 10:17:00 GMT 55579
Liverpool car park fire engulfs 1400 cars https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55577/liverpool-car-park-fire-engulfs-1-400-cars

A fire at a multi-storey car park in Liverpool destroyed up to 1,400 vehicles, forcing many people to spend New Year’s Eve in a temporary shelter. The fire started at around 4.40pm in the King’s Dock car park, which is adjacent to the Liverpool Echo Arena, part of the Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) Liverpool complex.  It appears flames from a blaze in one car spread to other vehicles around it, and then to cars parked on other decks.  Over 20 fire engines attended the

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Operational Mon, 1 Jan 2018 12:51:00 GMT 55577
Call for government to stop stalling on pavement parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55575/call-for-government-to-stop-stalling-on-pavement-parking

Four national organisations have written to transport minister Jesse Norman urging him to prohibit pavement parking across England and Wales after what they regard as years of inaction from the government.  Living Streets, Guide Dogs, the British Parking Association (BPA) and the Local Government Association (LGA) have co-authored a letter highlighting the danger they say pavement parking poses to vulnerable pedestrians.  The organisations argue that people living with sight loss or

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Parking Policy Fri, 22 Dec 2017 12:51:00 GMT 55575
Spread of public sector electric vehicle infrastructure is uneven https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55573/spread-of-public-sector-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-is-uneven

As electric cars grow in popularity demand for charging points is also increasing, but a survey of local authorities reveals that the provision of public charging infrastructure is uneven across the UK. The survey was conducted by property consultant JLL and the British Parking Association (BPA). Eighty councils replied, representing over a quarter of the UK’s local authorities. A third (33%) of councils that replied had no electric vehicle charge points within their car park portfolios.

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Electric vehicles Wed, 20 Dec 2017 16:03:00 GMT 55573
Mergers and buyouts drive a buoyant European parking market https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55567/mergers-and-buyouts-drive-a-buoyant-european-parking-market

Europe’s car parking infrastructure is undergoing significant growth. In the past year, four of the largest operators have been put up for sale, while mergers and acquisitions activities are commanding high prices. These are core observations by credit ratings agency S&P Global Ratings in a new report on the sector’s growth potential. However, the ratings agency’s report concludes that, while the current flurry of deals seems promising, the future looks far less certain fo

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Business News Wed, 20 Dec 2017 12:22:00 GMT 55567
TfL to increase penalty for ignoring Congestion Charge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55557/tfl-to-increase-penalty-for-ignoring-congestion-charge

Transport for London (TfL) is to increase the Congestion Charge penalty charge notice (PCN) from 2 January 2018. A rise in the cost of PCNs issued on the capital’s ‘red routes’ is also being planned. In the past five years there has been a 12% increase in the number of motorists issued with Congestion Charge PCNs. TfL said the rise from around 1.3m in 2011/12 to around 1.5 million in 2016/17 is a clear indicator that the effectiveness of the current PCN fine has reduced over t

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Enforcement News Fri, 15 Dec 2017 11:33:00 GMT 55557
Only 1% of car buyers are looking for electric vehicles despite demonisation of diesels says What Car? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55876/only-1-of-car-buyers-are-looking-for-electric-vehicles-despite-demonisation-of-diesels-says-what-car- Just one-in-100 car buyers are actively looking at new electric vehicles despite the government announcing an investment of over £500m in incentives and infrastructure, according to data released by What Car? Chancellor Philip Hammond announced plans to extend the government’s Plug-In Car Grant to 2020 – the equivalent of a £100m investment – and a further £400m to increase electric vehicle charging points. However, analysis of new car enquiries by What Car?

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Electric vehicles Thu, 14 Dec 2017 16:40:00 GMT 55876
British Parking Awards entry deadline extended to 8 January 2018 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55552/british-parking-awards-entry-deadline-extended-to-8-january-2018

The winners of the British Parking Awards 2018 will be revealed at a gala ceremony held in London during March by the comedian Lucy Porter. The competition is free to enter and, as is now traditional, the deadline for submissions has been extended to Monday 8 January. According to Time Out, Lucy Porter “is one of the most talented comics on the circuit”. Having had 11 Edinburgh Fringe shows and international tours, Lucy is a well-established and loved comedian. On TV, she has

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Awards Tue, 12 Dec 2017 13:58:00 GMT 55552
PATROL launches latest round of the Parking Annual Reports by Councils Awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55550/patrol-launches-latest-round-of-the-parking-annual-reports-by-councils-awards PATROL’s annual search for the best parking report produced by a local authority is underway. The Parking Annual Reports by Councils (PARC) Awards recognise best practice by local authority parking teams in communicating with the public and other key stakeholders. Reports will be judged by an independent jury and the best submissions will be revealed at an event held in the summer. Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London (PATROL), is a joint committee that represents 310 local auth

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Awards Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:59:00 GMT 55550
Start spreading the news https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55549/start-spreading-the-news

We are passionate about parking annual reports at Brighton & Hove City Council. We have been producing them since 2008 and were fortunate enough to win the very first PATROL PARC Award, and have been shortlisted for the past eight years, winning the last two awards. Annual reports are an excellent way to communicate key facts about your parking team’s performance and priorities to stakeholders. Annual reports also let you explain how parking services fit into wider traffic management,

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Viewpoint Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:49:00 GMT 55549
Fast online appeals management is here and it works https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55548/fast-online-appeals-management-is-here--and-it-works

Historically, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) offered telephone hearings, personal hearings and postal cases. Motorists can now appeal through the tribunal’s website thanks to the development of FOAM (Fast Online Appeal Management).  Rather than filling out a paper form, as they used to, motorists can now create an account online and raise an appeal. FOAM is a transparent process so the appellant can follow the process right the way through, resulting in a better understanding of t

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Technology Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:41:00 GMT 55548
P is for PATROL parking and partnership https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55547/p-is-for-patrol-parking-and-partnership

Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London (PATROL) has 310 member local authorities from across England and Wales. The towns, cities and counties that PATROL represents are very diverse. By enabling local authorities to work in partnership, PATROL offers substantial economies of scale, which allow it to invest in things that maybe would be prohibitive for a single authority. One example of that is the shared investment in our digital appeal platform FOAM (Fast Online Appeal Management) which

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Partnership Working Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:36:00 GMT 55547
PATROL Preparing for tomorrows parking world https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55546/patrol-preparing-for-tomorrow-s-parking-world

The principal objective of PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulation Outside London) is to provide independent adjudication to its member authorities for parking and traffic appeals in England and Wales excluding the London authorities. This is delivered through the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.   With 310 members, PATROL ranks as one of the largest Joint Committees across England and Wales because of the devolved nature of traffic regulations. PATROL has used its economies of scale to invest in

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Case Studies Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:29:00 GMT 55546
Lets look to the future https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55545/let-s-look-to-the-future

When I was interviewed in 1992 to be the very first parking adjudicator for the new decriminalised enforcement scheme in London, I said that my first objective was to have the best tribunal in the country, and my second was to have no work.  I think the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is now perhaps the most advanced tribunal in the country, something the Courts & Tribunals Service agree with, especially regarding our technology. But we are still busy. When I said I hoped there would be no wor

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Cover Story Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:09:00 GMT 55545
Why do we charge for parking? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55544/why-do-we-charge-for-parking-

The economics of parking are very complex because we are at the interface between what is a public service and what is a commercial product. Much of parking is based in the public sector either because it is on the public highway or it is under local authority control. In the public sector there are politics involved, usually with a small ‘p’, but sometimes a capital ‘P’, which does complicate the issue. On the other side, a lot of aspects of how we manage parking are en

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Viewpoint Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:06:00 GMT 55544
The International Parking Community sets out its vision for the future https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55542/the-international-parking-community-sets-out-its-vision-for-the-future

Parking operators are increasingly engaging with motorists in the digital domain, and this is something that their representative bodies will also have to do. This was a key message delivered by the International Parking Community (IPC) at its 2017 annual conference.  IPC chief executive Will Hurley urged delegates to embrace new technologies and new opportunities with confidence. “Recognising responsibilities and securing the insight required to take change in one’s stride are

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Profiles Mon, 11 Dec 2017 13:55:00 GMT 55542
Cornwall Council switches to JustPark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55441/cornwall-council-switches-to-justpark

Phone parking services at Cornwall Council car parks will be provided by JustPark. The council said that the switch to the new provider would save around £140,000, with the savings being reinvested into maintaining the county’s roads and car parks. JustPark took over the running of the service in 131 Cornwall Council pay & display car parks from Monday 4 December.  Current BemroseMobile Phone and Pay users will have until the end of December to register their details with

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Business News Thu, 7 Dec 2017 15:16:00 GMT 55441
Parking and traffic contraventions increase in London https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55415/parking-and-traffic-contraventions-increase-in-london The total number of penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by boroughs and Transport for London (TfL) in 2016-17 was 10% higher than last year, statistics published by London Councils show. A focus on more serious contraventions is behind the rise, with higher level parking PCNs and moving traffic contraventions increasing by 11% and 26% respectively compared with 2015-16. These penalties are issued for a range of issues including: parking in disabled bays; obstructing pedestrian crossings; and un

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Enforcement News Tue, 5 Dec 2017 17:43:00 GMT 55415
Exmouth Town Hall car park opened to public https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55422/exmouth-town-hall-car-park-opened-to-public A car park adjacent to Exmouth Town Hall has been made available to the general public. Previously, use of the car park was restricted on weekdays to people visiting the town hall. However, following refurbishment works, East Devon District Council (EDDC) has made the 31-space car park available seven days a week on a short-stay basis. The car park is controlled using a pay & display machine. Cllr Tom Wright, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “The location of this small car

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Operational Mon, 4 Dec 2017 17:52:00 GMT 55422
Free Christmas parking for Caerphilly shoppers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55421/free-christmas-parking-for-caerphilly-shoppers Caerphilly Council in south Wales will offer free parking for two hours to shoppers in the run-up to Christmas to encourage them to use the town centre. The free parking scheme, which also prevents motorists returning for two hours after their time is up, has been implemented previously. Traders claim recent roadworks on a roundabout in Caerphilly caused traffic problems that lost them business. The 12-month works on the Pwll-y-Pant roundabout, known locally as the Cedar Tree interchange, took

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Operational Mon, 4 Dec 2017 17:51:00 GMT 55421
New parking charges in Hereford city centre https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55420/new-parking-charges-in-hereford-city-centre Pay & display machines have been installed on some streets in Hereford city centre. Herefordshire Council said the use of machines would encourage increased walking, cycling and bus use. Parking charges of 50p for up to half an hour and £1 for up to an hour. Disabled Blue Badge holders can park for free while displaying their badge. Normal 0

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Operational Mon, 4 Dec 2017 17:50:00 GMT 55420
Lancashire appoints Chargemaster to install 150 points https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55410/lancashire-appoints-chargemaster-to-install-150-points

Chargemaster is to install 150 new electric vehicle charging points across Lancashire following a successful bid by Lancashire County Council to the Department for Transport’s Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund. Chargemaster will provide 18 of its Ultracharge rapid chargers and 66 dual-socket fast chargers, for use with a standard Type 2 public charging cable. The first charging points will be installed in early 2018 and will be operated on POLAR, which Chargemaster says is now the UK&rs

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Electric vehicles Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:46:00 GMT 55410
Chargemaster wins 2m Nottingham electric vehicle charging point contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55409/chargemaster-wins-2m-nottingham-electric-vehicle-charging-point-contract

Chargemaster has been awarded a £2m contract by Nottingham City Council to install about 230 electric vehicle charging points across Nottinghamshire and in Derby over the next three years. As part of its Go Ultra Low City status, Nottingham City Council, together with Derby and Nottinghamshire councils, was awarded £6.1m in 2016 from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to help support the uptake of electric vehicles, reducing pollution and improving air quality.  The t

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Electric vehicles Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:45:00 GMT 55409
English councils combined parking surplus rises 10% to 819m says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55403/english-councils-combined-parking-surplus-rises-10-to-819m-says-rac-foundation

English councils generated a surplus of £819m from their parking operations in the last financial year, according to a study undertaken for the RAC Foundation. The figure for 2016-17 is 10% higher than the £744m made in the previous financial year. It is 40% higher than the £587m made in 2012-13. The RAC Foundation said the £819m total is £37m above what councils themselves had forecast for 2016-17. The findings come from an annual analysis for the RAC Foundation b

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Enforcement News Tue, 28 Nov 2017 16:12:00 GMT 55403
Westminster reduces parking tickets by 70% over 13 years https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55393/westminster-reduces-parking-tickets-by-70-over-13-years Westminster City Council now issues 70% fewer penalty charge notices (PCNs) than it did 13 years ago, with 322,454 being written last year compared to almost 1.05m in 2003-04. The reduction is attributed to a number of reasons, including greater motorist compliance and education, more available payment channels, real-time information and technology. The council now employs traffic marshals rather than civil enforcement officers. The marshals are trained to give advice and, where appropriate, is

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Enforcement News Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:50:00 GMT 55393
Camden council to tackle engine idling https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55392/camden-council-to-tackle-engine-idling Camden Council has approved new measures to help reduce emissions from stationary idling vehicles that create pollution on the roads of the north London borough. The new powers, agreed by the full council on 20 November, mean civil enforcement officers (CEOs) will now be able to issue fixed penalty notices (FPN) to drivers who refuse to switch off their engines in a stationary vehicle. Tackling engine idling forms part of the council’s Clean Air Action Plan to tackle air pollution. At

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Parking Policy Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:48:00 GMT 55392
Hounslow introduces 50 parking permit surcharge for diesels https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55391/hounslow-introduces-50-parking-permit-surcharge-for-diesels Residents with diesel vehicles in the west London borough of Hounslow now have to pay a £50 surcharge for parking permits The new parking permit charging schedule, which came into effect in mid-October, see drivers of diesel cars pay up to £130 for a 12 month resident’s permit to park their vehicle, up from £80 under the previous regime. Currently residents’ permits cost £80 for the first vehicle, £133 for the second and £220 for any subsequent v

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Parking Policy Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:46:00 GMT 55391
Mouchel Traffic Support rebranded following WSP acquisition https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55289/mouchel-traffic-support-rebranded-following-wsp-acquisition Parking enforcement software supplier Mouchel Traffic Support has been re-branded as WSP Traffic Support. The new name is part of the integration of Mouchel business units into the WSP Global group. Traffic Support has been working in the enforcement market for over 15 years. Its core service is the development and the delivery of the Taranto software used by local authorities to manage and enforce parking in the UK.  Chris Murphy, Traffic Support’s sales director, said: “The

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Business News Tue, 21 Nov 2017 12:00:00 GMT 55289
Welsh councils generate 374m from parking says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55284/welsh-councils-generate-37-4m-from-parking-says-rac-foundation Local authorities in Wales made a combined surplus of £14m on parking activities in the last financial year, according to an analysis undertaken for the RAC Foundation. The figure for 2016-17 was 1.4% higher than the £13.8m surplus made in 2015-16. The rise was the fourth consecutive annual increase. Between them, the 22 councils in Wales had parking income of £37.4m in 2016-17, 4.5% higher than the previous financial year. The data, analysed for the RAC Foundation by David L

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Enforcement News Fri, 17 Nov 2017 15:57:00 GMT 55284
Cornwall reduces cost of evening season parking tickets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55278/cornwall-reduces-cost-of-evening-season-parking-tickets Cornwall Council has reduced the price of evening only season tickets in selected car parks to help residents in towns who say finding evening and overnight parking on the street is difficult. During a consultation with residents about parking last year, one of the issues raised was the problem of finding somewhere to park overnight. This prompted the council to introduce a reduced price evening-only season ticket. For £50, residents can now buy a ticket that is valid for the w

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Operational Fri, 17 Nov 2017 13:58:00 GMT 55278
Loughborough council sites receive safer parking and disabled parking awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55277/loughborough-council-sites-receive-safer-parking-and-disabled-parking-awards

All five council-run car parks in Loughborough town centre have secured the Park Mark award under the Safer Parking Scheme. The accredited car parks are Beehive Lane, Granby Street, Browns Lane, Southfields Road and Southfields Road offices. Beehive Lane has held the accreditation for 13 years, while the others have secured it for the past nine years. This year Granby Street Car Park was also awarded a Disabled Parking Accreditation (DPA) from Disabled Motoring UK. This popular town centre car

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Safer Parking Fri, 17 Nov 2017 13:57:00 GMT 55277
Park Cardiff app uses sensor data to help drivers locate empty bays https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55273/park-cardiff-app-uses-sensor-data-to-help-drivers-locate-empty-bays

An app that helps drivers find available parking spaces has gone live in Cardiff. City of Cardiff Council has installed 3,300 sensors in paid and disabled parking bays. The vehicle detection sensors are embedded into the road and detect whether or not the parking bay is occupied using infrared technology. The sensors provide the occupancy data that is relayed to drivers via the Park Cardiff app. The app and sensor system has been developed and installed by Smart Parking. Caro Wild, cabinet mem

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Technology Fri, 17 Nov 2017 13:50:00 GMT 55273
Government drops plan to build 250m lorry park in Kent https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55254/government-s-plan-to-build-250m-lorry-park-in-kent

A government plan to build a lorry park in Kent to ease traffic congestion caused by Operation Stack has been dropped. The Department for Transport has withdrawn its application to build a £250m lorry park near the M20 at Stanford, near Hythe. The lorry park was due to built at Junction 11 near Folkestone to alleviate disruption caused by Operation Stack and lorry drivers parking near public roads. The plan to create parking for 3,600 lorries had generated opposition from Stanford Paris

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Parking Policy Wed, 15 Nov 2017 14:55:00 GMT 55254
Lucy Porter to present British Parking Awards 2018 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55253/lucy-porter-to-present-british-parking-awards-2018

The winners of the British Parking Awards 2018 will be revealed on Friday 8 March by the comedian Lucy Porter. Parking Review launched the British Parking Awards in 2002. Now in their 17th year, the annual competition encourages both public and private sector organisations to nominate people and projects that represent the best in parking management, design and innovation. The competition is 

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Awards Wed, 15 Nov 2017 13:51:00 GMT 55253
PayByPhone lands in Jersey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55237/paybyphone-lands-in-jersey The PayByPhone app has been launched in Jersey car parks as an alternative to paycards and season tickets. The app covers the Green Street and Pier Road car parks in St Helier. States of Jersey infrastructure minister Eddie Noel said that the new app, which is free to download, offers islanders more flexibility but would not replace the traditional paycard method of paying. “One of the biggest benefits of this technology is that we are able to extend your parking remotely,” said De

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Payment systems Fri, 10 Nov 2017 16:42:00 GMT 55237
Reading expands use of pay display parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55235/reading-expands-use-of-pay--display-parking Reading Borough Council has installed a batch of new pay & display terminals on streets close to the Royal Berkshire Hospital and the town’s university. Some 79 Parkeon Strada terminals have been acquired via NSL, which manages parking services for the council. This brings the total population of Parkeon units used on-street in the Berkshire town to 119. The new pay & display machines are designed to create bays that will increase the overall availability of parking for both

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Payment systems Fri, 10 Nov 2017 16:39:00 GMT 55235
PayByPhone expands footprint in Sheffield https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55234/paybyphone-expands-footprint-in-sheffield Sheffield City Council is expanding the availability of phone payment as an option for drivers parking on-street and in car parks.  Following the launch of PayByPhone in Sheffield city centre in May, the cashless service will now be made available in nine car parks and 136 street locations outside the centre, around 10,000 spaces in all. The service is free for customers to use as the council has eliminated the service charge that motorists had to pay when using the previous app.  B

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Payment systems Fri, 10 Nov 2017 16:37:00 GMT 55234
Unattended CCTV used to enforce parking restrictions around schools in Redbridge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55233/unattended-cctv-used-to-enforce-parking-restrictions-around-schools-in-redbridge The London Borough of Redbridge is using an unattended CCTV enforcement camera to enforce parking restrictions and traffic management outside schools. The east London council uses the Videalert Digital Video Platform to enforce a number of moving vehicle offences. A single digital pan-tilt-zoom HD camera has now been installed at Isaac Newton Academy in High Road, Seven Kings. The school is situated on a main road where problems were being caused by vehicles parking in a narrow access way to t

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ANPR Fri, 10 Nov 2017 16:36:00 GMT 55233
Tunbridge Wells makes phone parking cheaper than paying at the machine https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55232/tunbridge-wells-makes-phone-parking-cheaper-than-paying-at-the-machine Tunbridge Wells Borough Council transferred its pay-by-phone parking provision to RingGo on 1 October. Phone parking tariffs in the council’s car parks will be set  40p lower than the cost of paying in cash at pay & display machines. Motorists have been using their mobile phones to pay for parking using previous supplier PayByPhone, and those who are not already registered with RingGo, have to register and provide their details to access the new service. Other authorities have be

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Payment systems Fri, 10 Nov 2017 16:35:00 GMT 55232
Could car parks solve the housing crisis? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55137/could-car-parks-solve-the-housing-crisis-

A property services company says it has identified around 10,500 car parks in the UK’s towns and cities that could be developed to accommodate over 350,000 homes, enough to house around one million people. “Over the past 15 years several crucial demographic changes have begun to take hold which are having a dramatic impact on the adequate provision of housing in the UK,” said Nick Whitten, JLL’s director of UK research. “A trend towards urban living has disproport

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Developments Sun, 5 Nov 2017 14:39:00 GMT 55137
Cambridge to experiment with a peak time congestion parking fee https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55135/cambridge-to-experiment-with-a-peak-time-congestion-parking-fee

Cambridge City Council is planning to end a discounted parking trial in its car parks and instead trial a ‘peak time congestion’ fee. The proposals are outlined in a public consultation on parking charges for 2018-19. The council is planning to end a trial that saw prices on Mondays and Tuesdays at all multi-storey car parks reduced in line with 2012 prices and on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays where they were frozen at 2015 levels. This will see the return of a single

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Parking Policy Sun, 5 Nov 2017 14:33:00 GMT 55135
Parking guru Shoup earns highest recognition from US planning academy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55134/parking-guru-shoup-earns-highest-recognition-from-us-planning-academy

Donald Shoup, the renowned parking guru, has been recognised by one the USA’s leading planning academies. The California-based academic has been named Distinguished Educator by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. The award is conferred every two years to honour significant contributions to the field of planning. It recognises scholarly contributions, teaching excellence, public service and contributions that have made a significant difference to planning scholarship, educati

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Profiles Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:59:00 GMT 55134
Holiday Extras buys troubled airport operator Purple Parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55133/holiday-extras-buys-troubled-airport-operator-purple-parking

Holiday Extras has acquired Purple Parking’s brand and website after the airport parking specialist went into administration. Purple Parking, which operates off-airport car parks around the UK, called in administrators after being amassing debts in the region of £2m. The deal was completed via a pre-packaged administration sale following Purple Parking’s inability to secure a buyer for the whole business. Duff and Phelps are now the appointed administrators. Established in 1

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Business News Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:56:00 GMT 55133
Clampdown on layby parking sees HGVs struggling to find truckstop spaces https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55131/clampdown-on-layby-parking-sees-hgvs-struggling-to-find-truckstop-spaces The Ashford Truckstop in Kent had to turn away a record number of lorries on 30 October, the first night an 18-month enforcement campaign Kent County Council and Ashford Borough Council aimed to reduce use of laybys. Lorries are not longer allowed to park overnight on the A20 between Charing and the Drovers roundabout. The ban runs from 8pm to 7am the following morning Monday to Friday. Vehicles flouting the ban are clamped and drivers have to pay a £250 fine to get the clamp removed

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Enforcement News Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:53:00 GMT 55131
Shell moves into electric vehicle charging arena https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55129/shell-moves-into-electric-vehicle-charging-arena

Royal Dutch Shell is to buy Dutch-based the NewMotion electric vehicle charging networks, marking the oil company’s first deal in electric mobility as demand for cleaner vehicles is expected to soar. Shell said NewMotion, which manages over 30,000 charging points for electric vehicles in Western Europe, will operate in parallel to Shell’s programme of rolling out fast charging points at its forecourts. “They’re complementary offers. One is fast charging on the go on the

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Electric vehicles Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:48:00 GMT 55129
NHS trust and procurement firm launch public sector car park framework https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55120/nhs-trust-and-procurement-firm-launch-public-sector-car-park-framework

An NHS trust has teamed up with a procurement company to offer the public sector a comprehensive package of car park development services. Procurement firm Pagabo has developed the four-year framework for the design, build, finance and operation (DBFO) of car park projects. Simon Toplass, chief executive officer of Pagabo, said: “The Total Car Park Solutions Framework offers flexible solutions across the board. As far as we know there is no other framework available for a solution like ou

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Business News Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:14:00 GMT 55120
Bailiffs collect 450000 parking fines for London councils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55116/bailiffs-collect-450-000-parking-fines-for-london-councils London boroughs used civil enforcement agents to recover 450,000 unpaid parking fines, a BBC investigation has suggested. A Freedom of Information request by BBC London revealed that last year 451,503 unpaid penalty charge notices were taken on by civil enforcement agents on behalf of the 32 London boroughs. Once they have the authority of the courts, the agents, also known as bailiffs, are allowed to seize property if debtors fail to pay what they owe. The BBC estimates parking debts collecte

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Enforcement News Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:05:00 GMT 55116
'No change' parking meters make 650000 in three years https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55113/-no-change-parking-meters-make-650-000-in-three-years Welsh drivers make overpayments of around £200,000 a year at local authority parking machines that do not give change, a survey by the BBC suggests. Data collected by BBC Wales from six council suggests that about £650,000 in overpayments was collected at pay & display machines in three years. Rhondda Cynon Taf had the highest proportion of overpayments, £142,122 in overpayments out of £2.9m in parking charges. Between 2014-2017, Swansea received £231,000 in o

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Operational Sun, 5 Nov 2017 08:00:00 GMT 55113
Inverness to trial free parking in city centre https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55111/inverness-to-trial-free-parking-in-city-centre Drivers in Inverness will get 15 minutes free when parking in the city centre for the next year. The free parking period is designed to help drivers making quick pick-ups from shops and services in the city centre. Drivers will collect a ticket from pay & display machines entitled them to 15 minutes free parking on-street. However, the free offer will not apply in pay & display car parks. Highland Council's Inverness city committee approved 12-month pilot of the idea.

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Operational Sun, 5 Nov 2017 07:59:00 GMT 55111
Bromley's Blue Badge misuse campaign clocks up 50th prosecution https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55110/bromley-s-blue-badge-misuse-campaign-clocks-up-50th-prosecution Criminal records and fines totalling £3,797 were handed to eight drivers who misused Blue Badges in the London Borough of Bromley.  These latest convictions bring to 50 the total of successful prosecutions since the start of the campaign. William Huntington-Thresher, Bromley Council’s executive councillor for environment said: "It is a sad indictment that we have reached this milestone. The majority of these prosecutions involve a relative misusing a loved one's Blue Badge.&nb

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Enforcement News Sun, 5 Nov 2017 07:57:00 GMT 55110
Worcestershire to target Blue Badge fraud https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55108/worcestershire-to-target-blue-badge-fraud Worcestershire County Council has signalled its intention to crack down on the fraudulent misuse of disabled Blue Badges. Community and environmental protection officers, civil enforcement officers (CEOs) and council officials from across the county will be actively inspecting Blue Badges in locations with on-street disabled parking and district car parks looking for those who misuse or illegally hold Blue Badges. The crackdown is being led by all the district councils and is a countywide init

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Enforcement News Sun, 5 Nov 2017 07:18:00 GMT 55108
Street Pockets help residents meet the neighbours https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55107/street-pockets-help-residents-meet-the-neighbours

Residents in Bristol converted street parking bays into public spaces that enabled them to socialise with neighbours. The Street Pockets project was run by sustainable transport charity Sustrans. The project seeks to encourage residents to take the lead in creating better community spaces in what are often congested residential streets where space is at a premium. The street pockets are also designed to encourage passing traffic that the roads are a place where people live and to slow down. S

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Awards Lead Story Sun, 5 Nov 2017 07:16:00 GMT 55107
Norwich raises parking tariffs in bid to encourage move from kerbside to car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55105/norwich-raises-parking-tariffs-in-bid-to-encourage-move-from-kerbside-to-car-parks

Norwich City Council is increasing the cost of parking in the city centre, and ending free parking in the evenings and weekends. Charges for parking at other times in both on-street and off-street car parks will also go up. Current car park income for 2017-18 is projected to be £5.65m. Based on the current level of demand for parking, recommended increases would generate additional income of £45,000 for the current financial year and £95,000 extra over a full financial year.

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Parking Policy Sun, 5 Nov 2017 07:11:00 GMT 55105
JustPark moves into local authority market with Wrexham contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55099/justpark-moves-into-local-authority-market-with-wrexham-contract

Wrexham County Borough Council has become the first local authority to adopt parking technology company JustPark’s new mobile cashless payments service. JustPark has historically specialised in providing an online booking and payment service for off-street parking, meaning the company has worked with local authorities on pre-booked parking services, but this is its first full mobile payments partnership. JustPark founder and CEO Anthony Eskinazi announced his company’s intention to

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Contracts Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:34:00 GMT 55099
Wrexham offers shoppers three hours parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55095/wrexham-offers-shoppers-three-hours-parking Wrexham County Borough Council proposes to change parking tariffs to cover stays of up to three hours, rather than two. Lead member David A Bithell said this would give visitors more time to “dwell” in Wrexham town centre, hopefully to the benefit of local businesses. The current £1.50 charge for one to two hours would be replaced with a £1.80 charge for one to three hours. Normal 0

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Operational Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:19:00 GMT 55095
MPs get dedicated online portal to raise parking concerns https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55094/mps-get-dedicated-online-portal-to-raise-parking-concerns The International Parking Community (IPC) has created a dedicated online complaints portal to provide MPs with a confidential method for raising concerns in connection with private parking on behalf of their constituents. The new portal features secure accounts for every Member of Parliament to enable them to raise issues with the DVLA accredited trade association. “Recent discussions with a number of MPs revealed some longstanding frustrations when trying to address parking concerns rai

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Enforcement News Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:15:00 GMT 55094
Camera car for Rhondda Cynon Taf https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55092/camera-car-for-rhondda-cynon-taf Parking outside school gates, at bus stops and beside pedestrian crossings in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) is to be targeted using a camera car. RCT County Borough Council follows three other Welsh authorities, Swansea, Cardiff and Bridgend, in taking up the option. Normal 0 false false

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Enforcement News Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:08:00 GMT 55092
Advisory disabled parking 'not worth the paint' say Welsh councils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55091/advisory-disabled-parking-not-worth-the-paint--say-welsh-councils Wrexham County Borough Council has been warned by other authorities that advisory disabled parking bays outside homes generate complaints and are not worth the paint used to demark them. Wrexham consulted four authorities in England and three in Wales with a view to developing a policy for disabled parking at home. One of the authorities, Shropshire, provides only advisory bays outside homes. Leicester provides advisory and mandatory bays. Four other authorities provide mandatory bays only, whi

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Enforcement News Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:05:00 GMT 55091
Over 12 million drivers are now issued penalties annually says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55015/over-12-million-drivers-are-now-issued-penalties-annually-says-rac-foundation

Up to 12m driving licence holders receive a penalty notice each year, meaning that maybe as many as a third of Britain’s 40m drivers are now penalised annually, suggests new research produced for the RAC Foundation. The extent of traffic and parking enforcement by the police and local authorities is highlighted in a report, Automated Road Traffic Enforcement: Regulation, Governance and Use, produced by Dr Adam Snow, a lecturer in criminology at Liverpool Hope University. Camera-based

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Enforcement News Wed, 25 Oct 2017 16:27:00 GMT 55015
Edinburgh consults on parking permit surcharge for diesel vehicles https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55012/edinburgh-consults-on-parking-permit-surcharge-for-diesel-vehicles City of Edinburgh Council is consulting on the application of a diesel surcharge to parking permits in a bid to improve air quality. The council is reviewing its parking permit scheme as part of its Parking Action Plan. There are an estimated 8,000 diesel permit holders’ vehicles in Edinburgh. The three-month consultation, which runs until 28 January 2018, seeks feedback on a proposal to add a surcharge on to residents' parking permits for diesel vehicles. 

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Parking Policy Wed, 25 Oct 2017 14:13:00 GMT 55012
Chargie re-launches as Bookmycharge ahead of investment round https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55000/chargie-re-launches-as-bookmycharge-ahead-of-investment-round

Peer-to-peer electric vehicle (EV) charging service Chargie has re-launched under the new name Bookmycharge. The start-up decided to change its name after it became aware of a similarly named company called Chargy (www.char.gy), which supplies councils with EV chargepoints for installation onto lampposts. The Bookmycharge service’s core offer is giving EV drivers the ability to book a charge rather than risking heading to an out-of-service or occupied public charging points. Bookmych

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Electric vehicles Mon, 23 Oct 2017 15:01:00 GMT 55000
Renault launches smart energy subsidiary https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54999/renault-launches-smart-energy-subsidiary Groupe Renault has launched a subsidiary that will enter the energy and smart grid sectors, both of which the French carmaker regards as being fundamental to the expansion of electric mobility. Renault Energy Services will invest in smart grid-related projects. It will focus chiefly on the development of smart charging, vehicle to grid interaction and second-life batteries. Gilles Normand, Renault's senior vice presi

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Electric vehicles Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:59:00 GMT 54999
Parking patrols take to streets of Kensington Chelsea on electric bikes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54984/parking-patrols-take-to-streets-of-kensington--chelsea-on-electric-bikes

Civil enforcement officers patrolling the streets of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea are now riding electric bikes as an alternative to petrol-powered mopeds. An electric bike, or e-bike, is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor that can be used for propulsion. E-bikes retain the ability to be pedalled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. NSL, the council’s parking service provider, says switching to e-bikes makes both economic and environmental se

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Case Studies Mon, 23 Oct 2017 13:54:00 GMT 54984
Aberdeenshire Council reviewing on-street parking decriminalisation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55127/aberdeenshire-council-reviewing-on-street-parking-decriminalisation Aberdeenshire Council is considering decriminalising parking enforcement in town centres across the north-east of Scotland. Towns in Aberdeenshire include Peterhead, Inverurie, Fraserborough and Stonehaven. The local authority has control over car parks, but regulation of kerbside parking rests with Police Scotland. However, a growing number of Scottish local authorities are taking over parking enforcement as the number of traffic wardens fielded by the police service has been cut.

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Enforcement News Mon, 23 Oct 2017 08:45:00 GMT 55127
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill starts journey through Parliament https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54966/automated-and-electric-vehicles-bill-starts-journey-through-parliament

Motorway services and large petrol retailers will be required to install chargepoints for electric cars, under the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, which has had its first reading in the House of Commons.  The Bill will increase the access and availability of chargepoints for electric cars, while also giving the government powers to make it compulsory for chargepoints to be installed across the country and enabling drivers of automated cars to be insured on UK roads.  “We

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Electric vehicles Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:39:00 GMT 54966
The parking world is driving forward https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54963/the-parking-world-is-driving-forward

Q: How will self-driving cars change the way in which towns and cities manage parking? Q: How can local authorities create electric vehicle charging facilities that are both environmentally and financially sustainable? Q: Will local authority parking teams be key players in tackling poor air quality caused by vehicle pollution in town and city centres? Q: What are the data protection rules that apply when rolling out cashless payment, virtual permits and other digital parking services? Q: Ho

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Parking Policy Tue, 17 Oct 2017 15:24:00 GMT 54963
European parking professionals gather in Rotterdam https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55230/european-parking-professionals-gather-in-rotterdam

The need to recognise how quickly technology is evolving, and the way this is changing driver behaviour, emerged as a key theme at 18th European Parking Association (EPA) Congress. The benefits of harmonising standards and protocols across borders was also a recurring motif of the biennial event, which took place in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam from 20-22 September.  The three-day event saw a number of initiatives developed and showcased in the main conference and at a number of break-

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Parking Policy Fri, 6 Oct 2017 16:24:00 GMT 55230
Could new car park solve Skye's tourist parking problem? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54884/could-new-car-park-solve-skye-s-tourist-parking-problem-

Locals on the Isle of Skye are calling for urgent action to tackle traffic and parking problems caused by a surge in tourism. Islanders have pointed out that the isle’s narrow single-track roads are crammed and choked with camper vans, tour buses and cars, with litter strewn around stopping places and visitors relieving themselves in the open. Skye is the largest island on the Inner Hebrides and has seen a marked increase in visitors driving vehicles since a road bridge was opened in 1995

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Case Studies Tue, 3 Oct 2017 19:25:00 GMT 54884
Surrey consults on rural parking charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54883/surrey-consults-on-rural-parking-charges People visiting the Surrey countryside may soon have to pay to park. Surrey County Council is consulting on the introduction of car park charges as way of helping maintain the 6,500 acres of countryside estate it owns. The county says continuing cuts to its funding, rising costs and an increasin

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Operational Tue, 3 Oct 2017 19:23:00 GMT 54883
Police Scotland says it will still enforce parking across Dumfries and Galloway https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54882/police-scotland-says-it-will-still-enforce-parking-across-dumfries-and-galloway Police Scotland has said that it will continue enforcing parking regulations in Dumfries and Galloway following concerns raised by local councillors about an apparent increase in drivers committing contraventions.  However, the force has said its officers will need to focus on other areas of concern and that enforcement is not the long-term answer to parking problems in some areas.  Chief Inspector Stephen Stiff said that police officers would always act if there were an obstruction

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Enforcement News Tue, 3 Oct 2017 19:20:00 GMT 54882
AppyParking launches competition to create a smart parking city https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54878/appyparking-launches-competition-to-create-a-smart-parking-city

Parking app developer AppyParking has launched an Innovation Competition Fund to enable one UK local authority to become a global showcase for frictionless parking payments and intelligent mobility.  The innovation fund winner will receive up to 12,000 surface mounted parking sensors equipped with Bluetooth payment technology. All hardware, installation and project costs will be covered, says Dan Hubert, founder and chief executive of AppyParking. “This solution will allow visitors,

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Business News Tue, 3 Oct 2017 19:09:00 GMT 54878
Where is the smart money going? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54872/where-is-the-smart-money-going-

Several UK cities are looking to initiate smart projects and developments to improve the efficiency of local services, enhance sustainability and develop their competitiveness. Smart city initiatives improve the ‘livability’ of a city, helping to attract business and talent to support economic and business growth. A number of cities are now approaching smart transformation through a series of smaller smart projects that help to generate savings and effectively pay for the initial inv

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Viewpoint Tue, 3 Oct 2017 17:44:00 GMT 54872
What does Brighton think of cashless payments? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54870/what-does-brighton-think-of-cashless-payments-

PayByPhone recently ran its annual customer satisfaction survey in Brighton. Looking at the results, it’s clear this method of payment is becoming more and more popular. PayByPhone has seen record transactions this year in Brighton & Hove. With continuous improvements to the app, it has become the most popular way to pay with just over 80% of customers using it.  Ease of use was rated a 7.8/10 and 73% of those surveyed would recommend PayByPhone to a friend or colleague. The mos

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Payment systems Tue, 3 Oct 2017 17:40:00 GMT 54870
Haringey street parking goes cashless https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54869/haringey-street-parking-goes-cashless The London Borough of Haringey will have phased out all its on-street parking pay stations by the middle of October. Instead of purchasing parking sessions at a terminals, motorists will pay for their stay via the PayByPhone smartphone app or at local shops that are linked to PayPoint, the utility payment network. The north London council has decided to retire its stock of pay & display (P&D) machines because most are now too old to maintain economically, as well as being susceptible to

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Payment systems Tue, 3 Oct 2017 17:38:00 GMT 54869
Virtual loading bays to go live in London https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54867/virtual-loading-bays-to-go-live-in-london

The concept of a loading bay that only operates for the time it is required is set to become a reality. The virtual loading bay concept was developed by Grid Smarter Cities, a British company that is applying innovative web-based solutions to manage poor air quality hotspots across cities, incentivise the use of cleaner delivery vehicles and improve traffic flow in cities. Grid has created the Kerb Virtual Parking Bay Solution (Kerb), a virtual loading bay technology designed by Grid to allow d

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Business News Tue, 3 Oct 2017 17:33:00 GMT 54867
Will Wolverhampton car park win concrete repair award? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54861/will-wolverhampton-car-park-win-concrete-repair-award-

The renovation of Wolverhampton Civic Centre’s basement parking areas has been shortlisted for an annual concrete industry awards. The car park project is one of three schemes shortlisted for the Structural Concrete Alliance 2017 Structural Concrete Alliance Award for Repair and Refurbishment.  VolkerLaser delivered a repair and protection scheme for the 40-year-old reinforced concrete Wolverhampton Civic Centre Car Park, which had been plagued with defects for years, including delam

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Awards Tue, 3 Oct 2017 16:54:00 GMT 54861
Liverpool City Council creates new cabinet post to focus on pavement parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54753/liverpool-city-council-creates-new-cabinet-post-to-focus-on-pavement-parking Councillors voted to create the new cabinet position to tackle the problems with pavement parking and issues around disabled access around Liverpool. The Inclusive and Accessible City cabinet role will be held by Cllr Pam Thomas, who is a wheelchair user. Cllr Thomas told the Liverpool Echo: “I have had to weave in and out of oncoming traffic because there were cars parked where they shouldn’t be. Often even if I am able to get on a high pavement, I have to get off again because o

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Sep 2017 18:02:00 GMT 54753
Police offer Telford Wrekin Council 150k to take on parking powers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54749/police-offer-telford--wrekin-council-150k-to-take-on-parking-powers Telford & Wrekin Council has been offered up to £150,000 by Shropshire police if it takes over parking enforcement. Telford & Wrekin is one of only 21 councils that does not have civil parking enforcement (CPE) powers. It is also the only unitary authority not to enforce parking and the only council in the West Midlands not to undertake CPE. Parking enforcement in Telford is currently undertaken by either police or community officers. Last month John Campion, Police and Crime C

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Sep 2017 17:48:00 GMT 54749
OLEV funds enable Portsmouth to trial on-street EV charging https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54744/olev-funds-enable-portsmouth-to-trial-on-street-ev-charging Electric vehicle charging points will be available in residential streets in Portsmouth from next year following the council’s successful bid for £100,000 from the government’s On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme.  Portsmouth bid for grant funding from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to help with the costs of installing the charging points across the city to encourage more residents to consider switching to low-emission vehicles.  Currently only 75 f

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Electric vehicles Mon, 25 Sep 2017 17:37:00 GMT 54744
Dundee council asks drivers to park considerately https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54742/dundee-council-asks-drivers-to-park-considerately Dundee City Council is appealing to motorists to think before parking in a restricted bay. The call comes in the wake of the findings of a Holyrood Committee which revealed that people still think it is acceptable to use a disabled parking place to “nip to the shops”. Lynne Short, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said: “These findings chime with us in Dundee where we know that this type of thing happens on an all too frequent basis. Our enfor

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Sep 2017 17:33:00 GMT 54742
Call for better enforcement of disabled parking in Scotland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54741/call-for-better-enforcement-of-disabled-parking-in-scotland Disabled persons' parking spaces are being routinely abused, eight years after legislation designed to prevent misuse was passed, says Holyrood's local government and finance committee. The committee has called on the Scottish government to devise a public awareness campaign highlighting the problem. The committee heard evidence from disability charities, local authorities, retailers and car park operators. Its report reveals that the overa

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Sep 2017 17:30:00 GMT 54741
School crossing patrols wear body cameras to deter dangerous driving https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54728/school-crossing-patrols-wear-body-cameras-to-deter-dangerous-driving

School crossing patrols in West Sussex are being issued with body-worn cameras in a bid to deter inconsiderate driving and encourage more parents to walk their children to school.  The River Beach Primary in Littlehampton has become the seventh school in the county to trial the body cameras. Michelle Padwick, who has been the school’s crossing patrol for nearly four years, said all the parents she had spoken to had been supportive of the camera scheme. “I think it will definit

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Enforcement News Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:56:00 GMT 54728
City of London set to provide electric taxi bays https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54706/city-of-london-set-to-provide-electric-taxi-bays

The City of London is planning to create taxi ranks reserved for electric vehicles. The Corporation is keen to encourage the use of electric taxis as cabs are regarded as being the primary source of NO2 pollution from road-based transport in the City. The Corporation of the City of London has offered electric vehicle (EV) charging points in its five car parks for 15 years, but the taxi rank points will be the first EV charging points to be provided on-street in the Square Mile. The ranks, to b

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Operational Mon, 18 Sep 2017 10:13:00 GMT 54706
Fake parking notices posted in Nottingham suburb https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54701/fake-parking-notices-posted-in-nottingham-suburb

Police are looking into bogus notices warning people not to park on the streets of a Nottingham suburb. The fake letters, which have been attached to railings and fences, warn drivers that they could be fined for leaving their car on Marham Close in the Sneinton area. The letters claim to have been issued by Nottingham City Council’s traffic department. The notices warn drivers they could be fined £120 or have their vehicles removed by “a toe truck” [sic]. The writer

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Crime Mon, 18 Sep 2017 10:03:00 GMT 54701
Could closing roads lead to a greener school run? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/55136/could-closing-roads-lead-to-a-greener-school-run-

Roads around three primary schools in Croydon are being temporarily closed roads at the start and end of the day to see if this encourages parents to use cars less. The roads by Heavers Farm and St Chad’s in Selhurst and Woodcote in Coulsdon are now restricted on the morning and afternoon school runs. The schools signed up to the six-month Croydon Council scheme because of their concerns about parking and pedestrian safety. The council said if the trial proves successful, the scheme wi

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Enforcement News Fri, 15 Sep 2017 14:36:00 GMT 55136
Motorists want an end to self-policing by private parking industry claims RAC https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54600/motorists-want-an-end-to-self-policing-by-private-parking-industry-claims-rac

Drivers overwhelmingly support government regulation of the private parking sector, says the RAC. Almost three-quarters (73%) of members of the RAC Opinion Panel said they see an end to the sector ‘self-policing’ through membership of a trade association. The survey showed that 73% of motorists understand that penalty charges may be necessary, but generally feel they are excessive or disproportionate for the level of parking contravention. Of the remainder, a fifth (21%) claim that

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Enforcement News Thu, 14 Sep 2017 17:58:00 GMT 54600
British Parking Award 2018 are live https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54582/british-parking-award-2018-are-live-

Parking Review magazine has launched the 2018 edition of the British Parking Awards. Now in their 17th year, the competition encourages both public and private sector organisations to nominate people and projects that represent the best in parking management, design and innovation. The awards encompass both the on-street and off-street sides of the parking sector. The diverse nature of the parking sector means that the competition has categories that cover buildings, technology and people. Bri

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Awards Wed, 13 Sep 2017 12:39:00 GMT 54582
Higher penalties will deter bad parking and Congestion Charge evasion says TfL https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54566/higher-penalties-will-deter-bad-parking-and-congestion-charge-evasion-says-tfl Transport for London (TfL) wants to increase the cost of penalty charge notices (PCNs) for parking on high priority Red Routes and also for failing to pay the Congestion Charge. The proposed increase would see PCNs rise from £130 to £160, or £65 to £80 for early payment

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Enforcement News Thu, 7 Sep 2017 15:06:00 GMT 54566
Chichester town centre parking consultation underway https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54565/chichester-town-centre-parking-consultation-underway Enabling commuters to park on residential streets in the day, and converting city centre car parks to short-stay, are among the ideas that West Sussex County Council is exploring as it seeks ways of managing parking in Chichester to deal with growing parking demands in the city. The county council says Chichester relies on the labour and expertise provided by commuters who work in the city, particularly for employers such as St Richard’s Hospital. Parking measures introduced over the year

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Parking Policy Thu, 7 Sep 2017 15:01:00 GMT 54565
20mph speed limit trials set to begin across Westminster https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54562/20mph-speed-limit-trials-set-to-begin-across-westminster The City of Westminster is to introduce 20mph speed limits to the areas surrounding 38 schools. The 20mph signs will start appearing this this week and every sign should be visible to motorists by next week, said the council. The schools will be receiving a tailored road safety education programme that will include a school banner competition, theatre show, lessons and on-road pedestrian training to help engage and inform students on the changes. The council said the targeted trial will enabl

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Enforcement News Thu, 7 Sep 2017 14:29:00 GMT 54562
Norwich's Rose Lane car park in running for award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54544/norwich-s-rose-lane-car-park-in-running-for-award

The Rose Lane Car Park in Norwich has been nominated for a design award in the Civic Category by the Norwich Society. The 595-space steel-framed structure was built for Norwich City Council in 2016 by Huber Car Park Systems International in collaboration with Potter and Holmes Architects  The Rose Lane car park acts as the anchor for the redevelopment of the city’s Mountergate area. It is a 24-hour facility which, during the day, offers public parking, toilet and baby-changing facili

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Awards Tue, 5 Sep 2017 12:24:00 GMT 54544
Cambridge car park renovation works completed ahead of schedule https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54543/cambridge-car-park-renovation-works-completed-ahead-of-schedule

Three Cambridge City Council multi-storey car parks reopened at the start of August following the completion of the main elements of a programme of essential improvements. The improvement works at the Grand Arcade, Grafton East and Queen Anne Terrace car parks are part of a £1.2m investment programme. The work was finished ahead of schedule as the expected completion date was in late September. The main contractor on the project was Makers Construction.  The bulk of the works took

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Construction Tue, 5 Sep 2017 12:22:00 GMT 54543
IPC sets out its vision for parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54541/ipc-sets-out-its-vision-for-parking

Collaboration and communication will be central to the development of a more public profile for the International Parking Community (IPC), a trade organisation that counts private and public sector providers among its members. The IPC has formalised its vision, values and core purpose as it takes steps to achieve an increasingly influential position within the industry. The values have been developed by the IPC’s executive in collaboration with the association’s steering group. The I

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Viewpoint Tue, 5 Sep 2017 11:53:00 GMT 54541
How enforcement of bus lanes keeps Norwich moving https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54539/how-enforcement-of-bus-lanes-keeps-norwich-moving

Norwich was the first city in the UK to introduce a pedestrianised street in the late 1960s and, in recent years, moves have been made to limit through-traffic in other central areas. Bruce Bentley, Norwich City Council’s principal transportation planner, says reducing through-traffic has enhanced the experience of shoppers and visitors. This, in turn, is encouraging new investment in the city centre. “Removing general traffic from congested medieval streets and ensuring the centre

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Case Studies Tue, 5 Sep 2017 11:46:00 GMT 54539
Reigate Banstead takes out machines and promotes phone payment option https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54536/reigate--banstead-takes-out-machines-and-promotes-phone-payment-option

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, in Surrey, says that it is both making savings and increasing parking revenue by encouraging use of a cashless phone service instead of pay & display terminals. Last year the council started upgrading or replacing pay stations it its public car parks so they can accept the new 12-sided £1 coin. However, while each car park still has payment machines, the council decided to reduce the overal population of units. It decided not to replace 16 pay

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Payment systems Tue, 5 Sep 2017 11:17:00 GMT 54536
Shropshire adopts Parkeon pay display units https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54535/shropshire-adopts-parkeon-pay--display-units Shropshire Council has installed 25 new parking terminals as part of a countywide replacement programme that will ultimately see up to 160 machines renewed. The new Parkeon StradaPAL terminals are located both on-street and off-street in Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. The pay stations offer multiple payment options, including chip & PIN, contactless and coins. They will also enable the council to provide print-on-demand discount coupons to support local businesses. Steve Davenport, Shropshire

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Payment systems Tue, 5 Sep 2017 11:10:00 GMT 54535
Utilities may pay by the hour for roadworks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54530/utilities-may-pay-by-the-hour-for-roadworks

Local authorities could be enabled to charge utility companies by the hour during roadworks, under proposals being consulted on by government. Transport secretary Chris Grayling has suggested hourly lane rentals could halve delays to motorists caused by utility companies digging up busy roads. The proposals would allow local authorities to charge utility companies by the hour to carry out works on selected routes, encouraging the companies to avoid busy roads and peak times and incentivising t

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Enforcement News Sun, 3 Sep 2017 15:48:00 GMT 54530
Traffic Penalty Tribunal rolls out self-serve TRO library https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54460/traffic-penalty-tribunal-rolls-out-self-serve-tro-library

Local authorities across England and Wales can now add their traffic regulation orders (TROs) to an online database hosted by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT). Councils create TROs to apply traffic management controls to their roads and car parks.  TROs specify parking restrictions and the conditions under which vehicles may park. Bus lanes are also created by TROs.  The TPT currently hosts 19,000 TROs in its TRO library on behalf of local authorities.  The TROs can be ac

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Enforcement News Thu, 31 Aug 2017 10:31:00 GMT 54460
Government plans to make travel easier for people with disabilities https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54445/government-plans-to-make-travel-easier-for-people-with-disabilities

Projects to improve the Blue Badge parking schemes, trials of autonomous vehicles and more accessible toilets on trains are among initiatives the government is backing to improve transport for people with disabilities. The Department for Transport (DfT) has published its draft accessibility action plan, which is now out to consultation. The department said it wants to hear views and ideas on how to best improve accessibility on roads, rail, water and in the air. The consultation runs unti

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Parking Policy Thu, 24 Aug 2017 16:44:00 GMT 54445
Go Ultra Low electric vehicle pledge signed by 100 organisations https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54443/go-ultra-low-electric-vehicle-pledge-signed-by-100-organisations

Gatwick Airport, OVO Energy, Oxford City Council, Santander UK and Swansea University are among the latest organisations to become ‘Go Ultra Low Companies’, signing-up to a clean, green motoring future by embracing electric vehicles (EVs). More than 100 other organisations across the country that have already signed up to the UK government-backed initiative, such as Britvic, London Fire Brigade and Microsoft UK. Each has pledged that EVs will make up at least 5% of their vehicle f

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Electric vehicles Thu, 24 Aug 2017 14:30:00 GMT 54443
LGA calls for simpler council procurement rules after Brexit https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54442/lga-calls-for-simpler-council-procurement-rules-after-brexit Simpler rules regulating how councils buy goods and services after Brexit could boost local growth and create jobs, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said. Council leaders say the government needs to introduce a more efficient system regulating how councils buy goods and services when the UK leaves the European Union. The LGA said this could include giving councils greater ability to use local suppliers, specify a minimum local living wage for their suppliers’ employees, or speci

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Business News Thu, 24 Aug 2017 14:28:00 GMT 54442
11k bill for fly-tipping takeaway in Islington Council prosecution https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54440/-11k-bill-for-fly-tipping-takeaway-in-islington-council-prosecution

A north London takeaway that was caught repeatedly dumping its commercial waste in a residential recycling centre has been fined £10,000 plus costs. Papa Winny’s Caribbean takeaway in Holloway Road faces a total bill of £11,015, including costs, after magistrates handed down five fines of £2,000 for fly-tipping, the largest-ever fine for the offence in the north London borough. Cllr Claudia Webbe, executive member for environment and transport, said: “This prosecu

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Enforcement News Thu, 24 Aug 2017 14:25:00 GMT 54440
LGA calls for more funding and powers to tackle traffic congestion https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54425/lga-calls-for-more-funding-and-powers-to-tackle-traffic-congestion

The average British motorist wastes £968 and spends nearly five days stuck in traffic each year because of congestion, analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) reveals Traffic congestion has a serious impact on economic development, quality of life and public health, the Local Government Association (LGA) warns in a new report. The average British motorist wastes £968 and spends nearly five days stuck in traffic each year because of congestion, analysis by the LGA suggests

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Traffic Management Wed, 23 Aug 2017 14:29:00 GMT 54425
Ford launches car and van scrappage scheme https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54420/ford-launches-car-and-van-scrappage-scheme

Ford has launched a car and van scrappage scheme that enables UK motorists to make savings of up to £7,000 on some new models. Unlike scrappage schemes launched by BMW and Mercedes, which are only for diesels, the Ford scheme will accept petrol cars. Under Ford's scheme old cars from any manufacturer can be exchanged for a new car until the end of December. Andy Barratt, chairman and managing director of Ford of

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Transport Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:38:00 GMT 54420
Islington fined 70k for parking appeals data breach https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54412/islington-fined-70k-for-parking-appeals-data-breach

Islington Council has been fined £70,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) after failing to keep almpost 90,000 people’s information secure on its parking ticket system website. The north London council’s Ticket Viewer system allows people to see a CCTV image or video of their alleged parking offence. However, the ICO said that design faults meant the personal data of up to 89,000 people was at risk of being accessed by others. The data included a small amou

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Enforcement News Fri, 18 Aug 2017 14:30:00 GMT 54412
Five prosecuted for Blue Badge misuse in Bromley https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54348/five-prosecuted-for-blue-badge-misuse-in-bromley Five south London drivers have been prosecuted and ordered to pay fines totalling £5,779, including court costs and surcharges, after they were caught displaying a Blue Badge that they were not entitled to use. The convictions followed investigations by the London Borough of Bromley linked to offences that took place between October 2016 and March this year.  Since January 2016, Bromley has successfully prosecuted a total of 42 cases of Blue Badge misuse.  Cllr Colin Smith, ex

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Crime Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:25:00 GMT 54348
Leicester cuts cost of park ride for commuters but other fares rise https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54345/leicester-cuts-cost-of-park--ride-for-commuters-but-other-fares-rise The cost of using Leicester’s park & ride services will be reduced for commuters who buy season tickets, but other fares will be increased. People buying a 52-week ticket from September will see the cost of their ticket dropping from £420 to £320. Those opting for a 26-week ticket would pay £160 instead of £230, while the price of a 13-week ticket would be cut from £130 to just £80. Assistant city mayor for the environment, Cllr Adam Clarke, s

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Park & Ride Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:19:00 GMT 54345
Leicester cracks down on dangerous parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54344/leicester-cracks-down-on-dangerous-parking Drivers who park so they cause a hazard to other road users and pedestrians are being targeted in a road safety crackdown by Leicester City Council. Motorists now face immediate fines if they park recklessly in areas such as school zig-zag markings, in bus clearways or on double yellow lines in dangerous locations such as corners, junctions or across drop kerbs. The move comes after a consultation with the police and emergency services, whose vehicles have been obstructed by dangerously parked

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Enforcement News Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:18:00 GMT 54344
UK government wants to avoid hard border in Ireland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54342/uk-government-wants-to-avoid-hard-border-in-ireland The British government has said it wants to avoid creating a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the European Union (EU) in March 2019. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that will share a land border with an EU member state post-Brexit. Both the UK and Irish governments have repeatedly stated their opposition to a hard border, but the situation is complicated as the UK intends to leave the EU's customs union. The position paper states

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Business News Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:38:00 GMT 54342
Kingston upon Thames retains NSL as parking contractor https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54335/kingston-upon-thames-retains-nsl-as-parking-contractor The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has retained NSL as its parking services provider. NSL has worked for the south-west London borough for over a decade. The new five-year contract has options to extend up to 10 years. It will see the contractor’s 50-strong team undertake civil parking enforcement, notice processing and the management of car parks across the borough. The team will also undertake cashless payment arrangements, run a virtual permit solution, impleme

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Contracts Tue, 15 Aug 2017 17:02:00 GMT 54335
Edinburgh launches Phase 3 of 20mph speed limits https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54330/edinburgh-launches-phase-3-of-20mph-speed-limits

City of Edinburgh Council has launched the third phase of its roll-out of 20mph speed limits. The council says that calming traffic has widespread public support, with 65% of Scots in a recent poll in favour of a 20mph default limit in urban areas. A survey of more than 50,000 people earlier this year found 70% backed the roll-out of 20mph zones across Edinburgh. Signs and road markings have been put in place across the Phase 3 areas, marking which streets have changed to 20mph. As with the who

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Enforcement News Tue, 15 Aug 2017 15:32:00 GMT 54330
Marston boss Hughes wins entrepreneur award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54329/marston-boss-hughes-wins-entrepreneur-award

Gareth Hughes, chief executive of civil enforcement specialist Marston Holdings, won the Transformational Leader prize at the London and South EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards, which took place at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly. The annual awards celebrate men and women who are building dynamic businesses. Marston Holdings operates a number of debt recovery companies that collect a range of road traffic, parking, council tax and other debts for around 250 local authorities. The company also col

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Awards Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:06:00 GMT 54329
Motorists prefer paying for parking by cash AA survey reveals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54310/motorists-prefer-paying-for-parking-by-cash-aa-survey-reveals

Most drivers in the UK still prefer to pay for parking by cash, and seven out of 10 admit they would probably drive past a bay that requires payment by phone, according to a survey by the AA. The AA-Populus Driver Poll, carried out last month, found that cash is still the preferred option for those looking to pay for parking. Populus received 16,239 responses from AA members to its online poll, which was conducted between 12-19 July 2017. While drivers seem to prefer paying in cash, aroun

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Business News Wed, 9 Aug 2017 13:07:00 GMT 54310
Chester's 'Free after 3' parking scheme scrapped https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54297/chester-s-free-after-3-parking-scheme-scrapped Cheshire West and Chester Council has scrapped the ‘Free after 3’ discount parking scheme that operated across Chester city centre. A study by consultants Mott MacDonald suggested that ‘Free after 3’ added to the evening congestion, and that as the majority of trips were short-stay they were of only a limited benefit to the local economy. However, several local retailers and traders say the end of the free parking scheme will harm their business.  Several local ret

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Parking Policy Tue, 8 Aug 2017 15:21:00 GMT 54297
Oxfordshire rolls out new parking pay stations https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54293/oxfordshire-rolls-out-new-parking-pay-stations Oxfordshire County Council is replacing almost all of its on-street pay & display parking machines due to the introduction of the new pound coin. The authority is spending £342,700 on 85 Cale CWT Compact machines, which accept by both coin and card payments. These will replace Schlumberger DG4s, which were bought in 1994 and cannot be upgraded to accept the new 12-sided pound coin. A council spokesman said the current 120 machines would be reduced to 85. The council said that reducin

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Payment systems Tue, 8 Aug 2017 13:25:00 GMT 54293
Bristol parking permits offered for sale on eBay https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54290/bristol-parking-permits-offered-for-sale-on-ebay A Bristol resident has been discovered attempting to sell visitor parking permits that they had received for free on the eBay auction website. A book of 25 visitor permits for the Easton and St Philip’s area of the city was placed for auction for £29, plus £3.50 postage. People living in withi

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Crime Tue, 8 Aug 2017 12:23:00 GMT 54290
UKs electric vehicle chargepoint online register to be upgraded https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54289/uk-s-electric-vehicle-chargepoint-online-register-to-be-upgraded

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has appointed Cenex to update and manage the official UK database of information about public chargepoints for electric vehicles (EVs). Established in 2011 to provide a freely available database of publicly-accessible chargepoints across the UK via a user-friendly web interface, the National Chargepoint Registry (NCR) currently holds data provided by chargepoint operators on their facilities’ location, compatibility and hours of operati

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Electric vehicles Tue, 8 Aug 2017 11:36:00 GMT 54289
45m boost for Londons electric vehicle charging infrastructure https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54288/-4-5m-boost-for-london-s-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure London boroughs have received  about £4.5m in funding to install electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. A total of 25 boroughs, each receiving up to £300,000, will install up to 1,500 standard-speed on-street charging points in residential areas. The funding is coming from Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the Greater London Authority (GLA).  Residential charge points will be installed to assist residents without access to off-street parking to make t

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Business News Mon, 7 Aug 2017 17:26:00 GMT 54288
Fines of 4700 imposed on owners who abandoned cars in West Sussex https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54334/fines-of-4-700-imposed-on-owners-who-abandoned-cars-in-west-sussex The owners of three abandoned vehicles have been ordered to pay a total of £4,700 following successful prosecutions by St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Abandoning vehicles is a criminal offence and carries a maximum fine of £2,500 and potentially three months imprisonment.  St Edmundsbury works with other West Suffolk councils to tackle the issue. West Sussex councils received 340 complaints of abandoned vehicles last year. The council said that often the vehicles are just in p

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Enforcement News Fri, 4 Aug 2017 16:26:00 GMT 54334
Third of drivers ignoring mobile phone rules https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54333/third-of-drivers-ignoring-mobile-phone-rules Despite high profile government and police campaigns highlighting the dangers of using a mobile when driving, many motorists are still flouting the law, a new survey suggests. The study for automotive servicing and repair company Kwik Fit reveals that a third (34%) of drivers are still using their mobile phone without a hands-free set. The research revealed that more than a quarter (26%) of drivers use their satnav or GPS on their phone, while almost one-in-five say they take calls (19%) or r

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Crime Fri, 4 Aug 2017 16:19:00 GMT 54333
A positive response in Bradford https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54184/a-positive-response-in-bradford

The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council has been using specialist correspondence software to provide drivers contesting parking fines with prompt and clear responses. A team of 85 civil enforcement officers patrols the city and neighbouring towns and local areas. The authority issues over 100,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) a year for parking, environmental and bus lane contraventions. Where drivers contest a PCN their challenges and representations are handled by an 11-strong back

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Case Studies Sat, 29 Jul 2017 17:54:00 GMT 54184
Newparks Glide app arrives in Camberley car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54183/newpark-s-glide-app-arrives-in-camberley-car-parks Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) has launched a payment app for drivers using its two multi-storey car parks in Camberley. The app is the latest in a series of recently introduced cashless options, including card payment and online booking. The introduction of the Newpark Fusion payment system in June 2014 at the Main Square and Knoll Road multi-storey car parks enabled SHBC parking services to introduce payment options such as chip & PIN cards, contactless cards, the YourParkingSpace on

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Payment systems Sat, 29 Jul 2017 17:53:00 GMT 54183
ZatPark expands team as client base grows https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54182/zatpark-expands-team-as-client-base-grows

ZatPark, a provider of hosted cloud IT solutions for parking management, is investing in new staff to manage a rise in business and is launching a user group to improve its client services. Dave Herbert, chief executive of ZatPark, said over the past six months the company has also been upgrading its mobile and hosted software in order to deliver measurable improvements to its clients and their own customers. “We have rolled out product enhancements including: Video Suite, which was recog

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Business News Sat, 29 Jul 2017 17:51:00 GMT 54182
Theres still time to change https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54178/there-s-still-time-to-change

Many car park ticket machines are still rejecting new £1 coins, which became legal tender on 28 March and now outnumber the old round coin design, which ceases to be legal tender on 15 October. However, it has emerged that some local authorities which have not completed the process of upgrading their machines to accept the new coins are continuing to enforce parking as usual. Parking Review asked a number of local authorities about their £1 coin acceptance and enforcement policy. Mo

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Business News Sat, 29 Jul 2017 17:29:00 GMT 54178
Sale of petrol and diesel cars to end in 2040 says UK government https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54176/sale-of-petrol-and-diesel-cars-to-end-in-2040-says-uk-government The sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans will be banned in the UK from 2040 as part of a £3bn strategy to tackle air pollution, says the UK government. The government confirmed that it will end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2040 when it unveiled The UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations, which has been jointly produced by the Department for Environment, Farming & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Transport (DfT).

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Business News Wed, 26 Jul 2017 15:52:00 GMT 54176
Parliament to discuss code of practice for managing parking on private land https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54175/parliament-to-discuss-code-of-practice-for-managing-parking-on-private-land

A Private Members’ Bill calling for a single code of practice for the private parking sector is to be debated in the House of Commons. The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill, which had its first reading on 19 July, will make provision for a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking. The Bill is sponsored by Sir Greg Knight, Conservative MP for East Yorkshire and is supported by MPs Kevin Brennan, Pete Wishart, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Daniel Zeichner

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Business News Wed, 26 Jul 2017 13:11:00 GMT 54175
VW dismisses call to pay London congestion charge fees in wake of Dieselgate https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54172/vw-dismisses-call-to-pay-london-congestion-charge-fees-in-wake-of-dieselgate- Volkswagen has said it will not pay the £2.5m the Mayor of London claims the German carmaker owes in missed congestion charge payments, following the 2015 emissions-rigging scandal. The ‘Dieselgate’ scandal saw VW admit about 11 million cars worldwide were fitted with a so-called ‘defeat device’, software that detects when an engine is being tested and changed performance to improve results.

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Enforcement News Wed, 26 Jul 2017 13:03:00 GMT 54172
Suffolk Coastal and Waveney council PDs now accept 1 coin https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54185/suffolk-coastal-and-waveney-council-p-ds-now-accept-1-coin

Two Suffolk district councils have brought forward a scheduled replacement of their parking terminal estates to ensure that local people are able to use the new £1 coin to pay for parking. Suffolk Coastal and Waveney district councils work in partnership and collaborated in the renewal of their parking terminals.  A total of 115 Parkeon Strada Rapide terminals have been installed in towns across the districts, including Lowestoft, Beccles, Bungay, Felixstowe, Framlington and Aldebur

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Payment systems Fri, 21 Jul 2017 18:00:00 GMT 54185
Violence car thefts and burglaries driving rise in crime https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54083/violence-car-thefts-and-burglaries-driving-rise-in-crime

Crime in England and Wales has seen its largest annual rise in a decade, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total number of crimes reported to and recorded by the police rose by 10% between April 2016 and March 2017 to almost five million, 458,021 more than the previous year.  Increases in rates of burglary and vehicle theft suggest that the long-term fall in these higher volume offences may be coming to an end.

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Crime Fri, 21 Jul 2017 08:51:00 GMT 54083
Bracknell residents wanting Blue Badge warned about online scam https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54069/bracknell-residents-wanting-blue-badge-warned-about-online-scam Disabled drivers in the Berkshire town of Bracknell are being warned about a website scam where people pay for help applying when applying for a Blue Badge. A Blue Badge gives people with disabilities the right to free street parking.

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Crime Thu, 20 Jul 2017 15:16:00 GMT 54069
Card payment surcharges to be banned https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54068/card-payment-surcharges-to-be-banned

Consumers will no longer to be charged extra for paying by debit or credit cards. From January next year businesses will not be allowed to add any surcharges for card payments. The government has unveiled new rules that will mean card-charging in Britain – where people can be charged 20% extra for purchases like a flight just for paying with a credit card – will come to an end in January. The move follows a directive from the European Union, which bans surcharges on Visa and Master

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Business News Thu, 20 Jul 2017 15:12:00 GMT 54068
Electric Vehicle Experience Centre to open in Milton Keynes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54066/electric-vehicle-experience-centre-to-open-in-milton-keynes

The UK’s first multi-brand electric vehicle (EV) showroom opens its doors to the public on 22 July at the Centre:mk shopping centre in Milton Keynes. Managed by Chargemaster and funded by Milton Keynes’ Go Ultra Low City scheme, the Electric Vehicle Experience Centre (EVEC) has been established to increase the number of EVs sold in the area.  Milton Keynes Council has set a target of 23% of all new cars registered locally to be electric by 2021. The council hopes that the 1,200

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Electric vehicles Thu, 20 Jul 2017 14:58:00 GMT 54066
London delivery riders protest against acid attacks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54063/london-delivery-riders-protest-against-acid-attacks

About 200 moped drivers and motorcyclists blocked traffic in Westminster on 18 July before marching on foot, calling for stronger penalties for those caught using acid as a weapon. The protest came in the wake of five acid attacks that took place in less than 90 minutes in east London on the night of 13 July. Not all the victims were delivery drivers, but all were riding mopeds at the time of the attacks. At least one of those attacked has suffered ‘life changing’ injuries. The pro

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Crime Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:28:00 GMT 54063
Garages make way for council houses in Cambridge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54061/garages-make-way-for-council-houses-in-cambridge New council houses are being put up on a site in Cambridge that was previously occupied by 15 garages. The two semi-detached three-bedroom properties on Uphall Road will be let to people currently on the council’s housing waiting list. They will rent them directly from the council. The Uphall Road scheme was given planning permission in November and work got under way in April, when the garages were demolished to make way for the homes.

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Developments Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:19:00 GMT 54061
31000 sign Guide Dogs pavement parking petition https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54060/31-000-sign-guide-dogs-pavement-parking-petition

Campaigners from the charity Guide Dogs went to Downing Street to hand in a petition signed by more than 31,000 people calling on the government to introduce a new law to end problem pavement parking The charity said that cars parked on pavements are dangerous for pedestrians, especially people with sight loss, who are particularly affected as they can be forced into oncoming traffic that they cannot see. It said pavement parking also effects parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and other

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Parking Policy Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:17:00 GMT 54060
Village parking restrictions will help lifeboat crews https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54059/village-parking-restrictions-will-help-lifeboat-crews Concerns have been raised that illegal parking in a Welsh coastal village could prevent lifeboat crews reaching their vessel in an emergency. Parking restrictions are now being introduced in the Pembrokeshire village of St Dogmaels following a request by RNLI volunteers. The RNLI raised worries about congestion problems in St Dogmaels, which is the main access route to the nearby lifeboat station in Cardigan. The maritime rescue charity said congestion had led to delays in crews launching the

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Operational Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:16:00 GMT 54059
Barnet uncovers Blue Badge fraud https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54055/barnet-uncovers-blue-badge-fraud A campaign against misuse of Blue Badges in the London borough of Barnet has found dead people’s parking permits being used. A series of operations undertaken by council anti-fraud officers, civil enforcement officers and the Metropoilitan Police has seized over 34 badges. The borough parking services’ annual report for 2016-17 reveals that 66 checks were made in Chipping Barnet and Golders Green. This led to six badges being seized, two of which were found to be registered to

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Crime Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:08:00 GMT 54055
Arrests made in York after attacks on parking meters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54054/arrests-made-in-york-after-attacks-on-parking-meters Two men have been arrested connection with the attempted theft of parking meters from the streets of York. Police were called around 9.15pm on 13 July after a van was spotted crashing into a parking machine on Wigginton Road. The occupants then allegedly loaded the machines into the van. Later that evening the police received reports of an incident in the Carlisle Street car park. When police arrived scene they arrested two suspects. The police found an angle grinder. A 19-year-old

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Crime Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:04:00 GMT 54054
Councils should reinvest parking revenue in improving roads says AA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54051/councils-should-reinvest-parking-revenue-in-improving-roads-says-aa

The AA is calling on English local authorities o invest parking revenues into maintaining their highways. A survey conducted by the motoring organisation found that 62% of English authorities have cut their budgets for the 2017/18 fiscal year by half-a-million pounds compared with 2016/17. The reduction is from £12.1m to £11.6m. AA president Edmund King said: "Far too often drivers are viewed by every level of government as wallets on wheels. We think it is time to redress the balan

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Parking Policy Wed, 19 Jul 2017 13:57:00 GMT 54051
Parking must focus on the customer says new BPA president https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54188/parking-must-focus-on-the-customer-says-new-bpa-president

The British Parking Association and what it stands for means a lot to me. It is an association that brings together all aspects of our industry, strives to achieve consistent, fair and high standards of service and provides a wealth of knowledge sharing, helping to bring industry providers together.  My role as president is to reach out to our members and stakeholders. Our sector and profession continue to change and evolve and I am delighted by how our association is responding by listeni

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Viewpoint Fri, 14 Jul 2017 18:15:00 GMT 54188
Will electric vehicle stations supersede petrol stations? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54041/will-electric-vehicle-stations-supersede-petrol-stations-

By 2050 almost all cars in theBy 2050 almost all cars in the UK will be electric vehicles (EVs), but with over half of households not having access to off-street parking providing rapid and reliable charging will be a challenge. National Grid, which operates the UK’s electricity infrastructures, suggests a potential solution could be to establish a network of EV recharging stations.  The idea of a network of EV charging stations is raised in Forecourt Thoughts: Mass fast chargin

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Electric vehicles Fri, 14 Jul 2017 15:45:00 GMT 54041
Croydon to pilot car-free school runs https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54039/croydon-to-pilot-car-free-school-runs Croydon Council is to trial pedestrian zones next to schools so parents and their children walk more and use cars less. Three schools in the south London borough have signed up to the six-month council scheme from September. The project is aimed at improving road safety, reducing pollution and getting people to walk more. The pedestrian zones will be in place on school days along the roads approaching: Woodcote Primary in Dunsfold Rise, Coulsdon Heavers Farm Primary

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Enforcement News Fri, 14 Jul 2017 15:07:00 GMT 54039
Electric cars could power buildings and still have energy for drive home https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54038/electric-cars-could-power-buildings-and-still-have-energy-for-drive-home

Stored energy from electric vehicles (EVs) can be used to power large buildings while leaving enough power for the vehicles to complete their daily journeys, suggests research undertaken by the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick.  WMG’s Energy and Electrical Systems group and Jaguar Land Rover have demonstrated that vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology can be intelligently utilised to take enough energy from idle EV batteries to be pumped into the grid and pow

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Electric vehicles Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:53:00 GMT 54038
Government announces 20m investment in vehicle-to-grid research https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54036/government-announces-20m-investment-in-vehicle-to-grid-research

The UK government is to invest £20m exploring how batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) could feed the national power grid. The investment, announced by the Department for Transport, will support vehicle-to-grid (V2G) projects as part of the government’s ‘Industrial Strategy’. It is part of moves to create a smarter energy system and increase the numbers of EVs on UK roads. The projects supported will investigate technology that allows plug-in electric vehicles to not onl

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Electric vehicles Fri, 14 Jul 2017 14:40:00 GMT 54036
London boroughs provide 'good' online parking permit experience https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54032/london-boroughs-provide-good-online-parking-permit-experience

Over two-thirds of London boroughs provide a good online experience for residents applying for parking permits, according to a survey carried out by Socitm, the society for IT practitioners in the public sector.  Parking is one of the key services assessed by Socitm’s Better Connected performance surveys. Some 67% of London boroughs provided ‘good’ or ‘very good’ online service based on the survey, which was conducted in January. Vicky Sargent, Better Connect

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Operational Thu, 13 Jul 2017 14:20:00 GMT 54032
Edinburgh school children promote 20mph culture https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54031/edinburgh-school-children-promote-20mph-culture

Primary school children in Edinburgh have been creating 20mph-themed artwork to support of the city’s rollout of slower speeds to residential, shopping and city centre streets. As work begins to install signs and lines for the third phase of the project, primary four pupils at Flora Stevenson's Primary School have produced 20mph-themed posters featuring slogans such as "30's dirty - so don't do it; 20's plenty - so do it" and "Go Slow - 20's plenty" to drive home the message that slower s

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Enforcement News Thu, 13 Jul 2017 12:36:00 GMT 54031
Croydon shoppers get an hours free parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54021/croydon-shoppers-get-an-hour-s-free-parking Croydon Council is introducing one hour’s free parking on street bays near shops in nine of the south London borough’s district centres. The new arrangement replaces an existing 30 minutes’ free parking at pay & display bays in Coulsdon, Purley, Sanderstead, Addiscombe, Selsdon, Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Cherry Orchard Road and New Addington. To activate a parking session on a one-hour free bay drivers need to take a ticket from a kerbside pay & display machine

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Operational Thu, 13 Jul 2017 12:14:00 GMT 54021
UK drivers waste 23bn a year seeking parking bays https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54012/uk-drivers-waste-23bn-a-year-seeking-parking-bays

Drivers across Britain spend almost two days a year searching for a space, claims a new international parking study by connected car systems company INRIX. It is perhaps that 71% of drivers in the UK think there is not enough parking, according to a new report by INRIX, a supplier of connected car services and transportation analytics. The analysis of parking in the USA, UK and Germany combines data from the INRIX parking database of 100,000 locations across 8,700 cities, with data from surveys

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Business News Lead Story Wed, 12 Jul 2017 16:05:00 GMT 54012
Brighton Hove City Council wins Best Report Award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54011/brighton--hove-city-council-wins-best-report-award

Brighton & Hove City Council was named as the winner of the Best Report at the PATROL Parking Annual Reports by Councils (PARC) Awards, which were presented at the Houses of Parliament last month. The Best Concise Report Award was presented to South Lakeland Borough Council, while Chichester, Devon and Durham were recognised for best practice. The PARC Awards were created by PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London), which represents 309 local authorities in England and Wales

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Awards Wed, 12 Jul 2017 15:37:00 GMT 54011
Central government needs to take lead on air quality says CILT https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54018/central-government-needs-to-take-lead-on-air-quality-says-cilt The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) believes too much responsibility is being placed on local authorities to take action on the overall air quality issue, in light of the government’s recently released Air Quality Plan. The CILT is an international professional body with over 33,000 members in 32 countries worldwide. In its response to the draft Air Quality Plan: Tackling Nitrogen Dioxide in our towns and cities: A Consultation CILT it criticised the government for

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Transport Fri, 7 Jul 2017 12:08:00 GMT 54018
Prepare for the future of parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53891/prepare-for-the-future-of-parking

Technological and sociological trends will transform the design and operation of parking services. The car park of the future will be a place where, besides parking, you re-charge your electric car and/or pick up online purchases. Within the next few years, car parks will become places where semi-autonomous cars drop-off their driver and passengers, park themselves and then pick them up again after their shopping trip or leisure experience. The fact that the car of the future will most probably

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Viewpoint Thu, 6 Jul 2017 13:59:00 GMT 53891
Parking funds Brixton schools green screen https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53890/parking-funds-brixton-school-s-green-screen

A ‘green screen’ designed to combat poor air quality has been installed at a primary school in Brixton, south London. The ivy hedge, created by Lambeth council alongside the playground St Helen’s Catholic Primary School, is designed to block harmful toxins from the heavily polluted Brixton Road.  Research shows that green screens lower both particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide exposure. Lambeth has some of the highest levels of air pollution in the UK. Poor air quali

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Operational Mon, 3 Jul 2017 23:57:00 GMT 53890
Parking the Essex way https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53889/parking-the-essex-way

Essex has emerged as a model of partnership working when it comes to parking management and enforcement. The boroughs and districts have entered into two formal alliances – the North Essex Parking Partnership and South Essex Parking Partnership – in order to pool their knowledge, management and buying power. The partnerships are also committed to the use of in-house frontline staff, coordinating on-street and off-street parking and working across boundaries. However, there was a peri

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Cover Story Mon, 3 Jul 2017 23:12:00 GMT 53889
Lets all be positive https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53888/let-s-all-be-positive

Whether it’s on-street parking enforcement, congestion in off-street parking facilities, confusion about how to pay, or even just the frustration of trying to find a parking space, this all adds up in the mind of the consumer to a negative experience. Parking is important because parking is an issue that plays on the minds of people when deciding where to visit. A negative experience or perception can lead to more online shopping, more out-of-town retail park visits, and ultimately fewer t

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Viewpoint Mon, 3 Jul 2017 23:07:00 GMT 53888
New routes to learning https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53886/new-routes-to-learning

Apprenticeships in the UK have undergone major change. In April the government introduced an Apprenticeship Levy that is designed to encourage more companies to invest in apprenticeship programmes. The new levy is part of a raft of changes that also see employers given more control over the content and delivery of apprenticeships. The new approach also enables employers to design apprenticeships that better reflect their activities and skills needs. This opens up opportunities for parking opera

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Training Mon, 3 Jul 2017 23:00:00 GMT 53886
Spelthorne offers POD Point charging bays https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53874/spelthorne-offers-pod-point-charging-bays

Spelthorne Borough Council in Surrey has introduced electric vehicle (EV) charging points at two of its car parks in Staines-upon-Thames.  The charging points have been supplied by EV network operator POD Point.  Six individual 7kW charging bays have been installed at the Elmsleigh multi-storey car park along with a dual 3.6kW charger, which can charge two cars simultaneously, at the Tothill multi-storey.  Customers need to pay the appropriate parking fee, but the charging sess

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Operational Mon, 3 Jul 2017 22:03:00 GMT 53874
Police officers shocked by abuse directed at parking patrols https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53882/police-officers-shocked-by-abuse-directed-at-parking-patrols Police community support officers (PCSOs) were shocked by the abuse directed at local authority parking officers when patrolling alongside them in Derby. Officers from the Derbyshire force joined the civil enforcement officers (CEOs) who had been threatened by people in the Normanton and Peartree areas of the city. Additional parking patrols had been put on in response to complaints from businesses and residents. The CEOs then reported they were receiving verbal abuse, often focused on female

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Enforcement News Fri, 30 Jun 2017 22:16:00 GMT 53882
Concern after North Somerset parking officer threatened https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53881/concern-after-north-somerset-parking-officer-threatened A North Somerset Council civil enforcement officer (CEO) had to call for police help after being threatened by a motorist he had issued a ticket to. The council, which introduced CEOs in April, says the incident was one of a series of threats made to its staff. Besides abuse when on patrol, CEOs are being threatened via social media. The council and police are warning anyone abusing their parking enforcement staff that they could end up with more than just a parking ticket. Council parking ser

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Enforcement News Fri, 30 Jun 2017 22:14:00 GMT 53881
Boston bin lorry blockers face 25k fine https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53879/boston-bin-lorry-blockers-face-2-5k-fine Vehicle owners who continuously obstruct Boston Borough Council’s bin lorries now risk prosecution and fines of up to £2,500. Registration numbers of repeat offenders who leave their vehicles inconsiderately parked are being recorded. The Lincolnshire council then checks the registration number to find out who the registered user is. The owner will receive a Community Protection Notice Warning followed by a Community Protection Notice requiring them to desist. Failure to respond to t

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Enforcement News Fri, 30 Jun 2017 22:11:00 GMT 53879
10000 sign Guide Dogs' pavement parking petition in one day https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53878/10-000-sign-guide-dogs-pavement-parking-petition-in-one-day

Over 10,000 people signed petition on a single day calling on the government to stop problem pavement parking. The petition, launched by charity Guide Dogs, urges the government to make pavement parking illegal, except in certain areas allowed by local councils.  The Pavement Parking Petition Day on 19 June built on previous Guide Dogs campaigns on the issue, such as the campaign being a guest petition on the website Mumsnet. Cars parked on pavements pose a serious danger to people with s

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Operational Fri, 30 Jun 2017 22:09:00 GMT 53878
Bouwfonds buys Q-Park site in Helsinki https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53868/bouwfonds-buys-q-park-site-in-helsinki Bouwfonds Investment Management has acquired a Q-Park operated car park in Finland for one of its parking specific alternative investment funds. The property is an underground car park providing 400-spaces located beneath Kasarmitori town square in the central district of Helsinki. The seller is the Finnish financial investor OP.  It was acquired by Bouwfonds IM for around €28m (£24.5m) for the third institutional parking fund the Bouwfonds European Real Estate Parking Fund III

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Business News Fri, 30 Jun 2017 21:53:00 GMT 53868
Hay Festival parking raises 10k for charity https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53866/hay-festival-parking-raises-10k-for-charity

The Hay Festival sees thousands of literary fans flock to the Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye. Many of the authors and visitors attending the event use the official car park, which is set up in a field adjacent to the festival marquees. The car park is managed by CarParkAt, specialists in event parking. The proceeds from the car park operation are donated to charity. This year, the CarParkAtHay operation raised over £10,243 for Macmillan Cancer Support. The CarParkAt team won a British Parking

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Operational Fri, 30 Jun 2017 21:47:00 GMT 53866
Leeds Temple Green park ride site opens for business https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53870/leeds-temple-green-park--ride-site-opens-for-business

Leeds’ new Temple Green Park & Ride has opened in the city’s Gateway45 Enterprise Zone. The 1,000-space P&R facility is located next to the A63, just off Junction 45 of the M1 motorway.  A 15-minute bus link to the city centre runs into the city centre every 10 to 15 minutes. Journeys between Temple Green and Boar Lane in the city centre are on low-emission buses run by First West Yorkshire. The buses, which are equipped with free Wi-Fi, run between 6am and 9pm weekdays

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Park & Ride Fri, 23 Jun 2017 21:57:00 GMT 53870
Milton Keynes rolls out virtual permits https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53865/milton-keynes-rolls-out-virtual-permits

Milton Keynes’ residents can now buy visitor parking via the RingGo Resident Visitor Permit (RVP) solution developed by Cobalt Telephone Technologies.  To apply for an RVP, residents must visit the company website (www.myRingGo.co.uk/permits) and complete the form online, uploading proof of residency if required.  However, Milton Keynes is also validating address details using RingGo’s verification solution, rather than asking applicants to upload documents

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Payment systems Fri, 23 Jun 2017 21:41:00 GMT 53865
FTA publishes European Road Transport Guide https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53898/fta-publishes-european-road-transport-guide The Freight Transport Association has published the 2017 edition of its European Road Transport Guide. The 22nd edition of the guide provides information and advice for road transport operators moving goods to Europe and beyond. The guide includes essential facts for fleet operators, including details of public holidays, weekend lorry bans and toll prices. New content includes: early comments on how Brexit might affect international operations; tips for safe summer and winter driving; precauti

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Operational Fri, 23 Jun 2017 05:33:00 GMT 53898
NewMotion adds Somerset charge points to its network https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53746/newmotion-adds-somerset-charge-points-to-its-network NewMotion, a European charge point provider for electric vehicles (EVs), has expanded its network’s footprint to include North Somerset. NewMotion has won a contract from North Somerset Council to convert existing charge points. NewMotion has converted the majority of its existing public and business use charge points in North Somerset, previously operated by Charge Your Car. The charge points, which were converted from the old provide by Elmtronics, have now been incorporated into NewMo

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Operational Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:46:00 GMT 53746
Milton Keynes set to open electric vehicle experience https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53742/milton-keynes-set-to-open-electric-vehicle-experience

Milton Keynes Council hopes its new electric vehicle (EV) showroom will enable visitors to discuss all elements of owning and running an electric vehicle, as well as test a range of cars on local roads. Funded by Milton Keynes’ Go Ultra Low City scheme, the Electric Vehicle Experience Centre (EVEC) will be located at centre:mk. EVEC will present EVs made by founding partners BMWi, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen as well as showcase a range of current electric vehicles. Th

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Operational Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:37:00 GMT 53742
IPS unveils parking enforcement and permit management solutions https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53737/ips-unveils-parking-enforcement-and-permit-management-solutions IPS Group has expanded its parking data management system to include enforcement and permit management solutions. By adopting the Parking Enforcement Management or Permit Management solutions, current IPS clients can benefit from an integrated system that works with other IPS technologies and are integrated into the IPS Smart Parking Data Management System. “New clients will gain access to the latest in parking enforcement and permit management software using a platform

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IT Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:28:00 GMT 53737
RFID parking permit wins European printing award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53729/rfid-parking-permit-wins-european-printing-award

A parking permit system produced for the Austrian capital Vienna has won the innovation category of the 2017 FINAT Label Competition. The jury of the European association for the self-adhesive label industry (FINAT) presented German printing company Schreiner Group with the award at the European Label Forum in Berlin. The annual FINAT Award recognises the best pressure-sensitive labels and related products. Some 300 print products were entered in this year’s competition

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Printers Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:13:00 GMT 53729
JLL Automotive team will provide property sector with advice on parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53720/jll-automotive-team-will-provide-property-sector-with-advice-on-parking

Real estate services company JLL has launched a new team that will focus on providing advice on car parks, car dealerships, petrol filling stations and motorway service areas to investors, property owners, operators and funders.  The new JLL Automotive team sits within the company’s wider Alternatives team and will work alongside JLL’s Upstream Sustainability services team. The team is made up of people who have a mix of agency, consultancy, construction, data, research and ope

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Business News Thu, 22 Jun 2017 11:41:00 GMT 53720
Two-thirds of road users support scrappage scheme for older vehicles says survey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53716/two-thirds-of-road-users-support-scrappage-scheme-for-older-vehicles-says-survey

Around two-thirds of UK road users would support a scrappage scheme for older diesel cars, vans and lorries in an effort to get the worst polluting vehicles off our roads, according to a survey by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart. The survey asked respondents to rate the various options put forward in the government’s recent nitrogen dioxide consultation, but found that only 3% of respondents are confident that the proposed measures solve the problem quickly. More than 1,400 pe

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Traffic Management Thu, 22 Jun 2017 09:52:00 GMT 53716
Freight sector says London road charging proposals present opportunities and challenges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53715/freight-sector-says-london-road-charging-proposals-present-opportunities-and-challenges

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) says new proposals announced by the Mayor of London for road charging based on elements such as distance travelled and vehicle emissions could be a positive step for freight operators, provided they don’t simply add cost. The organisation, which represents half the UK’s road fleet, says it is interested in distance-based charging as an alternative to broad schemes such as congestion charging and low emission zones. However, the FTA says the pr

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Traffic Management Thu, 22 Jun 2017 09:48:00 GMT 53715
Mayor Khan sets out plan to persuade Londoners to reduce car use https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53713/mayor-khan-sets-out-plan-to-persuade-londoners-to-reduce-car-use Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has published his first draft transport strategy that focusses on encouraging Londoners reduce their reliance on cars. The mayor has set out a target to increase the proportion of people walking, cycling and taking public transport to 80% of journeys by 2041, compared to 64% now. This will mean an average of three million fewer car journeys in London each day.  Khan said: “In launching my first Transport Strategy, I’m setting out wide-ranging pla

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Business News Wed, 21 Jun 2017 17:19:00 GMT 53713
Women in parking recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53706/women-in-parking-recognised-in-queen-s-birthday-honours

The world of parking was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, with Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal awarded an OBE, and Anjna Patel, principal officer at Sandwell Council becoming an MBE. The Honours List recognises individuals who have excelled in various endeavours and have brought distinction to British life. This year marks the centenary of the modern day honours system. Honours lists are published twice a year at the Queen’s official

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People News Mon, 19 Jun 2017 14:54:00 GMT 53706
Portsmouth parking manager passes away https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53864/portsmouth-parking-manager-passes-away

Michael Robinson, Portsmouth City Council’s parking operations manager, has passed away after a battle with cancer.  Robinson joined the city council as deputy parking manager in 2006 after almost two decades working in casino management at The Rank Group. In 2010 he was promoted to parking operations manager following the retirement of his mentor Ken Ellcome. He played a key role in introducing 20mph speed limits across the city centre, building the council’s capacity to tack

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People News Fri, 16 Jun 2017 21:32:00 GMT 53864
Hackney resident wants to convert parking bays into people places https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53699/hackney-resident-wants-to--parking-bays-into-people-places

A Hackney resident has launched a campaign to turn surplus on-street parking spaces into car-free ‘people parking bays’. Brenda Puech contacted the London Borough of Hackney to request an annual parking permit as she wanted to install a bench, cycle stands and plants in the bay outside her home. Her request was turned down by the authority, which said the permit could only be used for parking a vehicle. Undeterred, Puech organised a ‘direct action’ event on 26 May, tran

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Operational Thu, 15 Jun 2017 15:02:00 GMT 53699
Parking has a key role to play in improving air quality https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53697/parking-has-a-key-role-to-play-in-improving-air-quality

Do you ever get that unpleasant blast from someone’s exhaust when you’re on the pavement or crossing the road? Air quality, and the effect of pollution on public health, seem to be dominating the headlines. The state of the environment literally affects every one of us and, of course, the generations who are coming behind us.  Vehicular traffic and the management of its flow and parking is a big factor in the level of noxious and poisonous emissions. Just a quick glance at the

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Viewpoint Thu, 15 Jun 2017 14:00:00 GMT 53697
Re-inventing the wheel will not be straightforward https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53728/re-inventing-the-wheel-will-not-be-straightforward

Some 20 years from now the way in which we travel may have been transformed by the widespread introduction of autonomous and connected electric-powered vehicles. Much of the research and discussion being undertaken at the moment is, necessarily, focussed on understanding the way in which the next generation of vehicles function. However, it is also important to understand the impact autonomous, connected and electric vehicles will have on the infrastructure of towns and cities.  For exampl

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Traffic Management Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:00:00 GMT 53728
Q-Park shareholders unanimously accept KKR bid https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53696/q-park-shareholders-unanimously-accept-kkr-bid

An offer of €2.95bn (£2.57bn) made by a US investment company for Q-Park has been accepted by all the Dutch parking company’s shareholders. KKR Infrastructure has announced that 100% of the shareholders accepted its offer for all shares in the parking company, which operates car parks across ten North-West European countries: the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The €2.95bn offer price represents a multipl

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Business News Thu, 15 Jun 2017 12:02:00 GMT 53696
First York wins new 7-year park ride contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53695/first-york-wins-new-7-year-park--ride-contract City of York Council is set to extend bus operator First York’s park & ride for the seven years with a contract that will see greener buses and contactless payment introduced. The bid was approved by the executive at a council meeting on 18 May and the new contract arrangements are set to commence in February 2018. The competitive tender process took place earlier this year with bus operators given the opportunity to bid for the new contract. The new partnership agreement will see fu

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Park & Ride Thu, 15 Jun 2017 11:59:00 GMT 53695
Nottingham workplace parking levy and Birmingham bike scheme share environmental award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53692/nottingham-workplace-parking-levy-and-birmingham-bike-scheme-share-environmental-award

Nottingham City Council’s pioneering scheme to transform the city by funding greener transport through a workplace parking levy and Birmingham Big Bikes scheme have shared the 2017 Ashden Award for Clean Air in Towns and Cities. The Ashden Awards are presented to pioneers in sustainable energy and are a globally recognised measure of excellence. Along with 12 other organisations, Nottingham City Council will receive its award on Thursday 15 June at a prestigious ceremony at the Royal

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Awards Tue, 13 Jun 2017 16:30:00 GMT 53692
Hackney to curb West Ham football fans parking on residential streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53689/hackney-to-curb-west-ham-football-fans-parking-on-residential-streets Hackney Council has launched a consultation on introducing controls that could see football fans heading to West Ham matches banned from parking in streets around the Premier League side’s stadium on matchdays. The consultation follows complaints from residents that their parking spaces were being taken by football fans heading to Wes Ham United's London Stadium in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. The proposed parking restrictions would be similar to the scheme used for road

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Operational Tue, 13 Jun 2017 14:53:00 GMT 53689
Lovely Rita and her merry Merseyside band https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53862/lovely-rita-and-her-merry-merseyside-band

Paul McCartney turned his encounter with a traffic warden into the exuberant and jaunty love letter ‘Lovely Rita’, which appeared on The Beatles’ classic album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Rita the Meter Maid, one of The Beatles’ most memorable musical creations, was brought to life as part of Liverpool’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the release of Sgt Pepper. International performance artist Meow Meow staged a three-part pageant last

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Yellow Lines Mon, 12 Jun 2017 21:24:00 GMT 53862
Q-Park set to accept 295bn bid https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53626/q-park-set-to-accept-2-95bn-bid

Q-Park’s board has recommended the Dutch parking operator’s shareholders accept a €2.95bn offer from US private equity investor KKR. The offer came as the result of a structured sale process that was initiated last year by Q-Park’s existing shareholders. Q-Park’s shareholders consist mainly of institutional investors, including pension funds and insurance companies. Q-Park’s shareholder committee of Q-Park has entered into an

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Business News Thu, 1 Jun 2017 13:59:00 GMT 53626
Intertraffic Parking Solutions Award presented to Turkish project https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53730/intertraffic-parking-solutions-award-presented-to-turkish-project

Nedap won the Intertraffic Parking Solutions Award 2017 for its smart parking solution in the Turkish city of Izmir. Nedap’s SENSIT smart parking sensors monitor the vehicle occupancy of 2,000 individual parking spaces in the streets of Izmir. The system has resulted in improved parking guidance and efficient monitoring of all paid, time restricted and disabled parking zones. Based on real-time information, motorists are guided to available spaces easily. In addition al

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Awards Mon, 29 May 2017 14:15:00 GMT 53730
BPA publishes its manifesto for parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53621/bpa-publishes-its-manifesto-for-parking

The British Parking Association (BPA) has published a ‘Manifesto for Parking’ to ensure parking has a central place in government policy-making after the General Election. The BPA’s chief executive Andrew Pester said: “As the recognised authority in the parking sector, the BPA is driving change and we want commitment from the next government to act to ensure a smarter and more sustainable future for everyone.” The BPA said it wants to see more consistency in the wa

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Viewpoint Mon, 29 May 2017 10:50:00 GMT 53621
King Arthur loses Stonehenge parking charges case https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53619/king-arthur-loses-stonehenge-parking-charges-case

King Arthur Pendragon, a senior druid, lost his legal challenge against parking charges introduced by English Heritage at Stonehenge. Pendragon had argued that a parking fee of £15 for the 2016 Summer Solstice breached his human rights. At an initial court hearing in January, Pendragon said the claim was not about money or costs, but because the fee unfairly targeted his religion and forced him to “pay to pray”.  However, Salisbury County Court ruled that introducing ca

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Operational Sun, 28 May 2017 18:49:00 GMT 53619
Alpha investigates demand for Parking Apprenticeship https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53618/alpha-investigates-demand-for-parking-apprenticeship- Ways of developing apprenticeships specific to the parking sector is the subject of an online survey being conducted by Alpha Parking, a consultancy that has a background in skills development and training. The government made major changes to the way apprenticeships are funded and delivered in the spring.  Penny Winder, director of Alpha Parking, said: “As a result of the new approach, we believe our industry can encourage the growth of parking skills by developing ‘Parking A

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People News Sun, 28 May 2017 18:47:00 GMT 53618
RTA Associates' Lowe to be next BPA president https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53612/rta-associates-lowe-to-be-next-bpa-president

The next president of the British Parking Association (BPA) will be Peter Lowe of consultant RTA Associates. He will take over the office from Steve Brown at the BPA’s AGM in July. Lowe has been a member of the BPA for many years and is the chair of the BPA Wales Parking and Transport Group, a position he has held since 2010. As an independent parking consultant, he has worked with and advised more than 175 local authorities, equipment suppliers, software companies, enforcement agents, co

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People News Sun, 28 May 2017 18:36:00 GMT 53612
Basharat joins Barbour Logic https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53603/basharat-joins-barbour-logic

Barbour Logic, a developer of parking correspondence software, has appointed Faisal Basharat as customer service manager.  Basharat’s background is in the field of web-based communications and media technologies. He has held a variety of customer service roles with organisations such as Orange, The Independent, Chitter Chatter, Bookatable and CommuniGator.  Fiona Deans, managing director of Barbour Logic, said: “Faisal’s experience in highly competitive technology-l

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People News Sun, 28 May 2017 11:23:00 GMT 53603
Videalert hires Robertson https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53600/videalert-hires-robertson

Traffic enforcement and management solutions company Videalert has appointed Jamie Robertson to the new role of operations and projects manager. Robertson will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations, including partner engagement and project management of Videalert installations across the UK.  Robertson has over 15 years’ project management experience. He joins Videalert from Civica Education where, as head of operations, he was responsible for managing support and ser

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People News Sun, 28 May 2017 11:18:00 GMT 53600
Oxford prepares to journey into the future https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53598/oxford-prepares-to-journey-into-the-future

The orthodoxy of Post-War planning was that for towns and cities to thrive they needed to be accessible by car. This led to an urban scene dominated by flyovers, ring roads, car parks and kerbsides lined with parked vehicles. However, in the early 1970s the historic city of Oxford was among the first British cities to put the brakes on the car. Over the past 45 years Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council have implemented a series of transport policies that seek to manage traffic an

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Case Studies Sun, 28 May 2017 11:13:00 GMT 53598
Croydon parking patrols are sporting a new look https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53597/croydon-parking-patrols-are-sporting-a-new-look

Croydon Parking Services has adopted a new look for its civil enforcement officers (CEOs), who now patrol the south London borough in two-tone uniforms that feature the council’s corporate purple colour as a key element of their design. The CEOs’ uniforms are not just a fresh colour, they represent a transition to a workwear created by Keltic Clothing made from materials that are more comfortable to wear. The council currently employs a total of 30 CEOs: 10 mobile officers on motorb

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Cover Story Sun, 28 May 2017 11:02:00 GMT 53597
Three city centre car parks are being upgraded this summer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53586/three-city-centre-car-parks-are-being-upgraded-this-summer

Three Cambridge City Council car parks are undergoing improvements throughout the summer as part of a £1.2m investment programme.  The car parks being upgraded are The Grand Arcade, Queen Anne Terrace and Grafton East. The Grand Arcade car park, which has not had any major refurbishment works since it opened in 2007, will have a number of improvements. These include the laying of completely new protective deck coatings throughout the upper car park to keep rainwater out and to prote

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Construction Sun, 28 May 2017 10:20:00 GMT 53586
Labour pledges to scrap hospital parking fees https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53622/labour-pledges-to-scrap-hospital-parking-fees

The cost of parking at hospitals hit the headlines during the General Election when Labour announced it would scrap parking fees at NHS sites in England. Whether or not to charge fees is a decision for individual NHS trusts in England. In contrast, hospital parking fees were abolished in Scotland and Wales in 2008, although a number of hospitals still charge where they have contracts with private parking companies. Parking may be charged for in Northern Ireland. Speaking in Worcester on 7 May t

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Parking Policy Fri, 12 May 2017 12:28:00 GMT 53622
Brutalism is a beautiful thing https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53387/brutalism-is-a-beautiful-thing

My fascination with concrete, industrial landscapes, and what I later came to know as ‘Brutalism’, started at an early age. It’s hardly surprising as I grew up in the North East of England in the late Seventies. At the time, British Steel and the ICI chemical plant commanded the north and eastern flanks of Middlesbrough, the town in which I was born and raised. These chemical and steel plants not only dominated the horizon beyond the town centre, they also supplied an industria

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Cover Story Wed, 10 May 2017 12:01:00 GMT 53387
Government publishes its clean air strategy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53384/government-publishes-its-clean-air-strategy

Charging-based Clean Air Zones should only be implemented if absolutely necessary to bring nitrogen dioxide concentrations down to legal levels, the government has told English local authorities. The plan has been published following a long legal battle with environmental groups. The plan, titled Improving air qua

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Traffic Management Fri, 5 May 2017 15:58:00 GMT 53384
Parking Property 2017 speaker line-up revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53382/parking--property-2017-speaker-line-up-revealed

Parking and property professionals have long lived by the mantra ‘location, location, location’. But while location remains important, the era of data analytics and connected cars means information and communication will soon be the most important factors for developers, retailers and parking operators. Parking and places in the era of connected cars will be central themes at Parking & Property 2017. The line-up of speakers includes experts in retail trends, property development

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Parking Policy Fri, 5 May 2017 10:46:00 GMT 53382
Southend bus depot becomes a Sunday coach park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53380/southend-bus-depot-becomes-a-sunday-coach-park Southend-on-Sea Borough Council will be offering coach drivers Sunday lunch when they pay to park in a designated parking area at the coastal resort. Coaches are now allowed to use Arriva’s Short Street bus depot on Sundays. The £22 fee for parking includes a voucher, which is to be redeemed for a lunch at a seafront café, details of which are printed on their booking confirmation.  On the day of their visit, coach drivers follow a route marked on a map. This tells them

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Operational Thu, 4 May 2017 17:43:00 GMT 53380
Manchester cracks down on rogue meet greet operators https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53379/manchester-cracks-down-on-rogue-meet--greet-operators Manchester City Council is investigating a number of companies offering meet & greet services for after discovering large numbers of cars being parked on-street and in public car parks around Wythenshawe. Cars booked with meet & greet companies by people flying from Manchester Airport are being left on residential roads, wasteland, in public house car parks, on community centre forecourts and even in a church car park.  The city council said the problem appears to be related to an

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Operational Thu, 4 May 2017 17:41:00 GMT 53379
Southend parking officer admits to selling fake permits https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53378/southend-parking-officer-admits-to-selling-fake-permits A council officer has admitted to issuing nearly £10,000 of fake parking permits and also cancelling penalty charge notices (PCNs) for friends. Heather Ffrench worked in the parking department as a parking notice officer for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Ffrench was one of two council workers had been accused of making more than £12,000 by issuing parking permits and cancelling fines for friends and family at Basildon Crown Court. Ffrench confessed to carrying out 25 acts of fr

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Crime Thu, 4 May 2017 17:39:00 GMT 53378
JustPark enters on-street payment sector https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53377/justpark-enters-on-street-payment-sector

JustPark, a company that has so far specialised in developing an online parking marketplace, has announced is intention to enter the on-street parking arena. This move will see it go into competition against established phone parking service providers.  London-based JustPark is to expand its off-street parking solution and enter the cashless on-street market, the company’s founder and CEO Anthony Eskinazi has revealed to Parking Review. JustPark has spent the last decade building up

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Business News Thu, 4 May 2017 17:27:00 GMT 53377
Edinburgh wants to see safer parking at school gates https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53376/edinburgh-wants-to-see-safer-parking-at-school-gates

Pupils and teachers across Edinburgh have joined a campaign to discourage inconsiderate parking at school gates.  The ParkSmart initiative, which was launched on 28 April, aims to cut congestion at the beginning and end of the school day while promoting active travel amongst children and their families. The scheme aims to awareness of the hazards caused by drivers parking on yellow zig zag lines, double parking or mounting the pavement. Instead, parents are being encouraged to consider al

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Operational Thu, 4 May 2017 14:13:00 GMT 53376
Woman admits assaulting Bath parking officer over Blue Badge check https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53375/woman-admits-assaulting-bath-parking-officer-over-blue-badge-check A woman has been fined after assaulting a civil enforcement officer (CEO) in Bath who was checking whether she was entitled to use a Blue Badge. Lamia Messoud admitted common assault on a CEO on 12 December. She was found guilty and fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £620 as well as a victim surcharge of £30 by Bath Magistrates Court on 20 April. Messoud is still due to appear at Bath Magistrates Court on charges relating to misuse of the Blue Badge. Bath & North Ea

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Crime Thu, 4 May 2017 14:08:00 GMT 53375
UK Parking Control says it will contest 1m VAT bill https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53372/uk-parking-control-says-it-will-contest-1m-vat-bill Operator UK Parking Control (UKPC) has paid HM Revenues and Customs over £1m in relation to a disputed VAT bill, but has signalled its intention to contest the claims in court.  UKPC specialises in the management of off-street parking and is particularly active in the retail sector. The company, which had a turnover of £10.6m in 2015-16, has been in a dispute with HMRC about VAT for several years. UKPC said that HMRC had changed its advice and this had led to uncertainty abou

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Business News Thu, 4 May 2017 13:15:00 GMT 53372
ZatPark enters on-street market https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53371/zatpark-enters-on-street-market

Parking management software provider ZatPark has announced its move into the on-street enforcement sector. Until now the company specialised in providing enforcement, permit and payment technology to the off-street sector, but has now developed an app-based approach for civil parking enforcement (CPE). ZatPark has brought in Michael Cosentino, whose background is in providing enforcement systems to the local authority, to lead its move into the CPE sector (see panel). “The back office ap

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Business News Thu, 4 May 2017 13:09:00 GMT 53371
Taxi driver convicted of assaulting Reigate Banstead parking staff https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53364/taxi-driver-convicted-of-assaulting-reigate--banstead-parking-staff A licensed taxi driver has been convicted of assaulting two members of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s parking team and given a community order requiring him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.  Miran Sayed from Welling was sentenced at Staines Magistrates Court on 12 April after being found guilty of assaulting a civil enforcement officer and parking team colleague in Horley, Surrey on 15 December 2016. He was also ordered to pay court costs of £680, £75 compe

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Crime Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:14:00 GMT 53364
Oxfordshire to develop Blue Badge app https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53362/oxfordshire-to-develop-blue-badge-app Oxfordshire County Council is to develop a high-tech approach to solving the problem of finding a Blue Badge parking space in Oxford and Witney. The project is the result of a successful bid for almost £240,000 of government grant and will use big data and smart technology to guide vehicles towards available parking. Called CASPAR (CollAborative Smart PARking project), the scheme will provide up-to-the-minute information on the occupancy of Blue Badge spaces in car parks and some city cen

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Operational Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:11:00 GMT 53362
Bouwfonds pays 210m for car park investment portfolio https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53359/bouwfonds-pays-210m-for-car-park-investment-portfolio A property portfolio business comprising car parks in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain has been sold for over €250m (£210m ).  Bouwfonds Investment Management (Bouwfonds IM) is acquiring the car park portfolio from special property fund Bouwfonds European Real Estate Parking Fund (BEREPF I), which was the first investment fund exclusively dedicated to investments in car park real estate that Bouwfonds IM launched in 2005.  BEREPF I has held the properties

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Business News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:07:00 GMT 53359
German investment company launches European parking property fund https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53358/german-investment-company-launches-european-parking-property-fund A German investment company has launched a specialist parking property portfolio. Munich-based investment manager Catella Real Estate has launched a new real estate alternative investment fund called Catella Parken Europa. The fund has an equity target of €200m and will invest in parking operations in selected markets across Europe. The Catella Parken Europa will invest at least 70% in the core countries of Central Europe. In addition, up to 30% of the portfolio will be invested in Europe

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Business News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:05:00 GMT 53358
PATROL reveals finalists in PARC annual report awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53357/patrol-reveals-finalists-in-parc-annual-report-awards PATROL has announced the shortlist for the PARC (Parking Annual Reports by Councils) Awards for the reporting period 2015/16. PATROL is the body representing local authorities outside London that undertake civil parking enforcement. It promotes the importance of annual reports in order to demonstrate transparency in civil parking objectives, decision-making and actions.   The PARC shortlist • Ashford District Council • Brighton & Hove City Council • Chichester Distric

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Awards Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:03:00 GMT 53357
International Parking Community membership reaches 100 mark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53356/international-parking-community-membership-reaches-100-mark Membership of The International Parking Community (IPC) has now reached 100. The IPC, which was launched in 2013, is a DVLA accredited trade association, which enables its members to access vehicle keeper data when seeking to enforce parking charge notices issued on private land. The IPC was initially a body for private parking operators, but its membership now includes public sector bodies such as local authorities, hospitals, colleges and universities. IPC director John Davies said: “

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Business News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:01:00 GMT 53356
Rise in Scottish dropped kerb applications https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53348/rise-in-scottish-ped-kerb-applications Scottish homeowners are increasingly seeking local authority approval to install dropped kerbs allowing them to park their car on a driveway, rather than on the street or pavement. Successful applications for installing dropped kerbs to allow parking access at the front of houses, have risen by 55% between 2013 and 2015. Research conducted for Direct Line Insurance Group reveals Scottish homeowners have concerns over the rising cost of, and constraints of, on-street parking, as well as proposal

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Operational Sun, 30 Apr 2017 12:45:00 GMT 53348
Councils make 29m from dropped kerbs applications says Direct Line https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53347/councils-make-2-9m-from-ped-kerbs-applications-says-direct-line

There has been dramatic growth in the number of UK residents applying for kerbs to be lowered in order to allow vehicles to access their property.  The research by Direct Line Insurance Group shows that nearly 30,000 dropped kerb applications were approved in 2015. The insurance company said that this has generated almost £3m for councils from application fees in 2015, up almost 68% compared with 2013. In total some 434 councils across the UK were contacted by Direct Line as part of

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Operational Sun, 30 Apr 2017 12:41:00 GMT 53347
Councils are inconsistent when handling PCN challenges' claims Press Association https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53346/councils-are-inconsistent-when-handling-pcn-challenges--claims-press-association

Drivers’ chances of successfully challenging penalty charge notices (PCNs) varies significantly across the country, suggests research conducted by the Press Association (PA). While English local authorities approve only one in 10 appeals against on-street PCNs, others accept nearly every challenge, reports the PA, which obtained data from 98 English local authorities through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The figures cover initial challenges to on-street parking fines received fro

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Enforcement News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 12:39:00 GMT 53346
Cosentino joins Zatpark team https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53343/cosentino-joins-zatpark-team

Michael Cosentino has joined parking IT specialist Zatpark to the new role of local authority business development manager. His main task is to bring the newly launched iZatPark on-street enforcement app to market. Cosentino was previously technical director at Civica, a company providing enforcement notice processing software used in civil parking enforcement. He worked for Civica for 24 year and was product director for civil enforcement systems when he left the company in late 2013.

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People News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 11:40:00 GMT 53343
Park Consult teams up with People and Places https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53342/park-consult-teams-up-with-people-and-places

Park Consult and The People & Places Partnership have come together to form People, Place & Parking Process. The People & Places Partnership are specialists in the field of town centre regeneration while Park Consult has experience in commercial car parking management. The new consultancy will aim to assist councils, business improvement district managers, car parking managers and economic regeneration officers in unlocking the potential of car parking facilities to better contribu

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People News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 10:35:00 GMT 53342
Forget Armageddon worry about the 'Parkalypse' https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53337/forget-armageddon-worry-about-the-parkalypse-

The travails of President Trump, the nuclear ambitions of North Korea, carnage in Syria and the politics of Brexit have all been dominating the headlines for months, so it was a surprise to see one of the world’s most influential business publications, The Economist, devoted a leader article (‘Aparkalypse now’) and a feature piece (‘Sacred spaces’) to parking’s impact on the health and vitality of cities. “Parking can seem like the most humdrum concern

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Viewpoint Sun, 30 Apr 2017 10:18:00 GMT 53337
Scottish councils generate a 403m parking surplus say RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53335/scottish-councils-generate-a-40-3m-parking-surplus-say-rac-foundation

Local authorities in Scotland made a £40.3m surplus from their parking activities in 2015-16, according to analysis conducted for the RAC Foundation. This is 12% higher than in the 2014-15 financial year when £36.1m was reported. Data analysed for the RAC Foundation shows that Scotland’s 32 councils had a combined income from their parking activities – charges and penalty income from on-street and off-street parking – of £79.3m. However, the combined cost

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Enforcement News Sun, 30 Apr 2017 10:12:00 GMT 53335
The Scottish Government consults on parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53334/the-scottish-government-consults-on-parking

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on how to deliver a more consistent approach to managing parking in Scotland. Transport Scotland’s Improving Parking in Scotland consultation seeks views on how to address the issue of pavement parking, as well as views on how best to manage disabled parking provision, and determining what parking incentives local authorities can provide for the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles.  In May 2015, Sandra White MSP, introduced the Fo

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Consultations Sun, 30 Apr 2017 10:05:00 GMT 53334
Car park deck is 30 years old and still going strong https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53332/car-park-deck-is-30-years-old-and-still-going-strong

The waterproof coatings used on a Bedfordshire County Council multi-storey car park in the centre of Leighton Buzzard are still working almost 30 years after their application. The Stirling Lloyd Decseal waterproofing and wearing course system was installed at the West Street car park in 1989, with some replacement markings in 2003.  When inspected in October 2015, Bedfordshire’s term contractors Amey returned to carry out further maintenance. They found the system was still well bo

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Car park design Sun, 30 Apr 2017 09:45:00 GMT 53332
Kingston upon Thames adopts Agendum ANPR evidence system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53317/kingston-upon-thames-adopts-agendum-anpr-evidence-system The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is to use scooters equipped with a digital parking enforcement platform on its streets from July. The London council hopes that using a mobile ANPR enforcement solution will encourage a higher compliance rate, make enforcement process more efficient and cut costs. The scooters will be equipped with ANPR cameras supplied by Dutch company SCANaCAR. The images they take are linked in real-time to a digital enforcement system developed by another Dutch comp

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ANPR Sun, 30 Apr 2017 08:49:00 GMT 53317
ANPR helps Enfield reduce congestion and dangerous driving https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53316/anpr-helps-enfield-reduce-congestion-and-dangerous-driving An unattended traffic monitoring system has led to major improvements in safety and reductions in traffic congestion in the London Borough of Enfield. The north London council installed the SEA ROADflow system nearly three years ago to overcome dangerous driving and congestion causing driving behaviour.  Enfield installed seven ROADflow Flexi Bus Lane unattended 24/7 devices, alongside 12 ROADflow Motion unattended 24/7 moving traffic enforcement devices, to identify incidents such as ban

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ANPR Sun, 30 Apr 2017 08:47:00 GMT 53316
Parking ticket in a time capsule is guaranteed to expire https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53701/parking-ticket-in-a-time-capsule-is-guaranteed-to-expire-

A map of the moon, a miniature music box, a collection of coins and a parking ticket are among the artefacts in a time capsule that will be locked away for 300 years. The James D Robinson Time Capsule, which has been put together by a County Durham photographer, is to be stored at Durham County Record Office. Robinson, whose photos are includ

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Yellow Lines Sun, 16 Apr 2017 12:43:00 GMT 53701
BPA publishes new 5-year plan https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53354/bpa-publishes-new-5-year-plan The British Parking Association (BPA) launched its new five-year strategy at Parkex 2016. The plan, which covers 2017-22, sets out how the association will seek to represent and promote the sector by advancing knowledge, raising standards and professionalism and using its influence. This is the third five-year strategy that the BPA has produced after consultation with its 700 members, who come from across the public and private sectors.  The plan states that joining members should align t

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Parking Policy Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:58:00 GMT 53354
Cities could stage Grand Prix as road races rules relaxed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53363/cities-could-stage-grand-prix-as-road-races-rules-relaxed

Grand Prix events could be hosted on English roads under new laws that came into force on 10 April that allow motorsport promoters to apply for permission from local authorities to close public roads to stage races. The move could see small races hosted by local communities, bigger European rallies or even a future Monaco-style Grand Prix in an English city. The Motor Sports Association and the Auto-Cycle Union, the respective governing bodies for four-wheel and two-wheel motor sport in the UK

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Traffic Management Fri, 7 Apr 2017 13:12:00 GMT 53363
North Somerset decriminalises parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53137/north-somerset-decriminalises-parking-enforcement North Somerset Council take over responsibility for on-street parking this month. In recent weeks the council’s civil enforcement team placed blue warning notices on cars to notify drivers they would face a fine in future should they repeat the offence from 3 April. Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, North Somerset’s deputy leader, said: “Bad parking can lead to congestion, prevent emergency vehicles from accessing areas or cause problems for local businesses when vehicles overstay their par

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Enforcement News Thu, 6 Apr 2017 12:21:00 GMT 53137
Bill enabling councils to reduce parking costs without notice wins Lords backing https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53128/bill-enabling-councils-to-reduce-parking-costs-without-notice-wins-lords-backing Local authorities are to get the ability to set change the price of parking without having to give a 21-day notice period after a Private Member’s Bill completed its passage through Parliament. The Parking Places (Variation of Charges) Bill, devised by Conservative MP David Tredinnick, was passed by the House of Lords on 21 March. The bill had already passed through the committee stage unamended and its third reading in the House of

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Operational Sun, 2 Apr 2017 11:05:00 GMT 53128
Alpha Parking launches online 'ask an expert' service https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53127/alpha-parking-launches-online-ask-an-expert-service Consultant Alpha Parking has launched an online service that supplies answers to questions about parking. Alpha Parking director Penny Winder said: “We have always been happy to support clients by responding to individual parking queries. Over the last 18 months we have noticed a steadily increasing level of enquiries on operational and technical issues.  “We have answered questions on areas including notice processing and enforcement issues, traffic order drafting and mapping

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Operational Sat, 1 Apr 2017 15:36:00 GMT 53127
Living Streets will continue campaigning for pavement parking ban https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53126/living-streets-will-continue-campaigning-for-pavement-parking-ban

Back in 2015, together with the Guide Dogs, we worked with Simon Hoare MP to sponsor a Private Member's Bill in Parliament which would prevent people from parking on pavements except in places exempted by the council. At the time, the government agreed that this was a really important issue and asked us to withdraw the Bill so that they could conduct their own research into the best way forward. Following that, we were part of a roundtable chaired by Andrew Jones.  Following that meeting

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Debates Sat, 1 Apr 2017 15:32:00 GMT 53126
Charities call for reform of debt recovery sector https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53124/charities-call-for-reform-of-debt-recovery-sector Reforms that were intended to protect people in debt are not working, a group of charities has claimed. The 2014 Taking Control of Goods Act reformed bailiff law in England and Wales, but has so far had only limited success in protecting people from unfair practices, states a report produced by AdviceUK, Christians Against Poverty, Citizens Advice, Money Advice Trust, Children’s Society, Z2K and the StepChange Debt Charity. The charities’ Taking Control report presents evidence that

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Enforcement Sat, 1 Apr 2017 15:19:00 GMT 53124
Sutton upgrades pay display terminals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53119/sutton-upgrades-pay--display-terminals

London Borough of Sutton has started a parking machine replacement programme, with over 140 new pay & display machines being installed both on-street and off-street. The south London council has ordered 143 new Metric Elite LS terminals via the ESPO framework.  Most of the on-street terminals will be solar powered as the old mains-powered Metric Accent terminals are phased out. However, 20 new mains powered machines are being installed in high usage areas. In off-street locations, the

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Payment systems Sat, 1 Apr 2017 15:08:00 GMT 53119
Bailiff firms receive customer system accreditation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53115/bailiff-firms-receive-customer-system-accreditation Civil enforcement agents Equita and Ross & Roberts have been awarded the ISO 10002 accreditation for their customer satisfaction management systems.  Neil Smith, managing director of Equita and Ross & Roberts said the companies are the first enforcement agents to receive this accreditation from certification body QMS International. The two sister companies, both of which are active in the parking sector, are owned by outsourcing group Capita.

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Enforcement News Sat, 1 Apr 2017 15:00:00 GMT 53115
Rutherford becomes NSL account manager https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53114/rutherford-becomes-nsl-account-manager

A former winner of The Young Parking Professional of the Year Award has been appointed as client account manager at NSL.  Beth Rutherford has joined the outsourcing company following earlier roles as a parking officer and parking quality assurance officer at the London Borough of Ealing.  Rutherford will be mainly based at NSL’s offices in Camden where she will take responsibility for managing the London council’s contract as well as assisting with NSL’s Camden cont

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People News Sat, 1 Apr 2017 14:59:00 GMT 53114
LGA calls for nationwide parking ban https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53027/lga-calls-for-nationwide-parking-ban

Laws allowing local authorities to ban pavement parking in London should be rolled out across the country to crack down on inconsiderate motorists endangering lives, councils say. The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, says all councils need extra flexibility to introduce bans if needed.  The association said pavement parking bans could free up congested pavements and make it safer for pedestrians.  The LGA says pavement

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Enforcement News Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:06:00 GMT 53027
High Court tells Nottingham to amend bus gate signage https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53024/high-court-tells-nottingham-to-amend-bus-gate-signage Nottingham City Council will have to change signage on a bus lane after a High Court judge ruled the signs on the street were unclear. Around 11,000 drivers have been penalised for driving through the bus gate on Shakespeare Street. However, the council says that the judgment will not involve it refunding any penalties where drivers have made a payment. The court case revolved around the case of Mohammed Sattar, a taxi driver who was fined £60 by the council for using the bus lane in Nove

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:26:00 GMT 53024
Bradford parking fee rise halted by opposition councillors https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53022/bradford-parking-fee-rise-halted-by-opposition-councillors Conservative opposition councillors in Bradford have forced a halt to the Labour council’s plan to increase city centre parking charge hours. On Tuesday 7 March the ruling Labour executive decided to extend the hours that motorists have to pay to use the on-street parking in the city centre, even though traders and retailers had called for the struggling ‘top of town’ area to be excluded. The extension proposed would have extended on-street charging hours from 8am to 6pm Monda

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Operational Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:17:00 GMT 53022
Parking fines for Bournemouth Airport approach road https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53017/parking-fines-for-bournemouth-airport-approach-road Dorset County Council is introducing a £70 parking fine to curb motorists collecting or dropping off passengers on a road leading to Bournemouth Airport. The council is bringing in a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for Parley Lane on 21 April. The local authority said it hoped that the TRO would help tackle safety issues caused by motorists stopping at “unsuitable point” along the road in an attempt to avoid paying to drop-off or pick-up at the airport. Nor

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:08:00 GMT 53017
Wiltshire Council spends 25000 upgrading parking machines to accept new 1 coin https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53016/wiltshire-council-spends-25-000-upgrading-parking-machines-to-accept-new-1-coin Wiltshire Council has spent £25,000 converting parking machines in car parks across the county to accept the new 12-sided £1 coins. The lighter and larger £1 coin is being introduced across the country on 28 March in a bid to prevent counterfeiting.

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Operational Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:07:00 GMT 53016
Community trust wants to create a car park for visitors heading to Isle of Skye landmark https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53015/community-trust-wants-to-create-a-car-park-for-visitors-heading-to-isle-of-skye-landmark

A community on the Isle of Skye is planning to create a new car park to cope with a growing number of cars belonging to visitors heading to see a dramatic rock formation called the Old Man of Storr. Staffin Community Trust has made an application to purchase local authority-owned land near the Old Man of Storr to create a 100-space car park. Besides the car park, the trust plans to provide public toilets and plant trees. It follows several years of talks between the community and the council,

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Developments Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:05:00 GMT 53015
Sheffield hopes online system will speed up parking permit process https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53014/sheffield-hopes-online-system-will-speed-up-parking-permit-process Sheffield City Council has launched a virtual permit system for parking. The system went live on 21 March. The first services to go paperless were resident permits, individual business permits and green permits. Visitor, business pool and trade and utility parking permits will be available online later in the year. But carer and medical parking permits are not changing. People who use these permits can continue to apply for it in the usual way and display the paper permit in their vehicle as n

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Operational Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:04:00 GMT 53014
Royal Berkshire Hospital to trial park ride scheme https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53013/royal-berkshire-hospital-to-trial-park--ride-scheme A park & ride scheme is being launched in a bid to alleviate traffic congestion around a hospital in the centre of Reading. The P&R service will run between the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and a site near junction 11 of the M4. It will cost passengers £2 for a single  journey and £3.50 for a return. Reading Buses said six buses a day will make the 20-minute trip to the hospital. The service has been introduced after Reading Borough Council approved plans to cu

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Park & Ride Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:02:00 GMT 53013
Barnet issues over 12000 in fines for littering https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53012/barnet-issues-over-12-000-in-fines-for-littering Barnet Council has issued over 2,400 fixed penalty notices (FPNs), worth around £12,000, for littering offences since last summer. The north London local authority’s latest enforcement action to tackle environmental crime has seen 28 individuals ordered to pay £430 each for failing to pay a FPN for littering. The action formed part of the council’s Keep Barnet Clean campaign launched in July 2016 which encourages residents and visitors to help keep the borough’s s

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 08:01:00 GMT 53012
Barnet warns residents about fake PCN emails https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53011/barnet-warns-residents-about-fake-pcn-emails Barnet Council is warning residents about fake e-mails that appear to contain penalty charge notices (PCNs).  The council does not send PCNs by email and residents are being advised not to click on any links that may take them to suspicious websites. The e-mails started to appear on 20 March, with several people contacting the council by phone and on social media to query their status. The e-mails use the council’s logo and branding. Anyone that has opened a link in the e-mail is a

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Crime Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:59:00 GMT 53011
Barnet cracks down on Blue Badge abuse https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53010/barnet-cracks-down-on-blue-badge-abuse Barnet Council’s counter-fraud team seized lost, stolen and counterfeit Blue Badges during a one-day action. Officers from the north London council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) carried out spot checks on 78 cars displaying Blue Badges while parked in the Hendon area on 23 February. Of 11 badges seized, seven were being used by motorists to avoid parking restrictions without the badge holder being present. Checks also revealed that three permits had been reported lost or stole

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:58:00 GMT 53010
Bury council urges drivers not to abuse the Blue Badge scheme https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53009/bury-council-urges-drivers-not-to-abuse-the-blue-badge-scheme Motorists in Bury are being warned not to abuse Blue Badge permits which aim to provide convenient parking for those with impaired mobility. The reminder follows the prosecution of seven people at Bury Magistrates Court on 7 March for displaying Blue Badges when the badge holders were not present. They were fined a total of £1,910 including costs and victim surcharges. A council spokesman said: “The aim of the Blue Badge scheme is to provide easy access to work and leisure for peop

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:56:00 GMT 53009
BPA prepares to draw up a 5-year blueprint https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53004/bpa-prepares-to-draw-up-a-5-year-blueprint The British Parking Association is developing a new future strategy document that will be called the Blueprint for Parking. The document will set out what the BPA believes needs to be done to achieve success in the parking profession. The intention is to produce a new blueprint for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland every five years rather than the annual ‘Master Plans’ that the association has produced since 2010. Normal 0

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Parking Policy Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:47:00 GMT 53004
Temporary traffic order will protect Colchester's grass verges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53002/temporary-traffic-order-will-protect-colchester-s-grass-verges The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has introduced a temporary Traffic Regulation Order on road in Colchester to stop motorists parking on the grass verges and churning up the ground. Concerns have been raised regarding the number of vehicles parked in the unrestricted areas of Cowdray Avenue. Whilst the vehicles were not parked in contravention of any parking or waiting restrictions, they were causing an inconvenience to road users and were damaging the grass verges, including the annua

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:43:00 GMT 53002
Essex councils produce recruitment video https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/53001/essex-councils-produce-recruitment-video

The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has filmed a recruitment video that encourages people to take up a career as a civil enforcement officer (CEO). NEPP is a coalition of local authorities undertaking parking enforcement from bass in Braintree, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Tendring and Uttlesford. By focusing on a young mother who works as a CEO and her interaction with the public, the partnership hopes the video will challenge misconceptions about what par

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Mar 2017 07:42:00 GMT 53001
Autonomous cars could create lazy motorists warns IAM RoadSmart https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52980/autonomous-cars-could-create-lazy-motorists--warns-iam-roadsmart

Cars with growing levels of autonomy could make motorists lazy and over reliant on gadgets, with far reaching implications for the potential reduction of people killed and seriously injured on the roads. This is the warning made by independent road safety charity IAM Roadsmart, which strongly supports this conclusion from yesterday’s (15 March) House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: The future? The report sets out recommendations for the

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Transport Fri, 17 Mar 2017 17:53:00 GMT 52980
Governments focus on driverless cars is at expense of other automated technologies says Lords committee https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52979/government-s-focus-on-driverless-cars-is-at-expense-of-other-automated-technologies-says-lords-committee The UK government is too focussed on driverless cars, when the early benefits are likely to appear in other sectors, such as marine and agriculture, the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee has warned in a report on its inquiry into connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). The report points out that CAV development is a fast-moving area of technology and the government has much to do, alongside industry and other partners, to position the UK so that it can take full advantag

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Transport Fri, 17 Mar 2017 17:51:00 GMT 52979
Alpha Parking launches Parking Apprenticeship https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52894/alpha-parking-launches-parking-apprenticeship A parking apprenticeship initiative has been launched by training provider Alpha Parking.  The Parking Apprenticeship Framework is based on a new government approach that will see large organisations have to pay 5% into an Apprenticeship Levy from 1 April.  Organisations that will be contributing to the Apprenticeship Levy include private companies, such as contractors, and public bodies such as local authorities. Organisations paying the levy are being incentivised to support appre

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Business News Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:31:00 GMT 52894
Putting steel in the frame https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52893/putting-steel-in-the-frame

Creating a car park in a factory and assembling it on site is a process that has been around for many years, but projects led by HUBER offer proof that prefabrication does not mean creating identikit buildings. HUBER is a German construction company specialising in car park design and build based on the use of a steel-frame building system. The company believes key benefits of using steel frames is that they shorten delivery times and ensure consistent quality. Prefabrication ensures better qua

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Cover Story Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:28:00 GMT 52893
European Parking Congress 2017 launched https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52892/european-parking-congress-2017-launched

Parking in the City will be the theme of the 18th European Parking Congress. The congress is the biennial gathering of the European Parking Association (EPA),  which will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands from 20-22 September 2017.  The EPA Congress brings together participants from more than 30 countries worldwide to discuss future developments and best practices of the European parking industry.  The congress also hosts the presentation of the winners of the European Parki

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Events Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:22:00 GMT 52892
Contactless parking arrives in Elmbridge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52890/contactless-parking-arrives-in-elmbridge Residents and visitors to the Surrey borough of Elmbridge can now pay parking using contactless cards, following introduction new pay & display terminals in several council car parks. The terminals are located in the town centres of Weybridge, Esher and Cobham and in commuter car parks at Hersham, Walton and Weybridge. Elmbridge Borough Council has ordered 26 new Parkeon terminals with contactless bank card capability and upgraded five existing machines to accept contactless payments. The m

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Payment systems Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:18:00 GMT 52890
We must master technology https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52889/we-must-master-technology

Some would have us believe that technology has the answer to everything. True, new technologies have opened our eyes to all kinds of new opportunities, new possibilities and new aspirations.  One area that has developed rapidly is the ability of new systems to produce copious amounts of data, often output in real time. But, it’s not outputs that ever make the difference. It’s the way those outputs are applied and exploited to deliver what really matters – the right outcom

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Debates Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:15:00 GMT 52889
Barbour Logic celebrates a decade of business https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52886/barbour-logic-celebrates-a-decade-of-business

Barbour Logic will be marking a decade of working in the parking sector at Parkex 2017. It is 10 years since the company introduced its correspondence technology to help local authorities reduce risk, ensure consistency and improve efficiencies in answering queries from motorists who have received a penalty charge notice (PCN).  At this year’s Parkex, Barbour Logic will be showcasing the latest developments with its Response Master system.  “Response Master has created ov

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IT Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:13:00 GMT 52886
Chichester adopts Parkeon terminals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52884/chichester-adopts-parkeon-terminals Chichester District Council is offering motorists a range of ways to pay for using the historic city’s car parks. Chichester District Council has installed 19 new Parkeon Strada Rapide pay & display terminals in a number of off-street locations, 14 of which accept contactless bank card payments in addition to chip & PIN and coin transactions.  The new terminals are solar powered and are enabled to accept the new £1 coin, which is being introduced by the Royal Mint on 2

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Payment systems Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:10:00 GMT 52884
Weston-Super-Mare goes Metric and upgrades seaside PD https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52882/weston-super-mare-goes-metric-and-upgrades-seaside-p-d

North Somerset Council has adopted Metric’s new video screen technology as it upgrades coastal parking machines. New Elite LS terminals sited along the seafront of the seaside town of Weston-Super-Mare are fitted with HD video screens, which display both video or static content to motorists using the machines.  The screens provide the council with an opportunity to sell advertising to local businesses, creating an additional revenue stream. Allan Taylor, parking services manager, s

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Payment systems Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:06:00 GMT 52882
Videalert wants to help local authorities clear the air https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52881/videalert-wants-to-help-local-authorities-clear-the-air Videalert, a supplier of traffic enforcement and management solutions, will unveil the first of its new generation of Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and Low Emission Zone (LEZ) enforcement solutions at Parkex 2017.  The solutions are designed to enable enforcement that will help reduce pollution from toxic gases, including nitrogen dioxide which is estimated to cause the premature deaths of 40,000-50,000 people each year. The company said these solutions should be of interest to the five Defra-nomin

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ANPR Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:04:00 GMT 52881
Bournemouth focuses on safer school streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52880/bournemouth-focuses-on-safer-school-streets

Bournemouth Borough Council is taking the first steps to deter inconsiderate parking outside schools by deploying CCTV cameras. Six cameras will be deployed as part of a year-long pilot scheme at an initial three school locations where illegal parking on the yellow ‘keep clears’ has been identified as putting children’s lives in danger.  Elaine Smith, Bournemouth’s deputy parking services manager said: “The zigzag lines provided outside our schools are there t

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Enforcement News Thu, 16 Mar 2017 16:02:00 GMT 52880
Rebooting parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52875/rebooting-parking

The diverse nature of Westminster and its multiple users creates high demand for the limited parking space available. The associated problems of congestion and poor air quality are often compounded by the time taken for motorists to find parking as they drive around the city searching for availability. Developing solutions to this parking conundrum was the focus of the Smart Cities Connected Parking Hackathon, which was organised by Impact Hub in partnership with Westminster City Council, the D

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Technology Thu, 16 Mar 2017 15:41:00 GMT 52875
Creating a connected city https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52874/creating-a-connected-city

Home to the West End, Oxford Street and a host of landmarks, Westminster City Council attracts a lot of traffic. It has just 10,000 public street parking spaces, which means it has long been on the leading edge when it comes to parking, pioneering concepts such as cashless parking, using bay sensors to monitor street parking activity and adopting a marshalling approach to kerbside management. Besides managing congestion and making efficient use of limited public parking, the city council is look

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Technology Thu, 16 Mar 2017 15:19:00 GMT 52874
Parking operators need to watch this space https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52873/parking-operators-need-to-watch-this-space

There’s no getting away from it: surveillance cameras are everywhere in the UK. A survey by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) carried out three years ago estimated up to 6 million CCTV cameras in the UK. It’s said that in an urban area on a busy day a person could have their image captured by around 300 cameras on 30 different systems. Under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, the Home Secretary issued the surveillance camera code of practice with 12 guiding principl

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Viewpoint Thu, 16 Mar 2017 15:11:00 GMT 52873
Driving people to the High Street https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52872/driving-people-to-the-high-street

There is a common perception that all a town or city centre needs to do to thrive is to provide ample, free parking. But encouraging people to visit a particular high street or shopping centre is a more complex equation. I recently held a business focus group and workshop to try and identify some of the major challenges facing the town centre. I’m sure many places would be able to identify with the issues that came up. Firstly, I asked: “What is the biggest challenge facing the town

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Viewpoint Thu, 16 Mar 2017 15:08:00 GMT 52872
Stone is APCOAs new southern regional manager https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52867/stone-is-apcoa-s-new-southern-regional-manager

APCOA has appointed Ken Stone as the its new regional manager south. Stone will be responsible for all of APCOA’s southern contracts, including London, as well building client relationships, driving innovation and securing new business. Stone has worked in parking enforcement management roles in both the public and private sectors. He has served with councils in Newham, Camden, Horsham, Lambeth, Barnet and Barking & Dagenham.  Stone said: “After six years of consultancy w

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People News Thu, 16 Mar 2017 14:59:00 GMT 52867
Parking Property Building a better future for towns and cities https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49288/parking--property-building-a-better-future-for-towns-and-cities

Parking & Property 2017 8 June: 15 Hatfields, London Parking & Property is the only annual event dedicated to off-street parking. Over the past 7 years the conference has provided a forum for debate and sharing best practice among public and private sector car park owners and operators, developers, planners and companies supplying design and equipment services. The conference content is developed by Nigel Williams, managing director of Parking Matters, and Mark Moran, editor of

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Events Wed, 15 Mar 2017 15:00:00 GMT 49288
School safety projects win British Parking Awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52859/school-safety-projects-win-british-parking-awards

Parking projects that seek to make the lives of children safer and easier where among the winners at the British Parking Awards 2017, which took place on Friday 10 March. Kent County Council won the Front Line Award for its Responsible Parking Squad initiative. The council has devised a toolkit of materials and techniques that can be used by pupils at secondary schools to tackle the problem of dangerous parking and driving, especially during the school run. The London Borough of Wandsworth rec

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British Parking Awards Lead Story Mon, 13 Mar 2017 11:05:00 GMT 52859
Whos who in the British Parking Awards https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52851/who-s-who-in-the-british-parking-awards

The winners of the British Parking Awards 2017 will be revealed at an awards ceremony in London on 10 March. The British Parking Awards were launched by Parking Review magazine in 2002 to recognise achievement and best practice in the design and management of parking. With winners selected by a jury of their peers, the British Parking Parking Awards logo and trophy have become a respected and coveted mark of excellence among parking professionals. Below we provide a guide to the finalists. Par

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British Parking Awards Tue, 7 Mar 2017 22:14:00 GMT 52851
Havering criminalises dangerous parking around schools https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52756/havering-criminalises-dangerous-parking-around-schools

The London Borough of Havering has introduced fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to crack down on dangerous driving and parking during the school run. This is being claimed to b the first use of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to make anti-social driving a criminal offence in areas around schools. The east London council is piloting the use of PSPOs following attempts to discourage antisocial parking around schools using education campaigns and decriminalisd penalty charge notices. Cllr Osman

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Enforcement News Thu, 2 Mar 2017 13:17:00 GMT 52756
CCTV surveillance is good for communities says NSL https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52754/cctv-surveillance-is-good-for-communities-says-nsl

Public surveillance systems can safeguard the wellbeing of local communities, says contractor NSL, which works for the London Borough of Hackney’s Civil Protection Service. In just a single month, NSL’s public space surveillance team identified and prosecuted six persistent fly-tippers and located a vulnerable missing 14-year-old girl, a prolific drug dealer and a distressed and vulnerable man in response to specific appeals from the local police. In total, the team dealt with near

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Debates Thu, 2 Mar 2017 12:19:00 GMT 52754
Wandsworth pilots environmental enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52753/wandsworth-pilots-environmental-enforcement The London Borough of Wandsworth has appointed NSL to pilot an environmental enforcement initiative. A team of six full-time environmental enforcement officers (EEOs) equipped with body-worn cameras will patrol the borough’s streets and public spaces. They will have powers to issue offenders £80 fixed penalty notices. The project contract was awarded to NSL following a competitive tender and is initially for a 12-month period. The EEOs will operate from two local

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Enforcement News Thu, 2 Mar 2017 12:18:00 GMT 52753
Emerging transport technology guide published https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52746/emerging-transport-technology-guide-published

A guide designed to help local authorities understand the opportunities and challenges presented by rapidly accelerating advances in transport technology has been published by the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) and ITS (UK). The second edition of the Local Authority Guide to Emerging Transport Technology is targeted at local government officers, elected members and their consultants and explains how technology can aid delivery of a range of policy objectives, from reducing em

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Operational Mon, 27 Feb 2017 09:03:00 GMT 52746
Wycombe abandons enforced ANPR parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/54046/wycombe-abandons-enforced-anpr-parking Wycombe District Council is to ditch ANPR and revert to pay & display at its car parks after failing to reach an agreement with the government over access to driver details.  The Buckinghamshire authority installed the Veri-park ANPR system at 20 car parks in 2014, replacing pay & display at all but two surface car parks. But enforcement soon became a problem, after the Department for Transport advised authorities in England to use the Traffic Management Act 2004 rather than contra

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Enforcement News Fri, 24 Feb 2017 11:06:00 GMT 54046
Patrick Troy resigns as British Parking Association's CEO https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52724/patrick-troy-resigns-as-british-parking-association-s-ceo

Patrick Troy has resigned as chief executive of the British Parking Association (BPA), citing “personal reasons”. He joined the association in 2009 from Transport for London (TfL), where he had been of traffic enforcement from 2001. At TfL he was responsible for bus lane enforcement and moving traffic enforcement on the Red Route nework. Prior to working at TfL, Troy was head of parking services at the London Borough of Sutton, overseeing the introduction of decriminalised parking

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People News Wed, 22 Feb 2017 15:16:00 GMT 52724
North Somerset prepares to take over parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52720/north-somerset-prepares-to-take-over-parking-enforcement North Somerset Council will take over control of street parking from the police in April. Council leaders are warning motorists that there will be no ‘soft introduction” of the new civil parking enforcement regime, which goes live on 3 April.

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Enforcement News Wed, 22 Feb 2017 13:35:00 GMT 52720
London's new T-Charge will start in October https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52722/london-s-new-t-charge-will-start-in-october

A £10 charge will be levied on the most polluting vehicles entering central London from this autumn, mayor Sadiq Kahn has confirmed. The Emissions Surcharge has been dubbed a toxicity or “T-Charge” will come into effect on October 23, at the start of the autumn half-term. The T-Charge is part of a range of measures the mayor is introducing to tackle poor air quality in the capi

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Enforcement News Fri, 17 Feb 2017 13:39:00 GMT 52722
Wokingham to take over parking enforcement from the police https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52632/wokingham-to-take-over-parking-enforcement-from-the-police Civil parking enforcement is due to introduced across the borough of Wokingham in Berkshire in the autumn. Next month Wokingham Borough Council will be making an application to the Department for Transport (DfT) to take over civil parking enforcement (CPE) powers from the police, and once this is approved it will put a contract out to tender to run the operation in the borough. Malcolm Richards, executive member for highways and transport, said: “Applying for CPE powers is complex and inv

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Enforcement News Mon, 13 Feb 2017 15:54:00 GMT 52632
Dont ignore those who voice concerns over fines ombudsman tells councils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52614/don-t-ignore-those-who-voice-concerns-over-fines-ombudsman-tells-councils

Councils must do more to make parking fines “fairer”, states a new report from The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO). The report - Fairer Fines, Ensuring good practice in the management of Parking and Traffic Penalties - highlights some of the common complaints it receives about parking and moving traffic penalties. The Ombudsman says people are sometimes being treated unfairly and may be paying fines unnecessarily. Common problems include not telling people of their appeal rights (i

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Parking Policy Tue, 7 Feb 2017 14:52:00 GMT 52614
MPs did not breach rules by accepting council parking passes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52744/mps-did-not-breach-rules-by-accepting-council-parking-passes Two MPs who were given free parking passes by a Cheshire council did not break parliamentary rules, a watchdog has decided. Labour MPs Chris Matheson and Justin Madders were accused of “taking a freebie” from Cheshire West and Chester Council by a Conservative councillor. However, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found the passes did not need to be declared. In a letter to the commissioner, former leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council Mike Jones said the MPs were

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Operational Thu, 2 Feb 2017 10:20:00 GMT 52744
Parking surcharge for diesels is a flawed idea says RAC https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52730/parking-surcharge-for-diesels-is-a-flawed-idea-says-rac

A 50% surcharge for parking diesel vehicles in central London is unlikely to lead to a significant improvement in air quality, says the RAC. The motoring organisation was reacting to the announcement by Westminster City Council that it is to begin a trial of charging diesel drivers 50% more to park.

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Debates Wed, 1 Feb 2017 16:38:00 GMT 52730
APCOA wins 10-year Bromley and Bexley shared services contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52509/apcoa-wins-10-year-bromley-and-bexley-shared-services-contract

The London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley have jointly awarded APCOA a new 10-year parking contract. The new arrangements, which will start in April 2017, will help to further harmonise the procedures and processes of both authorities and produce efficiency savings.  Bromley and Bexley became a shared service in 2013. To date, these authorities have utilised the services of separate contractors to undertake parking enforcement and other related duties while existing contracts ran their ter

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Contracts Wed, 1 Feb 2017 16:32:00 GMT 52509
Dundee urged to cut car park tariffs to curb commuter parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52528/dundee-urged-to-cut-car-park-tariffs-to-curb-commuter-parking

A Dundee councillor is backing a proposal from residents in the city's West End for cut-price annual permits to be introduced at underused car parks to stop commuters parking on-street. A new annual permit of £365 would persuade workers to use car parks rather than parking in residential areas and walking or taking public transport into the city, says Labour councillor Richard McCready. Currently parking costs are considerably higher - for example, eight hours at the Bell Street car park

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Operational Tue, 31 Jan 2017 19:31:00 GMT 52528
Westminster City Council to trial emissions-based parking charges for diesel cars https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52526/westminster-city-council-to-trial-emissions-based-parking-charges-for-diesel-cars Drivers of diesel cars will pay more to park in parts of central London as Westminster City Council looks at ways of reducing vehicle-based emissions.   The council is to trial a surcharge for diesel vehicles parking within the Marylebone area. The council believes a “polluter pays” principle will reduce harmful vehicle emissions in Marylebone. The cost of parking a diesel car within “F” zone will be 50% higher than parking other vehicles. The surcharge will add 50

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Enforcement News Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:13:00 GMT 52526
HGV drivers should use commercial vehicle satnavs says LGA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52524/hgv-drivers-should-use-commercial-vehicle-satnavs-says-lga

All lorry drivers who use satellite navigation systems should be compelled to use commercial models, says the Government Association (LGA). The association also wants central government to enable English councils to take enforcement action where necessary. Villages and rural communities across the country have been affected by a recent spate of lorry smashes, says the association. For example, a historic bridge in Marlow, Bucks, had to be closed for months after a driver reportedly drove a

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Traffic Management Tue, 31 Jan 2017 15:18:00 GMT 52524
Ashford to expand parking enforcement team https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52507/ashford-to-expand-parking-enforcement-team

Ashford Borough Council in Kent is expanding its uniformed parking patrol and back office teams to enable it to step up enforcement activities aimed at improving road safety and tackling anti-social parking by lorries. The number of civil enforcement officers (CEOs) will increase by four to 12. The CEOs work directly for the coumcil. “Over the past decade, the roles and priorities of the officers have changed and increased. Therefore additional support will help the council deliver a mor

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Enforcement News Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:27:00 GMT 52507
Edinburgh to waive PCNs issued after phone parking service offered 'free' parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52504/edinburgh-to-waive-pcns-issued-after-phone-parking-service-offered-free-parking A phone payment system error meant that drivers in Edinburgh were wrongly told they could park for free on the day after Boxing Day, resulting in them receiving penalty charge notices (PCNs).  City of Edinburgh Council said it was clearly stated on its website and parking machines that 27 December was a paid parking day. However, drivers who received a PCN on 27 December after using the RingGo system will have their fine cancelled. RingGo is managed in Edinburgh by the council’s cont

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Enforcement News Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:18:00 GMT 52504
BBC investigates Welsh parking penalty revenues https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52503/bbc-investigates-welsh-parking-penalty-revenues Local authorities in Wales have issued penalty charge notices (PCNs) worth almost £21m over the last three years, claims a survey by the BBC. Welsh councils issued over 600,000 tickets to motorists between 2013 and 2016, according to BBC Wales News. Figures obtained using a Freedom of Information request show councils collected £20.8m from fines in the last three years. The amount of cash paid to local authorities in Wales for parking fines increased every year over the three-year p

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Enforcement News Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:15:00 GMT 52503
Westminster steps up engine idling campaign https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52502/westminster-steps-up-engine-idling-campaign

Westminster City Council is to start issuing penalty charge notices (PCNs) to drivers of cars, vans, coaches and taxis if they leave engines idling for more than a minute while parked. Over the past year the council has been running a campaign designed to raise awareness about the environmental and health dangers of vehicle idling, which contribute to high levels of air pollution in central London.  The council also says that engine idling creates a noisy environment, particularly affecti

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Enforcement News Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:13:00 GMT 52502
English hospitals charge 120m for parking claims Press Association https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52500/english-hospitals-charge-120m-for-parking-claims-press-association NHS hospitals across England made more than £120m from charging patients, staff and visitors for parking in the past year, up 5% on the previous year, according to data collected by the Press Association. A total of 120 NHS trusts were asked to give figures on parking charges and fines under the Freedom of Information Act, with 89 providing responses. The survey found that NHS trusts netted £120,662,650 in 2015/16 in car park charges, up from £114,873,867 the year before. Almo

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Operational Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:08:00 GMT 52500
Isle of Wight hopes to make space for people and cars https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52499/isle-of-wight-hopes-to-make-space-for-people-and-cars

A growing population and increasing number of cars on the Isle of Wight will need to be tackled with more consistent parking enforcement and pricing measures, new payment systems and measures to better balance the supply and demand of spaces. Isle of Wight Council’s executive has agreed a parking strategy developed by consultant White Young Green, whose recommendations are based on public consultation, spoke to town and parish councils, business associations and transport operators. The c

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Case Studies Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:06:00 GMT 52499
Met Police investigates street fracas involving civil enforcement officer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52498/met-police-investigates-street-fracas-involving-civil-enforcement-officer Police are calling for witnesses after a civil enforcement officer (CEO) was involved in an altercation with a group of men in Clapton, east London, last month. Footage released on social media, and circulated by national and local newspapers, shows the CEO, who was on moped patrol at the time, surrounded by the men and seemingly involved in a dispute. He is shown striking one of the men on the side of the head with his helmet. Another clip shows several men pulling the CEO to the ground and re

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Enforcement News Sat, 28 Jan 2017 15:59:00 GMT 52498
A new direction of travel for Redbridge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52497/a-new-direction-of-travel-for-redbridge

The London Borough of Redbridge has been through a period of self-scrutiny, renewal and reinvention over the past 12 months. Since the arrival of new chief executive Andy Donald a year ago there have been big changes, with a new structure comprising four directorates: People, Place, Resources and Strategy. Parking, traffic management and transport now sit in Place, which is made up of three sections – Regeneration & Property, Housing and Civic Pride.  Civic Pride also covers high

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Business News Sat, 28 Jan 2017 15:43:00 GMT 52497
See Colchester's Priory Street car park in a new light https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52495/see-colchester-s-priory-street-car-park-in-a-new-light

Improvement works at Priory Street Car Park in Colchester have been completed ahead of schedule. The  Colchester Borough Council car park has undergone a complete makeover lasting 16 weeks. It has been given new surfacing, improved landscaping and architectural lighting to celebrate the Town Wall. Colchester invested around £500,000 in the Priory Street Car Park upgrade. In developing the plans the council has consulted residents, businesses and interested parties. Scheduled Monumen

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Operational Sat, 28 Jan 2017 15:36:00 GMT 52495
Cardiff rolls out parking sensors across city https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52490/cardiff-rolls-out-parking-sensors-across-city

Smart parking technology is to be rolled out across Cardiff city centre. A combination of bay sensors and ANPR will monitor parking occupancy levels on-street and in car parks. This information will be used to give drivers in the Welsh capital real-time parking updates via both variable message signs and a smartphone app. Cardiff City Council has commissioned Smart Parking to deploy 3,000 infra-red bay sensors in on-street and off-street locations. ANPR will also be used in city centre car park

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Technology Sat, 28 Jan 2017 15:12:00 GMT 52490
Marston Holdings hires Alistair Townsend https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52482/marston-holdings-hires-alistair-townsend Marston Holdings has appointed Alistair Townsend as group client services director. He was previously head of revenues and benefits at Milton Keynes Council, which has given him knowledge of local taxation, revenue collection and local government generally. Townsend has represented local government on a number of working groups for the Local Government Association, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Justice. He is a Fellow and National Counc

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Business News Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:44:00 GMT 52482
Londons Neighbourhoods of the Future to be green travel testbeds https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52745/london-s-neighbourhoods-of-the-future-to-be-green-travel-testbeds

Six schemes that will act as testbeds for future technology to tackle air pollution are being backed by the Mayor of London and Transport for London. The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have announced £1.4m funding for six ‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’ that will combine green technology and other initiatives to tackle London’s air quality emergency at a local level.

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Operational Mon, 23 Jan 2017 10:22:00 GMT 52745
Cost and availability of parking is a growing concern for motorists says RAC https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52453/cost-and-availability-of-parking-is-a-growing-concern-for-motorists-says-rac

There is growing concern among motorists about both the cost and availability of parking around the UK, says the RAC. The motoring organisation is flagging up concerns about parking that were revealed in its 2016 annual report on motoring. Almost a fifth (18%) of the 1,714 motorists surveyed for the report said the cost of parking is one of their top-four concerns, a 50% increase, compared with one in eight (12%) who said this in 2015.  Concerns about the availability of parking have also

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Parking Policy Mon, 23 Jan 2017 10:03:00 GMT 52453
Review of renewal process for NI Blue Badge holders with lifelong mobility issues commences https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52516/review-of-renewal-process-for-ni-blue-badge-holders-with-lifelong-mobility-issues-commences The renewal process for Blue Badge holders in Northern Ireland with lifelong mobility issues is being reviewed. The review will consider the legislation constraints and welfare benefit rules that affect those applicants with life-long mobility issues when making an application to renew their Blue Badge. The Infrastructure Department has been working with a range of representative groups on the development and introduction of the new online application process.

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Operational Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:58:00 GMT 52516
On-street parking tariffs to increase in Belfast Newry and Lisburn https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52515/on-street-parking-tariffs-to-increase-in-belfast-newry-and-lisburn On-street parking tariffs in parts of Northen Ireland are set to increase. Charges in Belfast city centre will rise by 20p per hour from £1.20 to £1.40, while a number of streets on the edge of the city centre with a current charge of 80p per hour will increase to £1.20 per hour. Charges in Newry will increase from 40p to 60p per hour and in Lisburn, from 60p to 80p per hour.

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Operational Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:55:00 GMT 52515
British Parking Awards 2017 entries revealed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52363/british-parking-awards-2017-entries-revealed

The long list of entries to the British Parking Awards 2017 has been unveiled. This year the competition has attracted over 90 submissions that are now being assessed by the jury.The British Parking Awards encompass the worlds of traffic management, architecture, enforcement, technology and property.This year there are entries from local authorities, commercial operators, rail companies, universities, retailers, consruction companies, equipment suppliers and many others. To see the 2017 entry li

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British Parking Awards Mon, 16 Jan 2017 14:25:00 GMT 52363
Isle of Wight to adopt a more consistent approach to parking provision https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52362/isle-of-wight-to-adopt-a-more-consistent-approach-to-parking-provision A growing population and increasing number of cars on Isle of Wight could lead to the introduction of more consistent parking enforcement and pricing measures, new payment systems and measures to better balance the supply and demand of spaces. Isle of Wight Council’s executive has agreed a parking strategy developed by consultant White Young Green, whose recommendations are based on public consultation, spoke to town and parish councils, business associations and transport operators. The

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Parking Policy Mon, 16 Jan 2017 14:05:00 GMT 52362
Civil enforcement officer dies after moped collides with lorry https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52361/civil-enforcement-officer-dies-after-moped-collides-with-lorry A civil enforcement officer (CEO) has died after his moped collided with a lorry while he was on patrol for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south-west London. The CEO, Beju Shah, worked for the council’s parking enforcement provider NSL. The collision happened at the junction of Coombe Lane West and Trap’s Lane on 5 January. Shah was taken by air ambulance to St George’s Hospital in Tooting but later died. An NSL spokesman said: “We are deeply upset at the

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People News Mon, 16 Jan 2017 12:18:00 GMT 52361
Wrexham adopts cashless parking machines after vandalism https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52360/wrexham-adopts-cashless-parking-machines-after-vandalism Vandalised pay & display machines in Wrexham are expected to have cost the North Wales council around £164,000 in lost parking revenue over the last financial year. The parking machines were attacked over a 12-month period, with different terminals being damaged at different times. Wrexham County Borough Council highlighted the impact of the vandalism payment as it seeks to balance its books by the end of the 2016-17 financial year.David Bithell, lead member for environment and tran

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Operational Mon, 16 Jan 2017 12:15:00 GMT 52360
Marston Holdings buys NSL https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52351/marston-holdings-buys-nsl Debt recovery group Marston Holdings has acquired NSL, a provider of parking enforcement and other outsourced services to the public sector. NSL will continue to operate as a separate business within Marston Holdings. NSL's management team, led by chief executive Adam Palser, will remain with the group. Marston Holdings has not revealed how much it paid private equity company AAC Capital Partners for NSL. NSL provides civil parking enforcement for local government across the UK, vehicle excis

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Business News Wed, 11 Jan 2017 14:00:00 GMT 52351
Making the case for virtual penalties https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52731/making-the-case-for-virtual-penalties

There has been much discussion surrounding virtual permits in the parking industry, but we should also consider the possibility of the virtual penalty charge notice (PCN). With the ubiquity of the internet and the ability to transfer PCN information in real-time to back office databases, the virtual PCN seems inevitable. Of course, current government legislation and approved operator schemes require that a PCN issued by a civil enforcement officer (CEO) on-street and ‘in-person’ off

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Viewpoint Thu, 5 Jan 2017 16:52:00 GMT 52731
Lincolnshire and North Kesteven create parking enforcement partnership https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52252/lincolnshire-and-north-kesteven-create-parking-enforcement-partnership Lincolnshire County Council has awarded a civil parking enforcement services contract to APCOA UK & Ireland. The parking company has been a provider to both Lincolnshire and North Kesteven District Council 2012, but the new arrangement is being run as a single framework agreement headed up by the county council. The agreement between North Kesteven District Council and Lincolnshire County Council will see APCOA enforce the distric

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Enforcement News Thu, 22 Dec 2016 11:31:00 GMT 52252
Chester develops strategy to meet parking demand https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52353/chester-develops-strategy-to-meet-parking-demand Demand for parking in the historic city of Chester could be met by building new car parks and adopting a different approach to concessions offered to shoppers.  Cheshire West and Chester Council is conducting a public consultation on the initial recommendations made by consultant Mott MacDonald.  The draft strategy suggests addressing parking pressures by exploring the feasibility of acquiring land for parking and the potential for multi-storey car parks at locations, including a new

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Parking Policy Tue, 20 Dec 2016 12:11:00 GMT 52353
It's time to let local authorities use ANPR for parking control https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52234/it-s-time-to-let-local-authorities-use-anpr-for-parking-control

When it comes to parking a car, there are a lot of things that can compromise service standards and antagonise motorists. Among the more obvious bugbears are inadequate or badly located signage, nonsensical traffic regulation orders, poorly maintained facilities, inconvenient payment arrangements, heavy-handed enforcement and the antics of persistent evaders. Faced with such frustrations and a perception that parking is a money-spinner for struggling local authorities and unscrupulous private c

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Debates Mon, 19 Dec 2016 18:19:00 GMT 52234
Cambridge residential parking upgraded https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52267/cambridge-residential-parking-upgraded A residential garage and car park area owned by Cambridge City Council have been refurbished. The site in Newtown consists of a 45-unit garage and a two-storey car park and ramp. The garages are rented to council tenants and are in constant use. The project saw specialist coatings contractor Total Protection use systems produced by resin flooring manufacturer Flowcrete UK. When Flowcrete UK and Total Protection reviewed the 1,580m2 site a number of issues were noted, including water migrating

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Construction Fri, 16 Dec 2016 13:37:00 GMT 52267
Prosecutions for Blue Badge misuse plateau at around 900 a year https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52254/prosecutions-for-blue-badge-misuse-plateau-at-around-900-a-year Almost 900 people were prosecuted for misusing Blue Badges between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, the Department for Transport has revealed. The vast majority of the 896 prosecutions (98%) involved a non-badge holder using another person’s Blue Badge. Blue Badges’ are issued by local authorities to individuals and organisations concerned with the care of disabled people. They provide on-street parking privileges only if the badge holder is with the vehicle. The DfT’s latest

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Enforcement News Thu, 15 Dec 2016 12:28:00 GMT 52254
Jerusalem to test parking bay sensors https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52107/jerusalem-to-test-parking-bay-sensors The City of Jerusalem is testing a system that relays data from bay sensors to drivers via an app to help them find available parking spaces. The system is configured to detect the occupancy of unmarked parking spaces. IT company Mobilisis and its Israeli partners have delivered a system for 10 road around Emek Refa'im Street. A total of 200 parking spaces have been fitted with Parkom sensors. The system uses cables with integrated sensors installed into the ground surface that provide informa

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Technology Wed, 14 Dec 2016 10:53:00 GMT 52107
Manchester extends NSL contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52262/manchester-extends-nsl-contract Manchester City Council has confirmed a two-year contract extension with NSL, which has run parking enforcement for the council since 2002. NSL is responsible for on-street enforcement, vehicle removal and Blue Badge Fraud support. The extended contract will see NSL take responsibility for managing the council’s vehicle removal pound.  The company will also build on a number of recent on-street enforcement initiatives, including more responsive deployment of civil enforcement office

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Enforcement News Mon, 12 Dec 2016 13:08:00 GMT 52262
Chester's 'Free After Three' parking scheme reviewed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52268/chester-s-free-after-three-parking-scheme-reviewed A scheme allowing drivers to park in Chester city centre for free after 3pm could be ended because it adds to evening rush-hour traffic. Cheshire West and Chester Council is currently consulting on whether or not to end its "Free After Three" scheme. A new parking strategy recommends replacing the ‘Free After Three’ scheme with bus discounts and shorter periods of free parking to encourage trade throughout the day. Free parking would also be scrapped in nearby Ellesmere Port, whe

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Operational Fri, 9 Dec 2016 13:42:00 GMT 52268
Poole to bring in parking charges near beaches https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52260/poole-to-bring-in-parking-charges-near-beaches Plans to introduce parking fees in car parks and on streets near beaches in Poole, Dorset have been approved by the city council. Borough of Poole councillors have agreed to begin charging motorists between 1 March and 31 October from this year. The council said the pay & display scheme will generate funds that can be used to maintain and improve parking facilities. The council said it would have a positive impact on traffic flow near the town's coastal areas, while leaving 1,600 free, on-

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Operational Fri, 9 Dec 2016 13:05:00 GMT 52260
Traffic Penalty Tribunal and PATROL system wins technology award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52258/traffic-penalty-tribunal-and-patrol-system-wins-technology-award

An online system developed for handling appeals lodged by motorists against parking and traffic penalties has won an award. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal and the Parking And Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL) joint committee won the Excellence in Technology Award at the North of England Transport Awards 2016 for the online parking appeal system FOAM (Fast Online Appeal Management).  The award was announced on 7 December at the Midland Hotel in Manchester at the prize’s inaugu

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Awards Fri, 9 Dec 2016 12:52:00 GMT 52258
Nick Lester-Davis A truly capital fellow https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52255/nick-lester-davis-a-truly-capital-fellow

Nick Lester-Davis has retired from his role as corporate director of services at London Councils, the cross-party organisation that represents the capital’s 32 borough councils and the Corporation of London. For almost a decade he has been responsible for the London-wide service delivery in the fields of traffic and transport, grant to voluntary organisations, databases in adult and childrens services and improvement of local services.  Lester-Davis has also been the face of public p

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Profiles Fri, 9 Dec 2016 12:34:00 GMT 52255
English local authorities generate 756m surplus from parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52091/english-local-authorities-generate-756m-surplus-from-parking

The surplus produced from council parking operations in England has reached a record high of just over three-quarters of a billion pounds, analysis by the RAC Foundation has revealed. In the 2015-16 financial year, the 353 local authorities in England generated a combined surplus of £756m from their on-street and off-street parking activities. This is a 9% increase on the 2014-15 figure of £693m, and 34% higher than in 2011-12. The figures are calculated

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Operational Fri, 9 Dec 2016 08:34:00 GMT 52091
London Tribunals are open for justice https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52080/london-tribunals-are-open-for-justice

London’s boroughs marginally won the majority of appeals against penalty charge notices issued for parking heard by the capital’s independent adjudicators. London Tribunals’ Environment and Traffic Adjudicators determined 27,696 appeals against parking PCNs. According the tribunal's annual report for 2015-16, the adjudicators allowed 13,572 appeals, of which 5,803 were not contested by the enforcing authorities, but refused 14,124 appeals. Parking appeals made up the vast maj

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Cover Story Tue, 6 Dec 2016 14:09:00 GMT 52080
POPLA suspends hearings involving Railway Byelaws https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52257/popla-suspends-hearings-involving-railway-byelaws The British Parking Association (BPA) has called on government to find a solution to Railway Byelaws, which it has emerged may fall outside the scope of the appeals processes set for parking on private land. John Gallagher, lead adjudicator of Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA), is concerned that as railway land is managed under Statutory Byelaws, any parking charge notices (PCNs) issued may be outside the body’s scope. Consideration of cases involving Railway Byelaw cases has been a

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Enforcement News Tue, 6 Dec 2016 12:49:00 GMT 52257
Croydon to relax parking rules over Christmas https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52069/croydon-to-relax-parking-rules-over-christmas Restrictions on parking bays and council car parks will relaxed in Croydon over the Christmas and New Year period. Croydon Council believes its annual relaxation of parking charges enables people to visit shops, enjoy the displays of festive illuminations or to drop in on friends and relatives. The South London council has decided that the whole borough will be free of parking charges in council-run car parks and on-street bays on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New

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Enforcement News Sat, 3 Dec 2016 11:16:00 GMT 52069
Welsh councils generate surplus of 138m from parking says RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52060/welsh-councils-generate-surplus-of-13-8m-from-parking-says-rac-foundation Local authorities in Wales made a combined surplus of £13.8m on their parking activities in the last financial year, according to research conducted for the RAC Foundation. The data analysed by consultant David Leibling for the foundation comes from the official returns made in a standardised format to the Welsh Government on an annual basis.  The report can be read by clicking here The figure for 2015-16 represented a 14% increase on the £12.1m surplus made in 2014-15, the mo

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Operational Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:31:00 GMT 52060
Scottish Borders to focus on compliance https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52059/scottish-borders-to-focus-on-compliance Scottish Borders Council has decided not to introduce decriminalised parking enforcement, but instead hopes the introduction of a ‘disc parking’ scheme and focussed police enforcement will improve access to spaces in the towns of Selkirk and Hawick.  Council leader David Parker said introducing council parking enforcement officers would not have made economic sense. Instead, he said, the trial scheme in two towns might ultimately help to tackle any problems across the region. D

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Enforcement News Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:29:00 GMT 52059
Medway tackles overnight HGV parking problem https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52057/medway-tackles-overnight-hgv-parking-problem

Medway Council has started carrying out nighttime parking enforcement patrols on business parks in a bid to stop illegal lorry parking. This is to tackle problems of anti-social behaviour and dangerous parking. The Kent council has received reports of drivers parking on-street and in business parks and sleeping overnight in their cabs. On 1 November the hours of enforcement in Medway were extended to 7am - 1am seven days a week. Previously patrols ran from 7.30am – 10pm Monday to Friday,

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Enforcement News Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:21:00 GMT 52057
Government will act on illegal lorry parking roads minister tells MPs councils and freight sector https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52056/government-will-act-on-illegal-lorry-parking-roads-minister-tells-mps-councils-and-freight-sector The Department for Transport (DfT) is conducting a national survey to determine where more parking spaces are needed. Roads minister John Hayes made the commitment a meeting with Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid-Kent, representatives of the haulage industry, Kent County Council and other local authorities. He is also reported to have agreed to make sure lorry facilities are planned into new Highways England infrastructure projects. The moves build on comments made by Hayes at a Wes

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Parking Policy Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:18:00 GMT 52056
Parent and teacher enforcement trial around Essex school issued no tickets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52054/parent-and-teacher-enforcement-trial-around-essex-school-issued-no-tickets A scheme that enabled teachers and parents to enforce parking restrictions on roads outside an Essex primary school has not resulted in any penalty notices being issued. Thurrock Council asked volunteers to act as ‘traffic wardens’ at Tilbury Pioneer Academy in Essex in September 2015. However, the powers were enforced by just one parent, and in that case no penalty was imposed. The pilot was introduced after the council said it only had six full-time civil enforcement officers to p

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Enforcement News Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:10:00 GMT 52054
APSE parking enforcement video promotes public-private partnerships https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52053/apse-parking-enforcement-video-promotes-public-private-partnerships

The evolution of parking enforcement teams into ambassadors for local authorities is explored in a short film produced by the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE). The film, More than Just the Ticket, looks at Warwickshire County Council’s relationship with contractor NSL to promote the benefits of a multi-functional workforce. APSE is a not-for-profit network that promotes improved ways of working across local government, the police, fire services and the public sector. 

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Enforcement News Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:06:00 GMT 52053
Bolton and Rochdale team up to contract parking enforcement services https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52052/bolton-and-rochdale-team-up-to-contract-parking-enforcement-services Two councils in Greater Manchester have worked in partnership to hire parking enforcement services. Bolton Council and Rochdale Council adopted a joint procurement approach to select NSL as their contractor. The company has delivered enforcement services in both towns for more than a decade, but the new five-year contract will be managed under one contract and include a number of new services when it starts in January 2017.  The £5m contract will see NSL providing all civil enforcem

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Enforcement News Fri, 2 Dec 2016 14:04:00 GMT 52052
Reading council will introduce parking controls for streets around Royal Berkshire Hospital https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52042/reading-council-will-introduce-parking-controls-for-streets-around-royal-berkshire-hospital Reading Borough Council is to end free parking in streets around the Royal Berkshire Hospital, despite a objections by some residents as well as people working at the hospital. The council has agreed plans to introduce pay & display charges for 625 spaces in the area, and place restrictions on a further 741. The charges were opposed by hospital staff, who presented the council with a petition of more than 8,000 signatures. The hospital has around 360 spaces, with parking charges ranging f

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Operational Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:36:00 GMT 52042
Use of Scottish electric vehicle charge points doubles reports RAC Foundation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52039/use-of-scottish-electric-vehicle-charge-points-doubles-reports-rac-foundation Electric vehicle charging points in Scotland were used 26,119 times during August 2016. This is twice the volume (12,939) in the same month a year earlier, and nine times the usage in August 2014 (2,885).  However, despite the overall increase in usage there were still 25% of charge points that were not used at all during August 2016, though this was down from the 32% not used at all in August 2015 and 45% that went unused in August 2014. At the end of June 2016 – the latest fi

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Parking Policy Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:30:00 GMT 52039
Pure electric vehicles can now park for free across Dundee https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52038/pure-electric-vehicles-can-now-park-for-free-across-dundee Drivers of pure electric vehicles in Dundee will be able to park for free at city council car parks. The scheme went live on Monday 6 December. Once signed up, the car’s registration number will be put into the council’s ANPR to enable the barrier to lift on arrival and departure at multi-storey car parks. The vehicle’s details will also be added to the council’s permit scheme database for surface level car parks. Electric vehicles will be given free parking in all bays

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Operational Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:29:00 GMT 52038
New residents parking controls planned for south Belfast https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52036/new-residents-parking-controls-planned-for-south-belfast A new residents parking scheme is being proposed in south Belfast to end the use of streets for all-day commuter parking. College Park Avenue and Rugby Road in the Holyland area will have 117 parking spaces for residents and 127 pay & display spaces. Residents will pay £30 for a permit. Local businesses will be served by short-stay parking spaces on Rugby Road and a loading bay in Carmel Street to facilitate local businesses. Department for Infrastructure minister Chris Hazzard

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Operational Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:26:00 GMT 52036
Northern Ireland Executive reviews Blue Badge renewal process for life-long mobility issues https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52035/northern-ireland-executive-reviews-blue-badge-renewal-process-for-life-long-mobility-issues

The Northern Ireland Executive is seeking ways of making the renewal process for Blue Badge holders with life-long mobility issues simpler and more accessible. Department for Infrastructure minister Chris Hazzard said: “For many people with life-long mobility issues, the Blue Badge is a lifeline ‎enabling them to integrate in the community and go about many of the daily routines many of us take for granted. “Many of these badge holders have conditions which are unlikely to chang

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Operational Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:23:00 GMT 52035
Cardiff orders Metric pay display terminals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52031/cardiff-orders-metric-pay--display-terminals

Cardiff has ordered new on-street parking terminals that offer contactless payment, including Apple Pay. The Metric Elite LS has been supplied in the authority’s turquoise colour. User instructions are displayed in Welsh and English on the user information screen, adhering to the Welsh Language Commissioners’ guidelines. The machine’s high-definition video screens can display both static and video content, including advertising which raises additional revenue. Richard Boultbe

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Payment systems Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:09:00 GMT 52031
Transport for London commissions SEA to develop parking enforcement app https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52029/transport-for-london-commissions-sea-to-develop-parking-enforcement-app

Transport for London (TfL) is enhancing its traffic enforcement technology and developing a new parking enforcement mobile application.  TfL has awarded SEA a contract to further develop and provide ongoing support of its Digital Traffic Enforcement System (DTES) and to develop and support a Parking Enforcement Solution (PES) app. The combined contracts are worth in excess of £6.5m and include ten years of support for both systems. SEA, a company in the Cohort group, originally deve

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IT Fri, 2 Dec 2016 12:03:00 GMT 52029
Jim Hill A fearless champion of better car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52028/jim-hill-a-fearless-champion-of-better-car-parks

Jim Hill, a pioneer of modern car park design, has died at the age of 85. In 1967 he and John Cannon formed the consulting practice Hill Cannon & Partners. In the early 1970s Hill Cannon sought to tackle a common problem in multi-storey car parks: concrete columns sitting between parked cars, making it difficult to open doors and creating poor sight lines. Working with a local contractor, Hill Cannon developed one of the world’s first clear-span, modular structural frames for multi-st

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Profiles Fri, 2 Dec 2016 11:52:00 GMT 52028
Charnwood Borough Council achieved Park Mark for Daventry car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52025/charnwood-borough-council-achieved-park-mark-for-daventry-car-parks

All five car parks run by Charnwood Borough Council in Loughborough town centre have had their Park Marks renewed. Four sites – Granby Street, Browns Lane, Southfields Road and Southfields Road office – have received the Park Mark award for the eighth year in a row, while Beehive Lane car park has held the award for 12 years. The sites received the Park Mark for ensuring a safer environment with a high standard of cleanliness, signage, surveillance and lighting. Cllr David Hayes, t

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Safer Parking Fri, 2 Dec 2016 11:27:00 GMT 52025
Parking charge variations bill proceeds to committee stage https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52065/parking-charge-variations-bill-proceeds-to-committee-stage A bill amending wording within the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 relating to the varying of local authority parking charges is moving through Parliament. The Parking Places (Variations of Charges Bill) 2016-17 has been prepared by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

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Parking Policy Fri, 25 Nov 2016 16:38:00 GMT 52065
Bill extending public access to local audit documents proceeds https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52064/bill-extending-public-access-to-local-audit-documents-proceeds A Private Members’ Bill seeking to extend public access to local audit documents has cleared another hurdle in Parliament. Normal 0 false false false

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Parking Policy Fri, 25 Nov 2016 16:36:00 GMT 52064
Everything is connected on planet parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52083/everything-is-connected-on-planet-parking

The efficient management of the kerbside and roadspace is essential to the health, wealth and vitality of urban centres. These were central themes of Parking World 2016, which took place in London on 24 November.  Over 250 people attended Parking World to listen to a programme featuring over 50 speakers from across UK and Europe. There were presentations by local authorities, academics, consultants, architects, technologists, campaigners and contractors. The programme was devised by Mark

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Editorial Fri, 25 Nov 2016 14:41:00 GMT 52083
Oxfordshire's cabinet to discuss funding workplace parking study https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51922/oxfordshire-s-cabinet-to-discuss-funding-workplace-parking-study

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet will discuss a report today (22 November) that would give the go ahead for work to begin on an outline business case for a workplace parking scheme. The cabinet is being asked to approve £100,000 to develop the business case for a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) that would help fund major local transport improvements through charging for parking spaces designated by employers for employees. Revenue from a WPL scheme in Oxford could only be used to f

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Parking Policy Tue, 22 Nov 2016 08:35:00 GMT 51922
A Brutalist icon to get new lease of life https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51908/a-brutalist-icon-to-get-new-lease-of-life

The iconic Preston Bus Station and Car Park is to be refurbished over the coming months. Makers Construction has been appointed as the specialist refurbishment contractor to work alongside principle contractor Conlon Construction within their framework with Lancashire County Council. The bus station, designed by Keith Ingram and Charles Wilson of Building Design Partnership (BDP), is regarded as a key piece of Brutalist architecture. The building, which was constructed between 1968 and 1969, is

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Construction Sat, 19 Nov 2016 14:28:00 GMT 51908
How Chelmsford's Meadows car park was refreshed https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51907/how-chelmsford-s-meadows-car-park-was-refreshed

A retail car park in Chelmsford underwent a complete refurbishment in just seven weeks this summer. The 391-space Meadows multi-storey offers short-stay shoppers’ parking in Chelmsford city centre. The Meadows is one of several multi-storey car parks owned and operated by Chelmsford City Council which, as parking asset owners, has taken a pro-active approach to the maintenance and upkeep of their parking structures. The council believes keeping parking assets in prime condition helps attra

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Construction Sat, 19 Nov 2016 14:25:00 GMT 51907
First look at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary's new car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51902/first-look-at-aberdeen-royal-infirmary-s-new-car-park

Building work has begun on a new £10m multi-storey car park at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).  Businessman Sir Ian Wood and his family pledged the new car park through their charitable body The Wood Foundation, which funded the 1,000-space patient and visitor car park. There are currently only 748 spaces at ARI, despite the hospital receiving around 5,000 visits a day. This has led to traffic problems at the hospital. The eight-level car park has been designed by JM Architects and

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Construction Sat, 19 Nov 2016 14:18:00 GMT 51902
Lambeth wants parking patrols to deter environmental crimes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51901/lambeth-wants-parking-patrols-to-deter-environmental-crimes

The London Borough of Lambeth has made tackling environmental crimes such as fly-tipping, littering, spitting, urinating and dog fouling a priority.  The south London council has signed a contract with APCOA UK & Ireland that will see its civil enforcement officers (CEOs) expand their role beyond enforcing parking regulations to become responsible for issuing fines for environmental crimes.  “Managing our streets goes beyond just ticketing illegally parked cars,” said

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Enforcement Sat, 19 Nov 2016 14:11:00 GMT 51901
British Parking Awards 2017 are live https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51895/british-parking-awards-2017-are-live

The British Parking Awards 2017 are open for entries. The annual competition recognises excellence in parking policy, design and management. The awards span the on-street and off-street parking sectors, encompassing the planning, design and management of both structures and operations. There are also categories that recognise the achievements of individuals and teams working in the parking sector. The awards also categories that recognise innovative systems and business approaches. The categor

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Awards Lead Story Tue, 15 Nov 2016 18:45:00 GMT 51895
Public service broadcast https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52027/public-service-broadcast

#OurDay is a social media event designed to highlight and celebrate the diverse work carried out by local government across the UK. This year’s 24-hour ‘tweetathon’ saw messages posted by council teams running libraries, adult care, lighting, highways and, as we showcase here, parking. #OurDay, which has been taking place for the last four years, seeks to demonstrate the value local government provides to the public, even as councils work in a challenging financial environment

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Viewpoint Tue, 15 Nov 2016 11:34:00 GMT 52027
Explore the Parking World on 24 November https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51888/explore-the-parking-world-on-24-november

The efficient management of the kerbside and roadspace is essential to the health, wealth and vitality of urban centres. This will be a central theme of Parking World 2016, which takes place at the Kia Oval in London on 24 November.  There will be sessions on: the provision and regulation of parking in town and city centres; the workplace parking levy concept; fighting Blue Badge fraud; and the development of online parking payment and booking services. To book your place click here (Quot

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Cover Story Mon, 14 Nov 2016 11:02:00 GMT 51888
Its time to start your workplace parking journey https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51887/it-s-time-to-start-your-workplace-parking-journey

Since the 1980s, there has been a dispiriting narrative in transport in some UK cities. Bus deregulation in 1986, and the loosening of planning controls permitting new out-of-town shopping developments, was followed by significant growth in car ownership and use. Since then, there has been a tendency in many cities to equate development and progress to increased car use, roads and car-based development. Cuts in government spending have been a further disincentive to promoting or funding public t

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Viewpoint Mon, 14 Nov 2016 10:57:00 GMT 51887
Siemens ITS traffic enforcement system users to meet at The Crystal https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51773/siemens-its-traffic-enforcement-system-users-to-meet-at-the-crystal

Siemens ITS will host its first traffic enforcement user group forum this month. More than 50 road safety and civil enforcement representatives from local authorities across the UK will assemble in London on? 9 November to discuss parking and civil enforcement technology. The meeting takes place at The Crystal, an educational initiative through which Siemens

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Enforcement News Wed, 2 Nov 2016 11:43:00 GMT 51773
Portsmouth City Council tracks down man who misused Blue Badge https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52067/portsmouth-city-council-tracks-down-man-who-misused-blue-badge A motorist caught misusing a Blue Badge, which gives disabled people certain parking rights, pleaded for leniency claiming that he was helping the wheelchair user when he appeared in court. Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court was told Robert Correa twice used the disabled man’s Blue Badge and also ‘deliberately’ obscured the 2014 expiry date.

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 16:44:00 GMT 52067
Wrexham introduces new pay display parking systems after vandalism https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52066/wrexham-introduces-new-pay--display-parking-systems-after-vandalism The vandalism of pay & display machines in Wrexham over the past year is expected to cost the Welsh council around £164,000 in lost parking revenue during the current financial year The county borough highlighted the reduced parking revenue as it seeks to balance its books by the end of the 2016-17 financial year.

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Operational Tue, 1 Nov 2016 16:41:00 GMT 52066
Western Isles Council creates EV network for Outer Hebrides https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51756/western-isles-council-creates-ev-network-for-outer-hebrides

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Western Isles Council, in creating a north-south electric vehicle (EV) charging network throughout the islands of the Outer Hebrides. Eleven charge points have been positioned on the Isles of Lewis and Harris, North Uist, South Uist and Barra, which make up the majority of the council’s remit. The chargepoints have been supplied by Evolt, which has already installed units the ferry ports throughout the Western Isles.

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Operational Tue, 1 Nov 2016 14:45:00 GMT 51756
StarTraq smartphone system helps councils crackdown on environmental crime https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51745/startraq-smartphone-system-helps-councils-crackdown-on-environmental-crime Smartphone technology is helping councils to crack down on littering and dog fouling. The London boroughs of Barnet, Kingston and Sutton, along with Broxbourne Borough Council in Hertfordshire, have partnered with contractor NSL to tackle the enforcement of environmental offences. Software technology company StarTraq has provided a smartphone app and back office software platform that allows NSL’s environmental enforcement officers to electronically issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs)

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Technology Tue, 1 Nov 2016 13:52:00 GMT 51745
CCTV vehicle will enforce 'keep clears' in Southampton https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51744/cctv-vehicle-will-enforce-keep-clears-in-southampton

Southampton City Council has taken delivery of a new mobile camera enforcement vehicle.  The vehicle will patrol the city targeting vehicles that stop unlawfully on the ‘keep clears’ outside schools in response to concerns raised by parents and teachers about children being put at risk by irresponsible parking. It will also be used to enforce illegal parking at bus stops that causes unnecessary delays for other road users and potentially puts people at risk.

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 13:47:00 GMT 51744
Dorset residents can now order virtual parking permits https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51743/dorset-residents-can-now-order-virtual-parking-permits

People living in, working in and visiting a group of historic towns and villages in Dorset can now order parking permits online as and when they need them. Christchurch Borough Council and East Dorset District Council, which operate a joint parking team, have ended the use of paper-based parking permits and opted for a virtual permit solution to manage access to resident, business, visitor and Blue Badge permits in towns such as Chichester and and Wimbourne Minster, which are popular tourist des

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Operational Tue, 1 Nov 2016 13:44:00 GMT 51743
Wandsworth moves toward a cashless parking economy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51741/wandsworth-moves-toward-a-cashless-parking-economy

Most parking terminals in Wandsworth will be cashless after a recent upgrade of the London borough’s on-street pay & display stock. The south London council has just installed 177 Parkeon StradaPAL terminals as part of a renewal programme. They replace machines that were up to 17 years old. The new batch follows the installation of 140 StradaPAL machines during 2014.  All the new terminals selected by Wandsworth are solar-powered and are Chip & PIN and contactless card

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Payment systems Tue, 1 Nov 2016 13:35:00 GMT 51741
London boroughs won majority of PCN appeals in 2015-16 https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51740/london-boroughs-won-majority-of-pcn-appeals-in-2015-16 London’s boroughs marginally won the majority of appeals against penalty charge notices heard by the capital’s independent adjudicators. London Tribunals’ Environment and Traffic Adjudicators determined 27,696 appeals against parking PCNs. They allowed 13,572 appeals, of which 5,803 were not contested by the enforcing authorities, but refused 14,124 appeals. Parking appeals made up the vast majority of the 35,828 cases determined by the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators, w

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:46:00 GMT 51740
Sevenoaks enforcement officers get on their electric bikes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51738/sevenoaks-enforcement-officers-get-on-their-electric-bikes

Civil enforcement officers in Sevenoaks are now using electric bikes to patrol the Kent town’s streets. Sevenoaks District Council has bought two electric bicycles in order to help the CEOs cover greater distances and negotiate hills. The council said the e-bikes will be more efficient and help reduce its carbon footprint by reducing the need to use diesel-engined vans. Normal 0

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:35:00 GMT 51738
Croydon warns against 'scam' websites that charge for Blue Badge applications https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51736/croydon-warns-against-scam-websites-that-charge-for-blue-badge-applications Blue Badge holders in Croydon are being warned about companies that charge excessive to complete online application forms for the disabled permits. The south London council states that one website –

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Operational Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:31:00 GMT 51736
Belfast drops free Xmas parking after bus company expresses concern https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51735/belfast-s-free-xmas-parking-after-bus-company-expresses-concern Belfast City Council will end the tradition of offering free parking in the city centre in the run-up to Christmas following concerns raised by a public transport operator. Last year 1,500 spaces were provided free of charge at night times

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Operational Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:29:00 GMT 51735
York to re-tender PR contract after bus operators say figures don't work https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51734/york-to-re-tender-p-r-contract-after-bus-operators-say-figures-don-t-work No bus operating company has accepted the tender from City of York Council to manage one of the UK’s most successful park & ride schemes. The tender was issued in June, but its failure will mean a new tender will be drawn up. First York, which had operated the service from the Fulford park & ride for more than 20 years, said it had decided not to re-bid for the service on the current tender because it could not be operated on a commercially su

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Park & Ride Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:26:00 GMT 51734
The Highland Council works with Edinburgh to provide parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51730/the-highland-council-works-with-edinburgh-to-provide-parking-enforcement Decriminalised parking enforcement has now been adopted by The Highland Council, which is responsible for the UK’s largest local government area. The Highland Council has become the first local authority to take advantage of a new collaboration contract with the City of Edinburgh Council as it takes over responsibility for issuing penalty charge notices (PCNs) for vehicles parked, waiting or loading vehicles in contravention from Police Scotland. The council's in-house parking enforceme

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:07:00 GMT 51730
Blue Badge crackdown in Ealing leads to almost 50 prosecutions https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51729/blue-badge-crackdown-in-ealing-leads-to-almost-50-prosecutions A campaign against Blue Badge fraud in the London Borough of Ealing has resulted in nearly 50 prosecutions over a six-month period. The enforcement actions are being undertaken by NSL as an extension of its work to ensure compliance with parking regulations across the borough. In the first six months of the programme for Ealing, over 1,300 badges were checked against the national database, over 240 personally inspected and 55 Blue Badges were seized by CEOs. In addition to many verbal warnings

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:04:00 GMT 51729
Lambeth awards APCOA enforcement contract worth 27m https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51728/lambeth-awards-apcoa-enforcement-contract-worth-27m Normal 0 false false false EN-GB JA X-NONE

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Enforcement News Tue, 1 Nov 2016 11:01:00 GMT 51728
Chichester rolls out new parking payment options https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/51615/chichester-rolls-out-new-parking-payment-options

Chichester District Council is introducing a range of cashless payment options in the historic city’s car parks. The council has introduced new machines that take card payments, including contactless cards. Customers should be able to start paying for parking by phone by the end of the year. The West Sussex local authority has also upgraded its web services, meaning that residents and businesses will be able to pay for their parking permits online. A total 14 new parking machines will be

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Payment systems Wed, 26 Oct 2016 14:23:00 GMT 51615
Dispatches from parking's frontline https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50269/dispatches-from-parking-s-frontline

Tension and conflict over parking spaces provided the drama in the latest run of Parking Wars on ITV. For this third series, the Century Films production team toured the country looking at places where parking restrictions and new payment regimes were causing concern among motorists, local businesses and visitors. The camera crews followed local authority civil enforcement officers (CEOs) as they patrolled the streets in different parts of the country. Reports from Hereford, Romford and Havering

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Cover Story Fri, 7 Oct 2016 08:48:00 GMT 50269
Portsmouth uses ANPR to detect dangerous parking on school streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50261/portsmouth-uses-anpr-to-detect-dangerous-parking-on-school-streets

Portsmouth City Council is adding school safety to the range of enforcement applications running on its hosted Digital Video Platform. The council is deploying the Videalert system outside schools where illegal parking on ‘Keep clears’ has been identified as putting children’s lives in danger.  The cameras are being installed after a survey of parents, teachers and school governors showed an overwhelming 84% support for the initiative. Cllr Jim Fleming, Portsmouth City C

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Enforcement News Wed, 5 Oct 2016 23:10:00 GMT 50261
Its goodnight for paper parking permits in Vienna https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50257/it-s-goodnight-for-paper-parking-permits-in-vienna

Vienna’s paper parking permits will be replaced by RFID tags following an extensive trial of the technology. The on-street parking permits were developed by city officers in collaboration with system supplier Schreiner PrinTrust. The credit card shaped tag is based on the Windshield Label Global system. The tags will be attached to the vehicle’s windscreen. They feature an embedded driver identification number and can be valid for multiple permits and used in different districts of

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Payment systems Wed, 5 Oct 2016 23:01:00 GMT 50257
Dan in the Dragons' Den https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50254/dan-in-the-dragons-den

Raising money is a major part of an entrepreneur’s life. Alongside meetings with banks, pitches to angel investors and private equity companies, other ways of raising funds include applying for business development grants, entering competitions, using crowdfunding and even appearing on TV shows. Dan Hubert, co-founder and chief executive of AppyParking, made an appearance on the BBC Two show Dragons’ Den last month, pitching the parking app to a line-up of multi-millionaires from a r

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Case Studies Wed, 5 Oct 2016 22:51:00 GMT 50254
Parking terminals can improve the way we live https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50250/parking-terminals-can-improve-the-way-we-live

Parking pay stations are set to have a whole new lease of life, transformed from single function machines into smart terminals that offer a range of public services. Alongside taking payment for parking, the next generation of terminals will enable people to rent bikes, charge their electric cars and even monitor the quality of the air they breathe. This is the vision of Bertrand Barthélemy, chief executive of parking and transport solution provider Parkeon. He envisages the company&rsqu

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Profiles Wed, 5 Oct 2016 22:28:00 GMT 50250
Buchanan Order Management moves home https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50248/buchanan-order-management-moves-home

Parking consultancy Buchanan Order Management has moved into larger premises to improve facilities for visitors and to accommodate its expanding team. Buchanan Order Management (BOM) outgrew its premises in Thatcham, but decided to remain in the West Berkshire area. Its new premises in Newbury are in a converted period barn, with modern facilities and easy access for staff and visitors. Trevor Clark, director of BOM, said: “One reason for our expansion is the increased demand from authori

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Business News Wed, 5 Oct 2016 22:21:00 GMT 50248
Bournemouth's Margaret Leslie passes away https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50246/bournemouth-s-margaret-leslie-passes-away

Margaret Leslie, operations manager at Bournemouth Borough Council’s parking services team, passed away on 18 September. She had been living with cancer for a short time and passed away with her family back in her home town of Glasgow.  She started her long parking career as a police traffic warden, becoming a head traffic warden before transferring to Bournemouth Council in 2001 as operations manager. Elaine Smith, deputy parking services manager, said: “Margaret was an incre

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People News Wed, 5 Oct 2016 22:18:00 GMT 50246
NSL patrols to watch out for missing kids https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50245/nsl-patrols-to-watch-out-for-missing-kids

Civil enforcement officers working for NSL will act as the eyes and ears of a missing children initiative. Child Rescue Alert was set up by the charity Missing People in partnership with the National Crime Agency and Groupcall to ensure that as many people as possible keep a lookout for missing children.  NSL CEOs have become part of the network of people keeping a look out for missing children featured in Missing People’s alerts.  This initiative follows work by Paul Abbott, a

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People News Wed, 5 Oct 2016 22:15:00 GMT 50245
Cornwall will finance parking improvements using 'prudential borrowing' https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50238/cornwall-will-finance-parking-improvements-using-prudential-borrowing- Councillors in Cornwall have agreed to use prudential borrowing for a programme of parking measures because no capital funding is available. The borrowing will be repaid with revenue from new parking charges. Cornwall Council commissioned a town parking review in July 2015, aiming to ensure that the wider transport strategies for Cornwall’s towns included a parking management policy. Currently there is no single point of reference for parking policy and a number of historic policies and p

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Parking Policy Tue, 4 Oct 2016 13:08:00 GMT 50238
Drivers are worried about price and availability of parking RAC report reveals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50237/drivers-are-worried-about-price-and-availability-of-parking-rac-report-reveals

Motorists are more concerned about parking availability and cost than 12 months ago, according to the RAC. The motoring organisation’s annual report is based on the views of a representative sample of 1,700 drivers from across the UK. The research reveals that the availability of parking has become a greater concern in 2016: 14% of motorists say this is one of their top four concerns this year, compared with 8% in 2015. Around 18% of motorists also say the cost of parking is now

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Parking Policy Tue, 4 Oct 2016 12:18:00 GMT 50237
Dozen South Kesteven car parks retain their Park Marks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50234/dozen-south-kesteven-car-parks-retain-their-park-marks

A dozen car parks in the Lincolnshire towns of Stamford and Grantham have retained their Park Mark status under the Safer Parking Scheme. The car parks are operated by South Kesteven District Council, which was recently awarded the Disabled Parking Accreditation from Disabled Motoring UK. Cllr Nick Craft, executive member for the environment, said: “We’re pleased to announce a further award for our car parks that shows we are maintaining good standards year on year.

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Safer Parking Mon, 3 Oct 2016 17:59:00 GMT 50234
Court bans dangerous Croydon Cruises https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50233/court-bans-dangerous-croydon-cruises Road races have been banned on a South London trading estate where a motorcyclist died in July. A senior judge approved Croydon Council’s High Court bid to ban the illegal races on Imperial Way industrial estate. The three-year injunction will give police greater enforcement powers. Regularly watched by large crowds, the ‘Croydon Cruise’ events involve speeding cars and motorbikes doing stunts including wheelies and doughnut turns.

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Enforcement News Mon, 3 Oct 2016 17:58:00 GMT 50233
Blue Badge eligibility criteria expanded in Wales https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50225/blue-badge-eligibility-criteria-expanded-in-wales The Blue Badge scheme in Wales has been expanded tomorrow to include those experiencing temporary but substantial injuries or illness. Blue Badges provide parking concessions to people with disabilities, The expanded scheme will now offer temporary 12-month badges for those recovering from or awaiting treatment for serious illnesses or injuries, said the Welsh government’s economy and infrastructure secretary Ken Skates. The scheme now covers

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Parking Policy Mon, 3 Oct 2016 17:35:00 GMT 50225
Online Blue Badge applications go live in Northern Ireland https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50159/online-blue-badge-applications-go-live-in-northern-ireland

Blue Badge holders in Northern Ireland can now apply for the parking concession permits online through the NIDirect website. The site enables applicants to upload evidence of entitlements and photos. Payment can also be made online. The Department for Infrastructure hopes this will be a more efficient system and so help reduce a backlog of Blue Badge applications. Northern Ireland roads minister Chris Hazzard said: “In this modern age, online transactions are the norm and this new online

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Operational Mon, 26 Sep 2016 17:36:00 GMT 50159
Alpha Parking launches environmental enforcement training course https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50144/alpha-parking-launches-environmental-enforcement-training-course Alpha Parking has launched an environmental enforcement training course for local authorities. The covers the full range of issues from general fly-tipping to Public Space Protection Orders. The course has been designed for local authorities that are looking to either extend the remit of civil enforcement officers beyond parking or to introduce teams focusing solely on environmental enforcement. Alpha Parking director Penny Winder said: “Environmental issues have become increasingly impo

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Enforcement News Thu, 22 Sep 2016 14:56:00 GMT 50144
Civil enforcement officers strike in Hackney https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50143/civil-enforcement-officers-strike-in-hackney A strike by some civil enforcement officers in the London borough of Hackney has had only “minimal” impact on parking patrols, the council’s contractor has reported. Civil enforcement officers (CEOs) belonging to the trade union Unite are taking part in a 24-hour protest today. They are protesting against both the alleged  victimisation of a colleague and a dispute over payment for overtime.  Unite had expected around 60 CEOs to take part in the strike

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Enforcement News Thu, 22 Sep 2016 14:45:00 GMT 50143
Over 46 million PCNs issued in London new figures reveal https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50042/over-4-6-million-pcns-issued-in-london-new-figures-reveal Over 4.6m penalty charge notices were issued for parking and moving traffic contraventions in London during 2015/16, according to figures released by London Councils.  The number of PCNs issued by London’s boroughs and Transport for London (TfL) actually fell by 82,000 from 4,746,219 in 2014/15 to 4,664.281 in 2015/16. This also represents a drop of 267,535 since 2011/12.

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Enforcement News Wed, 14 Sep 2016 08:18:00 GMT 50042
BPA dismisses idea cost of parking behind rise in theft of Blue Badges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50023/bpa-dismisses-idea-cost-of-parking-behind-rise-in-theft-of-blue-badges The fact that Blue Badges have become harder to forge may lie behind the recent rise in thefts of the permits, says the British Parking Association (BPA). The association dismisses claims that rising parking charges are the reason for increased Blue Badge theft, saying there is no evidence that parking charges are rising. Blue Badge theft has trebled over a three year period, according to the Local Government Association (LGA). This increase marks a rise in thefts for the third year running, wi

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Crime Fri, 9 Sep 2016 15:06:00 GMT 50023
Man jailed for assault that broke civil enforcement officer's leg https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50022/man-jailed-for-assault-that-broke-civil-enforcement-officer-s-leg

A man has been jailed for 18 months for an attack that resulted in a civil enforcement officer (CEO) breaking his leg. The CEO, who wants to remain anonymous, was left with semi-permanent nerve damage after the assault in Peterborough last September. Shamal Asaad, 30, attacked the CEO after receiving a penalty charge notice (PCN). The motorist had denied grievous bodily harm, but was found guilty at Peterborough Crown Court. He was also given two further sentences three months each for two furt

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Crime Fri, 9 Sep 2016 14:46:00 GMT 50022
Local authorities could raise 50m through better marketing of season tickets claims YourParkingSpace https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50021/local-authorities-could-raise-50m-through-better-marketing-of-season-tickets-claims-yourparkingspace Local authorities could be missing out on nearly £50m of extra revenue a year by failing to market their parking spaces effectively, argues online parking space rental marketplace YourParkingSpace.co.uk. The company used Freedom of Information responses from 265 councils to assess their parking accounts. It believes that local authorities that are currently struggling to fund public services could use parking permit revenues to help make up the shortfall. “As deep b

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Business News Fri, 9 Sep 2016 13:43:00 GMT 50021
DfT to host roundtable on HGV parking problems https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50015/dft-to-host-roundtable-on-hgv-parking-problems

The government will host a roundtable debate on parking for heavy goods vehicles, transport minister John Hayes has announced. The discussion, which will include truck stop operators and the freight industry, was promised during a Westminster Hall debate at the Houses of Parliament on 7 September. The debate saw MPs from across the UK share their concerns about the negative impact poor HGV parking has on the haulage industry, local communities and the wider economy.

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Traffic Management Fri, 9 Sep 2016 09:23:00 GMT 50015
APCOA to provide environmental enforcement services for Hillingdon https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50014/apcoa-to-provide-environmental-enforcement-services-for-hillingdon The London Borough of Hillingdon has awarded APCOA UK & Ireland a two-year environmental enforcement services contract. APCOA already enforces parking regulations across the borough. The new contract will see the company deploy a team of dedicated environmental enforcement officers who will tackle littering, anti-social behaviour and dog fouling.

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Enforcement News Thu, 8 Sep 2016 12:29:00 GMT 50014
Edinburgh's School Streets pilot led to fall in school run car use https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50013/edinburgh-s-school-streets-pilot-led-to-fall-in-school-run-car-use A scheme that seeks to reduce traffic outside primary schools in Edinburgh has resulted in an uptake of walking to school amongst participating pupils, suggests a report by the city council. There was a reduction in children being driven to and from school during the 18-moth pilot. However, there was a reduction in the number of children cycling. The School Streets restricted cars on streets around schools, the aim to encourage safe and sustainable travel by children and paren

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Traffic Management Thu, 8 Sep 2016 12:16:00 GMT 50013
Public inquiry to consider Chesterfield Restricted Parking Zone plan https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/50012/public-inquiry-to-consider-chesterfield-restricted-parking-zone-plan A public inquiry will determine whether or not part of Chesterfield town centre should become a restricted parking zone. Derbyshire County Council is proposing to change restrictions in the New Square area of the town, which is home to an open air market. It says that drivers often illegally and inconsiderately park, compromising pedestrian safety and access for emergency vehicles. In 2014, a woman collapsed and ambulance crews struggled to get to her because of the high number of parked vehi

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Operational Thu, 8 Sep 2016 12:09:00 GMT 50012
Buckinghamshire extends NSL enforcement contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49931/buckinghamshire-extends-nsl-enforcement-contract Buckinghamshire County Council has extended NSL’s civil enforcement contract for a further five years. NSL has been the county’s contractor since September 2011. The extension allows for an initial term of five years with a contract value of £7.5m and potential full contract term of 10 years valued at £15m. The contract covers on-street parking enforcement, management of the county’s pay & display facilities and the processing of around 35,000 penalty charge no

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Contracts Thu, 1 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49931
APCOA offers environmental enforcement training https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49926/apcoa-offers-environmental-enforcement-training APCOA UK & Ireland is offering an environmental enforcement training course that has been accredited by WAMITAB, an awarding organisation that develops qualifications for those working in the parking sector.  APCOA said its ‘enviro-crime’ training courses enables civil enforcement officers to issue relevant fixed penalty notices (FPNs) in addition to penalty charge notices (PCNs). APCOA UK & Ireland’s regional managing director Kim Challis said: “APCOA is e

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Business News Wed, 31 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49926
Guildford to combine real-time car park and retail footfall data https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49927/guildford-to-combine-real-time-car-park-and-retail-footfall-data Guildford in Surrey is the focal point of a project that seeks to show how real-time parking data and footfall information gathered shops can be harnessed to provide live information for businesses and local government on the parking and retail environments, 24 hours a day. The GEOmii project sees monitoring of around 5,500 parking spaces using a combination of fixed and mobile sensors. GEOmii has been developed by Ethos, a network of social entrepreneurs and innovators which is creating work a

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Business News Wed, 31 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49927
Evolt hires Stephen Rennie as Scottish business development manager https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49896/evolt-hires-stephen-rennie-as-scottish-business-development-manager

Stephen Rennie, a specialist in low carbon and sustainable transport, has joined electric vehicle (EV) charge point supplier Evolt as business development manager for Scotland. Rennie has spent his career working in the low carbon industry, including eight years with the Energy Saving Trust (EST), where he managed the delivery of grant-funded schemes for the installation of EV charge points. As EST programme manager, during 2014-15 he oversaw the delivery of 16 low carbon transport programmes,

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Electric vehicle charging Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49896
NSL to build up Oldham customer centre https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49894/nsl-to-build-up-oldham-customer-centre

Outsourced service provider NSL plans to double the size of the workforce at its operational centre in Oldham. The principal activities at NSL’s Oldham offices are telephony, correspondence, back office processing and vetting for public and private sector clients.   Its local authority parking clients in the North West include Manchester City Council and Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council. When NSL moved into offices in Chadderton in 2012 it had 10 members of staff. The company now

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Business News Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49894
Listening to news from the frontline https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49907/listening-to-news-from-the-frontline

As the people who engage with the public in the real world, civil enforcement officers have become a source of intelligence and inspiration for Adam Palser since he became chief executive of NSL in 2015. He has set out to empower the CEOs to change and develop the business by sharing their experiences and ideas. “Since joining NSL I have been getting to know the sector and I have learned that our CEOs really know the business. Who better to help run a better business?” he asks. Pal

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Staff issues Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49907
Fiona Deans becomes Barbour Logic MD https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49898/fiona-deans-becomes-barbour-logic-md

Fiona Deans, who has a background in the cinema industry, has joined parking IT specialist Barbour Logic (BL) as managing director. Previously she was chief operating officer of Arts Alliance Media (AAM), a technology and software services provider to the cinema industry.  At AAM Fiona oversaw company growth from start up to a leading technology company with 120 employees, revenues of over £50m and customers in the US, China, Asia Pacific, Latin America and across Europe. Before join

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Business News Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49898
Bexley uses ANPR to penalise moving traffic violations https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49900/bexley-uses-anpr-to-penalise-moving-traffic-violations

The London Borough of Bexley is installing automated enforcement systems to capture moving traffic contraventions.  The mix of fixed and redeployable cameras will supplement the council’s existing fleet of CCTV cars and enable enforcement to be extended to improve driver compliance.  The contract has been awarded to OpenView Security Solutions, a provider of CCTV solutions, under the ELS framework agreement, which can be accessed by all London boroughs and allows direct and fas

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ANPR Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49900
Northgate Public Services launches TaP parking enforcement and permit management solution https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49903/northgate-public-services-launches-tap-parking-enforcement-and-permit-management-solution

Northgate Public Services (NPS) has launched an enforcement and permits management solution designed for local authorities, housing associations and hospitals managing car parks. The NPS TaP system encompasses both parking permits and the issue and processing of charge notices against vehicles that breach regulations. NPS runs a number of transport and ticketing schemes including the national HGV Levy and Blue Badge schemes, as well as being the IT supplier for London Tribunals, which adjudica

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IT Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49903
Adam Palser's vision of a perfect partnership https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49905/adam-palser-s-vision-of-a-perfect-partnership

Civil enforcement officers are the front line of the UK’s public parking management regimes. These uniformed staff are tasked with ensuring the kerbside operates efficiently, enabling people and businesses to park or deliver and collect goods where and when they need. While civil enforcement officers (CEOs) will bear the names and insignia of local authorities, many will be employees for contractors, and a good proportion will work for NSL, which fields over 4,000 CEOs in towns and cities

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Case Studies Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49905
Making a business case for better public service https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49906/making-a-business-case-for-better-public-service

Revenue generation is a difficult topic for the public sector to address and embrace. For our part we firmly believe that, with the inexorable pressure on funding and an ever-growing demand for services, councils should no longer be apologetic or defensive about the selective use of revenue generation in certain service areas. Our own experience on this topic has seen our partnerships generate savings and surplus revenue for local authority partners to reinvest in infrastructure and other frontl

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Debates Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49906
Croydon car park to become art gallery https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49887/croydon-car-park-to-become-art-gallery

A car park is set to be transformed into an underground art gallery in Croydon, south London. The 2,000m2 gallery is a key part the £750m Fairfield Halls and College Green regeneration, which will see the area transformed into an arts and education quarter. The Fairfield Halls, whose design was influenced by the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, have been the Croydon’s cultural centre since they opened in 1963. The £30m refurbishment of the halls, designed by Rick Mather

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Yellow Lines Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49887
Work starts on Lincoln's new bus station and 1000-space car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49890/work-starts-on-lincoln-s-new-bus-station-and-1-000-space-car-park

Work has started on the Lincoln Transport Hub, a £30m scheme that will transform the city centre through the construction of a new bus station, 1,000-space multi-storey car park, retail units and pedestrian plaza area connecting the new facilities with Lincoln Central Railway Station.  It is hoped the £29m scheme will help improve city centre journeys for people living, working or visiting the town and so deliver a boost to the economy. The scheme is expected to create up to 20

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Developments Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49890
Wheelchairs block parking spaces https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49889/wheelchairs-block-parking-spaces-

Disabled drivers are all too used to finding bays designated for their use occupied by cars belonging to people with no mobility issues. In a bid to show how this selfish behaviour affects the lives of disabled people, on 8 August a council blocked kerbside spaces in a High Street with wheel chairs. The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead staged the intervention on Ascot High Street to raise awareness of people without Blue Badges about the impact of parking in disabled bays. Windsor &a

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Viewpoint Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49889
RingGo expands London footprint https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49901/ringgo-expands-london-footprint

Two London boroughs, Hackney and Islington, have transferred their phone parking services to RingGo during the summer.  Hackney Council transferred its entire operations to RingGo on 10 July, changing 1,500 signs and stickers across the borough in a single day. More than 1,100 temporary signs were posted to give drivers advance notice of the changeover, and 50,000 text and email messages were sent to new and existing users.  Islington Council carried out a phased transfer during Augu

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Payment systems Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49901
Barbour Logic helps Solihull answer publics parking letters promptly https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49904/barbour-logic-helps-solihull-answer-public-s-parking-letters-promptly

The highways services team at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has been restructured, with the number of staff in the parking services team being scaled down.  The parking department has addressed the need to deliver efficiency savings with help from Barbour Logic.  The West Midlands council implemented Response Master, the company’s plain English parking correspondence software, to generate letters in response to drivers’ penalty charge notice (PCN) challenges. 

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IT Tue, 30 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49904
Front gardens must remain car-free zones https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49880/front-gardens-must-remain-car-free-zones

There are myriad reasons why it is a bad idea to turn front gardens into drives, believes Rob Cowan Front gardens help to make towns and cities worth living in. They can make walking a pleasure, promote sociability, contribute to biodiversity, reduce the danger of flooding and make streets safer. But too many are neglected, contributing nothing to the quality of the place. Every year thousands of front gardens are paved over.  Front gardens have more impact on the face of residential area

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Viewpoint Wed, 24 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49880
Reading to install real-time sensors in disabled parking bays https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49875/reading-to-install-real-time-sensors-in-disabled-parking-bays

Reading Borough Council is to install real-time sensors across all of its on-street disabled bays as part of a European Union research project called SIMON. SIMON (asSIsted Mobility for Older aNd impaired users) is a project that aims to use ICT services to promote the independent living and social participation of mobility impaired people by giving them information and access to public parking areas and multiple transport modes. The SIMON Mobile app enables disabled citizens to validate their

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Operational Tue, 23 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49875
Hertfordshire council uses NSL to tackle litter and dog fouling https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49858/hertfordshire-council-uses-nsl-to-tackle-litter-and-dog-fouling  Broxbourne Borough Council has is to use a private sector contractor to tackle environmental crimes such as littering and dog fouling. The Hertfordshire local authority appointed NSL following a competitive tender to provide a borough-wide enforcement service for an initial period of two years. NSL will provide two uniformed environmental enforcement Officers, equipped with body-worn cameras, who will encourage members of the public to comply with relevant environmental regulations. The

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Enforcement News Fri, 19 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49858
Waltham Forest and NSL tackle environmental crimes https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49853/waltham-forest-and-nsl-tackle-environmental-crimes

London’s Waltham Forest Council has been working with its parking contractor to tackle environmental crimes such as littering, spitting and dog fouling. These tasks had been performed in-house, but at the end of last year NSL began enforcing low-level crimes, allowing the council’s neighbourhoods officers to focus their time on larger issues such as fly-tipping. For the pilot phase NSL created a team of four environmental enforcement (EE) officers and a team manager. NSL told Parkin

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Enforcement News Fri, 19 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49853
Chichester's rural car parks attain Park Mark status https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49794/chichester-s-rural-car-parks-attain-park-mark-status

Chichester District Council has been upgrading the security at its rural car parks, enabling them to qualify for the Safer Parking Scheme. The council has 29 car parks with over 5,500 spaces catering for visitors, residents and businesses, as well as car parks in the rural areas of the South Downs and the Sussex coast. Car parks in Chichester city centre have held Park Marks under the Safer Parking Scheme for a number of years, but the council decided to request assessments for all its rur

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Operational Wed, 17 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49794
Tower Hamlets to end free weekend parking offer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49792/tower-hamlets-to-end-free-weekend-parking-offer A scheme that uses free parking to encourage people to use east London markets at weekends is to come to an end on 3 October.   The two-hour free parking offer for people visiting Tower Hamlets markets was introduced to encourage shoppers to use the markets at a time when footfall was down, prior to 2010. However, Tower Hamlets Parking, Mobility & Transport Services said that following a rise in the popularity of the markets the available spaces are being used for the full two hours b

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Operational Wed, 17 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49792
Haringey launches enforcement action against antisocial parking on estates https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/52740/haringey-launches-enforcement-action-against-antisocial-parking-on-estates The London Borough of Haringey has brought together a number of operational teams to tackle unauthorised parking and anti-social behaviour that has been blighting the lives of residents. The council had been issuing frequent warnings and regularly issue penalty charge notices (PCNs) in a residential area near Seven Sisters but the problem of unlawfully parked vehicles, waste disposal, highway obstructions and unlawful vehicle maintenance work persisted. Instead of piecemeal ope

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Enforcement News Wed, 3 Aug 2016 10:30:00 GMT 52740
Norwich's Rose Lane MSCP opens for business https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49686/norwich-s-rose-lane-mscp-opens-for-business

Norwich City Council’s new Rose Lane multi-storey car park has been completed. The car park and an adjacent office building is designed to kick-start the regeneration of the Mountergate area of the city centre. The car park is also intended to remove traffic from the city centre. The Rose Lane car park was built on the site of a former fish market and fire station, adjacent to an existing surface car park. The new car park provides 595 parking bays, including 36 spaces for disabled driver

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Construction Mon, 1 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49686
Brighton Hove launches parking permit amnesty https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49870/brighton--hove-launches-parking-permit-amnesty Residents of Brighton & Hove in possession of parking permits for zones where they no longer live are invited to hand them in. Brighton & Hove City council ran a permit amnesty throughout August where people with permits who are not entitled to them can hand them in for cancellation with no questions asked. Residents could either post the permit back to the council or hand it in to parking services staff in the customer service centre at Hove Town Hall where there is also a special perm

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Enforcement News Mon, 1 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49870
Design for Warrington's Time Square car park unveiled https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49687/design-for-warrington-s-time-square-car-park-unveiled

A multi-storey car park is a key element of the £107m Time Square regeneration scheme in the centre of Warrington. Time Square is the new name for Warrington Borough Council’s Bridge Street Quarter regeneration project that is being delivered in partnership with Muse Developments via an entity called Warrington & Co. Steve Park, managing director of Warrington & Co, said: “The construction of the multi-storey car park is an important part of the Time Square regeneratio

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Developments Mon, 1 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49687
Alphabets business plan starts with the letter P https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49693/alphabet-s-business-plan-starts-with-the-letter-p-

Alphabet, the parent of Google, has ambitions to transform the way in which public transportation and other city services, including parking, are managed.  The international conglomerate has been investing heavily in automated cars, street mapping and cloud computing, so a move into smart city management is not surprising.  Alphabet has established an innovation centre called Sidewalk Labs whose remit is to improve urban infrastructure through technological solutions. Sidewalk Labs i

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Debates Mon, 1 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49693
PATROL cuts PCN administration charges for councils https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49658/patrol-cuts-pcn-administration-charges-for-councils

Local authorities enforcing parking and traffic regulations outside London in England and Wales will be paying less for the administration of appeals made by motorists. The PATROL Adjudication Joint Committee has reduced its charges to member authorities from 45p to 40p per penalty charge notice (PCN). The reduction is backdated to 1 April 2016. This is the latest in a series of price reductions. Over the last five years, member authorities undertaking civil parking enforcement

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Enforcement News Tue, 26 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49658
Bromley adopts Videalert system for school parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49628/bromley-adopts-videalert-system-for-school-parking-enforcement

The London Borough of Bromley is installing an automated enforcement system to increase road safety outside five schools experiencing high levels of inconsiderate behaviour from parents parking on the yellow ‘keep clears’ when dropping off or collecting their children. The Videalert CCTV  system is also being installed to automate the enforcement of bus lanes in the south London borough.  The contract has been awarded to OpenView Security Solutions, a provider of CCTV sys

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49628
Foreign diplomats owe over 300k in unpaid London parking fines https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49654/foreign-diplomats-owe-over-300k-in-unpaid-london-parking-fines Foreign diplomats in London owe the capital’s highways authorities over £300,000 in unpaid parking penalties, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has told Parliament. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has been meeting with diplomatic missions to ensure the parking penalties are paid. A written statement by Johnson, a former Mayor of London, said: ”In 2015, 4,858 parking fines incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in London were brought to

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49654
Robot lawyer developer claims to have won 160000 parking appeals in UK and USA https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49653/robot-lawyer-developer-claims-to-have-won-160-000-parking-appeals-in-uk-and-usa

A ‘robot lawyer’ programmed by a British teenager claims to have successfully challenged 160,000 parking tickets since its launch last year. Joshua Browder, creator of the DoNotPay chatbot, says it has been used by 250,000 people. This gives it a success rate of 64%. The program first works out whether an appeal is possible by asking a series of questions, such as whether there were clearly visible parking signs, and then guides users through the appeals process. The majority of the

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49653
Scottish Borders examines case for decriminalised parking enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49624/scottish-borders-examines-case-for-decriminalised-parking-enforcement Scottish Borders Council is to carry out a study of 12 towns to assess introducing decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE). Parking patrols  had been provided for the council by Police Scotland, but this service was withdrawn in 2014.  A report to the council on 29 June by Brian Parks, chief roads officer, said the withdrawal of the police traffic warden service meant reduced monitoring and enforcement service of waiting and loading restrictions within the area’s towns and vill

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49624
Pay display scheme in streets around Reading hospital postponed following midwife's petition https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49527/pay--display-scheme-in-streets-around-reading-hospital-postponed-following-midwife-s-petition A plan to remove free parking around the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading has been put on hold after an online petition launched by a midwife was signed by almost 8,500 people. Reading Borough Council planned to introduce pay & display on streets surrounding the hospital as part of a wider scheme to manage pressures on residential parking in the area. Some 625 spaces would have been subject to parking charges, with a further 741 spaces facing restrictions. However, midwife Clare Goulbo

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Operational Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49527
Flintshire explores 'double tickets' as way of offering shoppers discounted parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49531/flintshire-explores-double-tickets-as-way-of-offering-shoppers-discounted-parking A North Wales council is to give local businesses the ability to offer drivers discounted parking via the issuing of ‘double tickets’ at its pay & display machines. Flintshire County Council has been evaluating its pay & display parking policy, which was introduced in 2015. The payment terminals will remain in its car parks but, as a result of feedback, a number of changes are being considered. ‘Double ticketing’ could be introduced where a town council or town t

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Operational Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49531
Portsmouth looks at using cameras to deter dangerous parking on school zigzags https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49526/portsmouth-looks-at-using-cameras-to-deter-dangerous-parking-on-school-zigzags Portsmouth City Council is considering introducing mobile surveillance cameras to monitor drivers who put children in danger by parking on zigzags outside the city’s schools. The cameras would watch for offenders parking on zigzags at the beginning and the end of school days. Parking officers came up with the pl

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Enforcement News Wed, 13 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49526
Brighton Hove wins PARC best parking report award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49524/brighton--hove-wins-parc-best-parking-report-award

Brighton & Hove City Council’s has taken the top prize in the annual Parking Annual Reports by Councils (PARC) competition. The resort’s parking team received its accolade at a reception held at the Houses of Parliament on 11 July. The PARC competition is organised by PATROL, the joint committee of local autho

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Enforcement News Tue, 12 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49524
Milton Keynes makes 15000 spaces free for electric vehicles https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49440/milton-keynes-makes-15-000-spaces-free-for-electric-vehicles

Milton Keynes is making 15,000 free parking spaces available for electric vehicles. Electric vehicle drivers can now park for free in commuter and charging spaces with a new ‘green parking permit’. The scheme is the first in a series of nationwide initiatives designed to increase the uptake of electric vehicles. Transport minister Andrew Jones visited the Buckinghamshire town today to see how £9m of government funding for electric cars is has been used. In January, Milton Key

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Parking Policy Thu, 7 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT 49440
Brexit and parking A wrong turn or new direction? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49430/brexit-and-parking-a-wrong-turn-or-new-direction-

The success of the Leave campaign in the referendum on European Union (EU) membership will have an impact on almost every aspect of life in Britain. The constitutional, political, economic, social, cultural and personal consequences of Brexit will be far-reaching. Central government and national assemblies, local authorities, businesses, academic institutions and individuals are all currently trying to digest what exiting the EU will mean for them. The parking sector will be affected across the

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Editorial Mon, 4 Jul 2016 15:53:00 GMT 49430
Hatfield Station's historic modernisation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49427/hatfield-station-s-historic-modernisation

Rebuilding a rail station that sits opposite the entrance of Hatfield House, one of England’s greatest stately homes, posed both a design and a logistical challenge for Network Rail. In a move that may surprise some, it was a challenge largely solved by building a multi-storey car park. Hatfield Station is located on the East Coast mainline, 17 miles north of London Kings Cross. The station is owned by Network Rail and operated by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). Over the past three years t

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Railways Mon, 4 Jul 2016 14:19:00 GMT 49427
Traffic Penalty Tribunal is a model of modern justice https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49425/traffic-penalty-tribunal-is-a-model-of-modern-justice

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) has been held up as an example of how a new generation of smarter, more accessible courts should operate. The focus on the parking tribunal is included in a new report by the law reform group JUSTICE, which wants to see a radical rethinking of what court buildings should look like in order to respond to the demands of modern-day justice. JUSTICE is an all-party law reform and human rights organisation working to strengthen the justice system – administra

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Case Studies Mon, 4 Jul 2016 13:49:00 GMT 49425
Barry Francis leaves Ealing to become NSL account director https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49409/barry-francis-leaves-ealing-to-become-nsl-account-director

Barry Francis, formerly assistant director for parking services at the London Borough of Ealing, has joined outsourcing service provider NSL as a regional account director. Francis will oversee the management and development of NSL contracts including the London boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Wandsworth and Camden, and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, as well as London Councils and Royal Parks. The appointment sees Francis return to NSL after an absence of seven years, havi

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People News Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:18:00 GMT 49409
Changes in Westminster City Council parking management team https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49408/changes-in-westminster-city-council-parking-management-team Westminster City Council has promoted head of parking operations Sarah Sutton to the position of director of public protection and licensing. Sutton became the council’s service delivery manager for parking in 2011 and head of parking in 2015 following the promotion of Kieran Fitsall to head of improvement and service transformation. The council has confirmed that Fitsall will cover the parking services role until a new head of parking is appointed.

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People News Tue, 28 Jun 2016 16:17:00 GMT 49408
Parking payment plan for Brighton Hove sees big drop in coin-based units https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49389/parking-payment-plan-for-brighton--hove-sees-big--in-coin-based-units

Brighton & Hove City Council is planning to invest £1.8m upgrading its on-street parking terminals so that over 80% are pay-by-card only. This would see the number of machines that take coins dropping from the current 800 to just 150. The authority plans to procure 320 new pay & display units and update 330 existing P&D units, which would accept Chip & PIN and contactless card payment only. Another 150 machines would accept both cards and the new 12-sided £1 coin, whi

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Operational Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:15:00 GMT 49389
Lack of resident bays forcing drivers to park illegally says study https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49315/lack-of-resident-bays-forcing-drivers-to-park-illegally-says-study One in ten drivers say they had been forced to park illegally near their home because they cannot find an empty residents bay, according to a new study by esure Car Insurance. Around a third of these drivers were fined an average of £106 for parking illegally, the study said. Car ownership has grown at twice the rate of residential parking spaces over the past five years, with more than two million extra cars on the road, estimates esure. The study found that while residential parking spac

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Enforcement News Thu, 23 Jun 2016 17:03:00 GMT 49315
New parking rules agreed for Skegness seafront https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49314/new-parking-rules-agreed-for-skegness-seafront

Parking arrangements are to be revised along the seafront in Skegness. Lincolnshire County Council says that cars parking on both sides of the road on the seafront lead to congestion through the summer months and also make it difficult for pedestrians to cross safely. Last summer the council trialled marked bays allocated to coaches dropping passengers off on the seafront. The trial was deemed a success so further restrictions will come into force permanently on 4 July to further regulate

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Traffic Management Thu, 23 Jun 2016 16:52:00 GMT 49314
Taunton to get electronic car parking guidance system https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49304/taunton-to-get-electronic-car-parking-guidance-system

An on-street parking guidance system connected to pay-on-foot systems in car parks is to be installed in Taunton, Somerset. The £1.2m scheme is set to start in late 2017, with pay-on-foot replacing pay & display in seven town centre car parks. The system will cut congestion, improve air quality and played a central role in the town’s regeneration, said Taunton Deane Borough Council.  Variable message signs (VMS) will offer drivers real-time data on the number of available s

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Traffic Management Wed, 22 Jun 2016 18:11:00 GMT 49304
Somersets workplace charge has hidden agenda says union https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49302/somerset-s-workplace-charge-has-hidden-agenda--says-union

Plans by Somerset County Council to charge staff for parking permits could be a way of driving some workers out of their jobs, argues the union Unite. From September there will be a £250 annual charge for staff parking at the County Hall campus in Taunton. In a report on its workplace parking plans, the council states: “Due to the additional financial cost some employees may consider looking for employment outside of Somerset County Council. Additional financial cost may have a slig

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Parking Policy Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:24:00 GMT 49302
PATROL asks Where next for bus lane and moving traffic enforcement? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49300/patrol-asks-where-next-for-bus-lane-and-moving-traffic-enforcement-

PATROL, a body representing over 300 local authorities undertaking parking and traffic enforcement has called for clarity on the legislation used to enforce moving traffic regulations. PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) is a joint committee of over 300 councils who undertake civil parking enforcement. Over 50 councils in England have introduced civil bus lane enforcement under the Transport Act 2000 (TA) over the past decade. However, councils in England outside London can

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Enforcement News Tue, 21 Jun 2016 17:08:00 GMT 49300
London Councils alerts boroughs to error with 'no entry' contravention code https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49299/london-councils-alerts-boroughs-to-error-with-no-entry-contravention-code London Councils is advising the capital’s boroughs that there is an issue with contravention code 51 (‘Failing to comply with a no entry sign’) following the publication of the new Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) 2016.  The latest version of contravention code 51 includes an error that means the specific no entry sign (number 616) has been excluded as a section 36 sign under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

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Enforcement News Tue, 21 Jun 2016 16:38:00 GMT 49299
Southampton launches CCTV bus lane enforcement https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49276/southampton-launches-cctv-bus-lane-enforcement

Southampton City Council is introducing CCTV enforcement of bus lanes in key areas of the city. The fixed bus lane cameras will go live on 20 June  Paul Walker, travel and transport manager at Southampton City Council, said: “This project will enable us to reduce the incidence of vehicles misusing bus lanes. Automating the enforcement of these contraventions will improve driver compliance, allow our public transport services to achieve faster, more reliable journey times and improve

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ANPR Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:21:00 GMT 49276
Labour Party suspends Sandwell councillor after planning and parking row https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49268/labour-party-suspends-sandwell-councillor-after-planning-and-parking-row A Sandwell councillor has been suspended by the ruling Labour Party after an independent investigation revealed he influenced the sale of council property at below market values and also sought to have two parking fines issued against family members waived. Mahboob Hussain, a Labour councillor for the Oldbury ward, denies any wrongdoing. A West Midlands Police investigation ended in March, with a decision to take no further action. However, Hussain has been suspended by his party and the counc

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Enforcement News Mon, 13 Jun 2016 12:35:00 GMT 49268
Southend awards APCOA a new parking contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49262/southend-awards-apcoa-a-new-parking-contract

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has retained APCOA UK & Ireland as its parking contractor, expanding the company’s remit to include off-street parking management as well as on-street enforcement. APCOA has worked for the Essex council since 2002. It has been awarded a new seven-year contract said to be worth £6m. The new contract will see the introduction of electric cars and bicycles for civil enforcement officers. The contract encompasses the provision of civil enforcement o

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Business News Mon, 13 Jun 2016 11:02:00 GMT 49262
FTA updates guide to truck turning and manoeuvring https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49260/fta-s-guide-to-truck-turning-and-manoeuvring The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has updated its publication Designing for Deliveries, a guide to truck turning and manoeuvring. First produced by FTA in 1971, the guide contains information and advice for design engineers and architects for architects, planners and engineers designing and evaluating service areas and access roads for commercial vehicles.  The 2016 edition updates the standards for the latest vehicle changes including the current trials of longer vehicles. The desi

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Traffic Management Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:57:00 GMT 49260
Disabled parking campaigner launches Parliamentary petition https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49257/disabled-parking-campaigner-launches-parliamentary-petition A petition calling for an end to the abuse of disabled parking spaces has been launched on the UK Parliament’s website.  The petition was launched by Christopher Brian Welch, who campaigns against misuse of disabled parking bays under the banner Want My Space, Take My Disability. The petition states: “Many with disabilities struggle just getting in and out of a parked car. Disabled bays are essential. It should be illegal for any non Blue Badge holder to park their car in a sp

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Enforcement News Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:51:00 GMT 49257
Parking Scotland publishes PCN process advice https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49254/parking-scotland-publishes-pcn-process-advice An advice note on the penalty charge notice process in Scotland has been written by Gavin Brown, parking operations manager at City of Edinburgh Council. The two-page note has been written on behalf of Parking Scotland, the Scottish arm of the British Parking Association. Brown is chair of Parking Scotland. The one sets out how penalty charge notices (PCNs) in Scotland are issued at a rate of £60 and that Section 66 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 stipulates that a discount if 50% should be

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Enforcement News Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:40:00 GMT 49254
Private parking petition gets 12000 signatures https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49256/private-parking-petition-gets-12-000-signatures A Parliamentary petition calling for curbs on the parking charges levied by private parking operators, launched by parking campaigner Barry Beavis, has attracted over 12,000 signatures. Beavis made headlines when his legal challenge against parking charge notices issued by ParkingEye went as far as the UK Supreme Court, which ruled that the charges were fair. His online petition read: “Private parking companies get to set the amount they charge as a penalty if you overstay in a car park,

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Enforcement News Fri, 10 Jun 2016 10:44:00 GMT 49256
Videalert names Jonathan Hector as business development manager https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49246/videalert-names-jonathan-hector-as-business-development-manager

Traffic enforcement and management solutions company Videalert has appointed Jonathan Hector as business development manager. This is a new role developing business opportunities with customers and partners as well as providing technical support for deployments of Videalert solutions. Hector has more than 30 years’ engineering experience. Before joining Videalert, he spent five years with SEA as product manager heading a team of 17 people handling the design, development, manufacture, del

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Business News Fri, 10 Jun 2016 09:58:00 GMT 49246
Workplace parking levies could raise millions for transport investment https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49149/workplace-parking-levies-could-raise-millions-for-transport-investment

Workplace parking levies and other innovative financial mechanisms could raise millions for public transport, suggests the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT). The campaign is urging the government to consider broadening the ways in which public transport is financed in the UK, and believes it could learn from innovative schemes like Nottingham’s workplace parking levy (WPL). Research commissioned as part of Campaign for Better Transport’s new thought leadership programme, called Tr

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Parking Policy Wed, 8 Jun 2016 08:14:00 GMT 49149
Local authorities should publish more parking data says DCLG https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49139/local-authorities-should-publish-more-parking-data-says-dclg English local authorities should publish more detailed information about their parking charges and enforcement activities in a format that is readily available to citizens, says the government. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is proposing to update the Local Government Transparency Code 2015. The DCLG’s Strengthening Local Government Transparency consultation proposes to: change the way that local authorities record details of their land and property assets; and

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Parking Policy Fri, 3 Jun 2016 15:21:00 GMT 49139
Welcome to our mobile future https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49050/welcome-to-our-mobile-future

Transport in Europe is destined to be one of self-driving cars, cashless systems and smart app solutions, according to new research commissioned for services and technology company Xerox.  The research was conducted among 1,200 people living in 12 cities across the UK, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. When UK residents were asked to consider the future transport landscape of their city, the research revealed that 45% of Londoners predict they won’t be using cash to pay f

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Case Studies Tue, 24 May 2016 20:53:00 GMT 49050
Fast forward to the future of city centre parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49049/fast-forward-to-the-future-of-city-centre-parking

Where parking is located and how spaces are managed will be transformed as the way in which we travel to, from and within urban centres changes. As cars and customers become more connected, the era of Intelligent Mobility will see the role and form of parking facilities evolve. Ultimately, the distinctions between on-street and off-street parking will become blurred. These are some of the predictions of Theo Thuis, chief operating officer of Q-Park, a parking management company that operates ac

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Debates Tue, 24 May 2016 20:42:00 GMT 49049
Coventry to trial real-time parking info using sensors and AppyParking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49043/coventry-to-trial-real-time-parking-info-using-sensors-and-appyparking

Coventry City Council is the first local authority to trial the use of on-street parking sensors to enable drivers to see parking availability in real-time via the AppyParking app and website. The trial sees total 72 bays have been fitted with low energy, long life sensors supplied by Nwave. The sensors cover every disabled parking bay in Coventry and 36 paid parking bays. The Nwave Sparkit sensors are low-profile surface mounted sensors that take under a minute to install. The wireless techn

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Business News Mon, 23 May 2016 17:19:00 GMT 49043
AppyParking helps drivers understand Bank Holiday rules https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49023/appyparking-helps-drivers-understand-bank-holiday-rules

The developers of AppyParking, a parking information app believe their system can help drivers avoid getting parking tickets by breaching restrictions that apply on Bank Holidays. As a rule parking restrictions are relaxed on Bank Holidays, but this is not the case in London.?Only 10 of the 33 boroughs in London allow parking on Bank Holidays, the rest relax the rules on Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Year’s Day. These rules, however, only cover single yellow lines. T

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Operational Mon, 23 May 2016 16:19:00 GMT 49023
A guide to the best local authority websites https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49007/a-guide-to-the-best-local-authority-websites

Be it holidays, music, ordering groceries or settling bills, online transactions are becoming second nature to many of us. Parking transactions are increasingly migrating online, with drivers now able to pre-book airport and town centre spaces, use their mobile phones to pay for parking on-street and at car parks as well as order resident and visitor permits online.  And when a parking session goes wrong, it is common for parking operators to offer motorists the ability to pay fines online

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Technology Mon, 23 May 2016 13:20:00 GMT 49007
Free parking will it save the High Street the Universe and everything? https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49005/free-parking-will-it-save-the-high-street-the-universe-and-everything-

Economists see the world rather differently from other people. So, while the majority probably believe free parking is a good thing, as an economist I know it is not – except of course when I’m driving, in which case free parking is an excellent idea! Few, if any, of us like to pay for parking. The writers of the sitcom Seinfeld made this point in a very male orientated way. George Costanza to Elaine Benes: “My father didn’t pay for parking, my mother, my brother, nobod

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Business News Mon, 23 May 2016 13:12:00 GMT 49005
We can build a near perfect world https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49003/we-can-build-a-near-perfect-world

All motorists adhering to Traffic Regulation Orders. Just about the right number of parking spaces for everyone. All vehicles powered by water. A road network that eliminates any risk of congestion. That’s not asking for too much is it? Of course, it’s all very well aspiring to a utopian dream, but the reality is that we don’t live in a perfect world. The only thing we can really be sure about is that nothing stands still (and, of course, death and taxes). It’s how we ma

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Debates Mon, 23 May 2016 12:54:00 GMT 49003
Cumbria launches EV charging network https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48998/cumbria-launches-ev-charging-network

Cumbria County Council has launched a series of charging points for electric vehicles across the county. Nine sites were made available to residents, visitors and businesses in April. The charge points are located in Carlisle, Kendal, Workington, Whitehaven, Keswick, Ulverston, Kirkby Stephen, Kirkby Lonsdale and Ambleside. The county council, South Lakeland District, Copeland Borough and Allerdale Borough council have provided sites for charge points within car parks and parking areas, while t

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Electric vehicle charging Mon, 23 May 2016 12:00:00 GMT 48998
Videalert will showcase automated school safety system Parkex https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48996/videalert-will-showcase-automated-school-safety-system-parkex

Videalert will be demonstrating its automated school safety system at Parkex. The solution automates the enforcement of parking contraventions on ‘Keep clears’ and enables councils to promote a serious commitment to reducing the number of accidents involving children. The system has been deployed by councils such as the London boroughs of Barnet and Bromley, with others in the pipeline. Tim Daniels, Videalert’s sales and marketing director, said: “Automating the enforce

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ANPR Mon, 23 May 2016 11:53:00 GMT 48996
Response Master updated for Windsor Maidenhead appeals trial https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48995/response-master-d-for-windsor--maidenhead-appeals-trial The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead has started using Response Master, Barbour Logic’s correspondence system, to write letters to motorists who have been issued penalty charge notices.  The introduction of the Response Master system coincided with the launch of a government-backed trial looking at ways of making local authority parking enforcement fairer. The Royal Borough and Department for Transport (DfT) are jointly piloting a scheme designed to encourage motorists with

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IT Mon, 23 May 2016 11:49:00 GMT 48995
A layered look is fashionable and practical says Keltic https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48993/a-layered-look-is-fashionable-and-practical-says-keltic

Keltic Clothing will be showing its Technical Wear range of uniforms at Parkex. The uniforms are designed for all types of front line personnel, including civil enforcement officers (CEOs), security staff and university patrols, who do what the company describes as “urban trekking”. The use of technical fabrics enables Keltic to create lightweight, water-resistant clothing that is designed to be used in layers, which enables staff to match what they wear to weather conditions.  

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Uniforms Mon, 23 May 2016 11:43:00 GMT 48993
Liverpool City council adopts ICES software for PCN and permit processing https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48992/liverpool-city-council-adopts-ices-software-for-pcn-and-permit-processing

Regeneration and development have made the centre of Liverpool an attractive place to work, shop and visit. This is good for the local economy, but has led to increased demands on its road network and transport system. Liverpool City Council is, in particular, seeking to manage increased traffic volumes created by the M62 corridor expansion. The city council wants to manage increased traffic volumes, deliver integrated transport infrastructure for the city and is promoting wider use of public t

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Processing Mon, 23 May 2016 11:41:00 GMT 48992
Canterbury trials Parkeon ticketless parking systems https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48989/canterbury-trials-parkeon-ticketless-parking-systems

Canterbury City Council in Kent is trialling ticketless parking using systems developed by Parkeon. The trial sees Canterbury become the first district in the UK to introduce Parkeon mobile and website payment options alongside the company’s MiniPark automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.  MiniPark integrates ANPR cameras and barriers on car park entry and exit lanes.  In a first for Parkeon in the UK, the company’s Whoosh! app has been introduced alongside

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Payment systems Mon, 23 May 2016 11:33:00 GMT 48989
Enfield adopts Videalert ANPR for traffic congestion and crime prevention https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48981/enfield-adopts-videalert-anpr-for-traffic-congestion-and-crime-prevention

The London Borough of Enfield is updating the ANPR technology it uses to manage traffic congestion and for crime prevention. The Videalert ANPR system has been supplied as part of an ongoing contract with OpenView Security Solutions, the council’s provider of CCTV installation and support services. The Videalert system has been installed at eight locations, where it replaces NDI Recognition Systems equipment, and will be extended to a further 14 locations across the borough. The system

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ANPR Mon, 23 May 2016 10:11:00 GMT 48981
Edinburgh to install 400 cycle racks on city centre streets https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48970/edinburgh-to-install-400-cycle-racks-on-city-centre-streets

The City of Edinburgh is to install 400 cycle racks across the Scottish capital. Over the coming months, the racks will be introduced on city streets, creating up to 800 spaces for cyclists to secure their bikes. Installation of cycle racks began on 16 May. The schemes is focused on the city centre, with further phases throughout the year including the wider city. The locations, many of which offer short-term parking, were selected based on public feedback, including responses to council survey

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Operational Wed, 18 May 2016 12:05:00 GMT 48970
Local authority officer jailed for fraud https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49038/local-authority-officer-jailed-for-fraud A council parking administrator who cost ratepayers around £66,000 has been jailed for two years. Lee Halliday, who worked for Swindon Borough Council, diverted council funds to his partner’s account and sold parking season tickets for cash at a discount, pocketing the payments.

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Crime Mon, 16 May 2016 17:06:00 GMT 49038
New name for Scottish Parking Appeals Service https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49036/new-name-for-scottish-parking-appeals-service The Scottish Parking Appeals Service has changed its name to the Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal for Scotland. The service has been rebranded to better reflect the services provided to appellants against parking fines and bus lane penalties. The Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal provides administrative support to the independent parking adjudicators and is based at the Office of the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland in Edinburgh.

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Enforcement News Fri, 13 May 2016 16:50:00 GMT 49036
DCLG publishes summary of responses to off-street parking consultation https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49045/dclg-publishes-summary-of-responses-to-off-street-parking-consultation A majority of respondents (78%) to a government consultation on parking indicated that there were significant problems with how parking on private or public land is regulated, or with the behaviour of private parking companies. The discussion paper Parking Reform: Tackling unfair practices was published in March 2015 by the Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG), which is responsible for off-str

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Parking Policy Thu, 12 May 2016 17:43:00 GMT 49045
BPA Parking Summit discusses regulation of private land https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49033/bpa-parking-summit-discusses-regulation-of-private-land

A consensus is emerging for a single standards setting body for parking on private land, claims the British Parking Association following its Parking Summit, which was held in London on 11 May. The summit was called to facilitate a proper debate about the management parking on private land and to discuss the government’s response to its consultation regarding off-street parking issued in March 2015. Local go

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Parking Policy Wed, 11 May 2016 16:42:00 GMT 49033
BPA publishes its vision for future of parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49032/bpa-publishes-its-vision-for-future-of-parking

Big data, mobile communications and social media will change both the automobile and the way in which we use them in the 21st Century, says a new report published by the British Parking Association (BPA). 20:20: Our vision for the future of parking summaries research commissioned by the BPA to explore the future of parking and intelligent mobility. The BPA intends the document to

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Parking Policy Wed, 11 May 2016 16:39:00 GMT 49032
Local authorities can issue 400 fines to fly-tippers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49140/local-authorities-can-issue-400-fines-to-fly-tippers Local authorities have new powers to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £400 for fly-tippers. The Fixed Penalty Notices, introduced this month, can be issued for the first time by council enforcement officers to help tackle small-scale fly-tipping, like dumping items such as pieces of broken furniture, old televisions and mattresses. The move comes as the cost of clearing up fly-tipping in England has hit an estimated £50m, with councils having to deal with almost 900,000 inciden

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Crime Mon, 9 May 2016 15:40:00 GMT 49140
Bikers will have to pay to park in Matlock Bath https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49024/bikers-will-have-to-pay-to-park-in-matlock-bath Motorcycle parking charges will be introduced in the Derbyshire village of Matlock Bath despite protests by bikers. The village is a popular destination for motorcyclists. More than 4,500 motorcycles rode through the village in March and around 7,500 people signed a petition against the charges. Derbyshire County Council is introducing a 50p per hour charge for a maximum stay of up to two hours on the North Parade and South Parade. Parking in these areas had previously been fre

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Operational Tue, 3 May 2016 16:21:00 GMT 49024
Building a better future for parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48801/building-a-better-future-for-parking

Parking and property experts from across Europe will meet in London on 12 May to discuss the changing relationship between motorists, their vehicles, and how they park. The annual Parking & Property event will also explore how retailers and shopping centre owners are making parking facilities a positive part of the shopping experience by creating more attractive facilities and using parking as part of their marketing and loyalty programmes. Over the past six years Parking & Property ha

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Business News Thu, 28 Apr 2016 10:23:00 GMT 48801
Essex builder fined for Blue Badge fraud in Croydon https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49018/essex-builder-fined-for-blue-badge-fraud-in-croydon An Essex builder’s financial problems were worsened when he was fined for using a photocopy of his father’s disabled parking permit to avoid having to feed the meter while he worked in central Croydon. Adam Mansfield of Rainham admitted the charge at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 19 April and was fined £150 and ordered to pay £200 prosecution costs. The court was told that, on 27 July last year, a council civil enforcement officer spotted a car par

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Enforcement News Tue, 26 Apr 2016 16:07:00 GMT 49018
Stroud adopts StradaPAL terminals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48780/stroud-adopts-stradapal-terminals Stroud District Council has upgraded pay & display machines across the centre of the Gloucestershire town. A total of 32 StradaPAL parking terminals have been supplied and installed to the Gloucestershire council by Parkeon.   The terminals have been installed mainly off-street in town centre car parks, replacing existing machines that have reached the end of their life.  Nine of the new terminals accept multiple payments, including contactless, with the remainder being coin-only

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Payment systems Mon, 25 Apr 2016 18:09:00 GMT 48780
NCP upgrades lighting at over 100 more sites https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48777/ncp-upgrades-lighting-at-over-100-more-sites

National Car Parks is embarking on a second phase of upgrading lighting across its estate, replacing existing fittings with energy efficient light-emitting diode (LED) fittings at around 110 sites. The project sees around 7,500 light-emitting diode (LED) fittings at multi-storey car parks, roof decks and surface car parks. Phase one of the project involved retro-fitting 149 multi-storey car parks with LED fittings during 2014. Both phases were undertaken at no capital cost to NCP via a deal ar

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Construction Mon, 25 Apr 2016 17:58:00 GMT 48777
Cracking down on Blue Badge cheats https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48771/cracking-down-on-blue-badge-cheats

A Blue Badge is a vital lifeline for many disabled people. Without a Blue Badge many disabled people would be stuck in their homes and would be totally dependent on others for help. This is why Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) takes Blue Badge fraud very seriously.  A person who does not need a Blue Badge occupying a disabled bay unnecessarily is one less space for a genuine holder to use. If a disabled person cannot park at their desired destination they will often just have to go home without

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Viewpoint Mon, 25 Apr 2016 17:34:00 GMT 48771
Westminsters new Air Force to enforce anti-idling regulations https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48765/westminster-s-new-air-force-to-enforce-anti-idling-regulations

A pair of parking marshals have been tasked with focussing on engine idling across Westminster as part of an air quality initiative. The initiative is designed to deter drivers parking with their engines running, which are a source of emissions in London.  In May 2015 Westminster City Council introduced new rules to combat engine idling, giving parking marshals the power to speak to drivers and issue £20 fixed penalty notices. Over the last year over 1,500 drivers have been approache

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Apr 2016 13:26:00 GMT 48765
Parking fines are not tax deductible tribunal rules in G4S case https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48762/parking-fines-are-not-tax-deductible-tribunal-rules-in-g4s-case

Security firm G4S cannot set its parking fines against its tax bill, a tax tribunal has ruled. G4S Cash Solutions aimed to reduce its corporation tax bill by around £580,000, but the first-tier tribunal has ruled in favour of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in rejecting the bid. G4S incurred parking fines usually while delivering consignments of cash over the pavement. The firm claimed these were a business expense and so could be used to reduce its profits for tax purposes.  Judge

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Enforcement News Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:42:00 GMT 48762
Nick Lester-Davis passes London Councils' transport brief to Spencer Palmer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48760/nick-lester-davis-passes-london-councils-transport-brief-to-spencer-palmer

Nick Lester-Davis, corporate director of services at London Councils, will be formally handing overall responsibility for transport issues to Spencer Palmer, director of transport and mobility.  Palmer will join London Councils’ corporate management team and take on wider management responsibilities. Lester-Davis’ primary focus will be on a ‘challenge process’ that aims to inform thinking about what London local government requires from London Councils over the nex

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People News Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:05:00 GMT 48760
A spotlight on the future of parking https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48758/a-spotlight-on-the-future-of-parking A panel of parking experts will discuss the future of parking at an event being organised by consultant Alpha Parking and the London Borough of Hounslow. The Spotlight on Parking seminar takes place in London on 19 May. To register for the free event click here The seminar is being chaired by Caroline Hamilton, chief parking and traffic appeal adjudicator for London. Her national counterpart, Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator for the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, will discuss the latest develop

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Parking Policy Mon, 25 Apr 2016 09:51:00 GMT 48758
Tower Hamlets CEOs can call in removal trucks when they encounter persistent evaders https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48743/tower-hamlets-ceos-can-call-in-removal-trucks-when-they-encounter-persistent-evaders

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has been cracking down on drivers who persistently disregard parking regulations and evade penalty charge notices (PCNs) in one of the most densely populated boroughs in the capital. The enforcement actions see the council issue its in-house civil enforcement officers with lists of suspect vehicles. Tower Hamlets’ CEOs can then call in removal trucks to seize vehicles. A pilot exercise that took place during December 2015 showed this ap

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Enforcement News Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:21:00 GMT 48743
Highlands Council plan to take over parking enforcement delayed by 6 months https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48740/highlands-council-plan-to-take-over-parking-enforcement-delayed-by-6-months Proposals to launch a decriminalised parking enforcement team across the Highlands have been delayed by six months, leaving just two traffic wardens employed by Police Scotland to cover a region of 11,838 square miles. Highland Council had originally intended to create a 13-strong service to enforce parking last month, but the delay will mean that decriminalised parking will not come into operation until October at the earliest. A council spokeswoman said: “The key to parking enforcement

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Enforcement News Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:10:00 GMT 48740
Turning car park into public space has paid off says Leicesters mayor https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48739/turning-car-park-into-public-space-has-paid-off-says-leicester-s-mayor

Leicester’s elected mayor has defended his decision to replace a city centre car park with a public space, arguing that businesses are reaping the benefits of the new pedestrian-friendly site. Despite opposition from local firms, the 50-space St Nicholas surface car park was removed in 2014 and replaced with the £4m park, which features lawns, hard landscaping and seating. The pay & display car park was generating £200,000 revenue a year for the council. But mayor Sir Pete

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Developments Tue, 19 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT 48739
Windsor Maidenhead offers 25% discount to drivers who lose PCN appeals https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48735/windsor--maidenhead-offers-25-discount-to-drivers-who-lose-pcn-appeals Motorists who lose their appeals against penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead will receive a 25% discount under a trial being conducted in partnership with the Department for Transport (DfT). The 12-month pilot scheme follows a recommendation from the House of Commons’ Transport Committee that the appeals system should be fair for people with credible cases who want to challenge their fine. The cost of the pilot scheme, estimated to be &po

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Parking Policy Fri, 15 Apr 2016 12:09:00 GMT 48735
Guide Dogs' pavement parking campaign wins award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49016/guide-dogs-pavement-parking-campaign-wins-award The pavement parking campaign run by the charity Guide Dogs was recognised by Care2, a social network for activists who create online petitions. The campaign has seen Guide Dogs work with pedestrians charity Living Streets, MPs and a range of organisations to highlight the inconvenience and dangers caused by cars parked on the pavement. Normal 0

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Awards Thu, 14 Apr 2016 16:03:00 GMT 49016
Eight annual reports compete for PARC Award https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48638/eight-annual-reports-compete-for-parc-award

Annual reports produced by eight local authorities have been short listed for the PARC Awards organised by PATROL, the joint committee of local authorities undertaking civil parking enforcement outside London. Around 50 reports were considered for this year’s awards and the winners will be announced in the summer. They are competing for two trophies: Outstanding Overall Report and Outstanding Shorter Report. This year's shortlisted councils are: 

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Awards Lead Story Fri, 8 Apr 2016 10:25:00 GMT 48638
New enforcement contract sees Wandsworth expand relationship with NSL https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48742/new-enforcement-contract-sees-wandsworth-expand-relationship-with-nsl The London Borough of Wandsworth has extended its contract with NSL to cover all aspects of civil enforcement. The services will cover all on-street and off-street enforcement as well as the borough’s housing estates NSL has provided vehicle removal and relocation services for the council over the past eight years. From 16 September NSL will supply civil enforcement officers (CEOs), who had previously been supplied by Mouchel. NSL will also take over management of the council’s CCTV

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Enforcement News Tue, 5 Apr 2016 14:17:00 GMT 48742
RingGo's predictive app wins parking award at Intertraffic https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48632/ringgo-s-predictive-app-wins-parking-award-at-intertraffic

RingGo, the UK-based cashless payment specialist, won the parking category at the Intertraffic Innovation Awards, which took place in Amsterdam  this morning. The awards were part of the opening ceremony of Intertraffic Amsterdam, a traffic technology trade fare that runs at the RAI exhibition centre until 8 April. Awards were presented in five categories: Traffic Management; Parking; Safety; Smart Mobility; and Infrastructure. The competition’s Overall Winner was the Czech Republic

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Awards Tue, 5 Apr 2016 13:31:00 GMT 48632
Plymouth extends JBW's debt recovery contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/49015/plymouth-extends-jbw-s-debt-recovery-contract Plymouth City Council has extended JBW Group’s contract to collect civil and criminal debts for revenues and parking services. JBW has been collecting debts for the council since 2012. Normal 0 false

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Business News Mon, 4 Apr 2016 16:02:00 GMT 49015
Independent Parking Committee becomes 'International Parking Community' https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48665/independent-parking-committee-becomes-international-parking-community-

The Independent Parking Committee has rebranded as the International Parking Community. The organisation says the move reflects the development of its services, as well as its work with overseas parking organisations. The rebrand coincides with a decision to expand its membership to local authorities and organisations involved in on-street parking. The organisation is also intending to launch new standards for parking in the healthcare and education sectors. The Independent Parking Committee c

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Business News Fri, 1 Apr 2016 12:02:00 GMT 48665
Parking Property 2016 will look at future of the car and the car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48325/parking--property-2016-will-look-at-future-of-the-car-and-the-car-park

Parking and property experts from across Europe will meet in London on 12 May to discuss the changing relationship between drivers and their vehicles in the era of online commerce, connected cars and Intelligent Mobility. The annual Parking & Property event will also explore how retailers are making parking a positive part of the shopping experience. The day’s content has been developed by Nigel Williams, managing director of Parking Matters, and Mark Moran, editor of Parkin

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Business News Wed, 30 Mar 2016 14:21:00 GMT 48325
Emma Anthony is the pride of Conwy https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48534/emma-anthony-is-the-pride-of-conwy

Emma Anthony manages parking in the historic coastal town of Conwy in North Wales. She is responsible for both on-street enforcement and the operation of over 40 car parks for Conwy County Borough Council. Anthony’s career has seen her rise from the front line to manager in under 10 years. She joined Conway as parking attendant in July 2006 and progressed through a number of roles: civil enforcement officer supervisor, parking policy operations manager and then acting parking manager. She

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 10:14:00 GMT 48534
Operation Blue Bird teaches disabled badge abusers a new song https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48533/operation-blue-bird-teaches-disabled-badge-abusers-a-new-song

Operation Blue Bird is a multi-agency response to the misuse of Blue Badges in East Sussex. The project has received support from central government, which is keen to see its innovative ideas shared. There are approximately 13,000 badges on issue in Brighton & Hove and 24,000 badges on issue in East Sussex.  The councils concerns about the misuse of the Blue Badge, depriving entitled badge holders of their parking concessions, had seen the development of an informal partnership develo

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 10:11:00 GMT 48533
Brent's parking team scores across the board https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48532/brent-s-parking-team-scores-across-the-board

Brent’s parking team has undergone some dramatic changes in the past two years. Brent is part of the West London Alliance (WLA), which sees it working in partnership with the London boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. In July 2013 the WLA appointed Serco as its parking management and enforcement contractor. This project was recognised at the British Parking Awards 2014, when the WLA won the Parking Partnerships Award. In October 2014 Gavin Moore was appointed as Brent’s new permanent h

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 10:06:00 GMT 48532
Plymouth's parking team connects with the community https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48531/plymouth-s-parking-team-connects-with-the-community

Plymouth City Council’s parking team consists of 45 people who are responsible for the provision of decriminalised parking and car park management.  The parking team, which sits within the street services department, took a pledge in 2015 to donate an amount of their working week to support organisations and individuals who were less fortunate them themselves. This pledge has resulted in a number of events and schemes. One of the first initiatives came about from meeting the Shekina

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 10:03:00 GMT 48531
John McArdle the parking expert's expert https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48530/john-mcardle-the-parking-expert-s-expert

John McArdle is a well-known face in the parking industry, having popped up in a number of places since first being appointed as parking manager for Glasgow in 1987. He was working in Strathclyde Regional Council’s traffic section where he had responsibility for the Traffic Order when he was appointed parking manager and placed in charge of the newly established parking unit. This role saw him pull together services previously delivered by a range of departments to reduce costs and improve

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 10:01:00 GMT 48530
Kelvin Reynolds a true parking guru https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48529/kelvin-reynolds-a-true-parking-guru

Kelvin Reynolds, director of policy & public affairs at the British Parking Association (BPA) is a true ‘parking guru’. He has had a 40-year career as a traffic engineer and planner, with 25 years in the public sector, which started in 1970 in urban traffic control in central London before becoming parking services manager at the City of London in the 1980s and ’90s. This was followed by a post as Transport and Infrastructure Manager at Bluewater, Europe’s largest ret

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:59:00 GMT 48529
APCOA's Yoofi Halm delivers the data that matters https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48528/apcoa-s-yoofi-halm-delivers-the-data-that-matters

Parking operations increasingly depend on an understanding of data and trends. This is where people like Yoofi Halm come in.  Halm joined APCOA UK & Ireland as a data analyst in 2013. Within his first 100 days he had produced a new style of quarterly report that APCOA now uses to present KPI performance to client Southwark Council at director level. Over the past three years he has continued to generate reports, manage projects and provide data for responding to complex Freedom of Info

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:56:00 GMT 48528
Charlene Charles looks after APCOA's customers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48527/charlene-charles-looks-after-apcoa-s-customers

While much of the ways in which people book and pay for parking is being automated, being able to interact with a human being is important for drivers. This makes customer service agents like Charlene Charles, who work in call centres so important. After achieving a First class (Hons) in Finance and Accounting BSc at Brunel University, Charles joined APCOA UK & Ireland in 2010 as a customer service agent for the airport pre-booking contracts. Her duties involved providing a service of inform

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:53:00 GMT 48527
Making kerbside deliveries safer https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48526/making-kerbside-deliveries-safer

Delivering cash to banks and shops is a hazardous task. Cash delivery trucks are armoured because the threat of robbery is real. However, the real danger comes when delivery teams leave the vehicles. In 2014 there were 140 attacks on staff working for G4S Cash Solutions staff, with some staff being taken to hospital with serious injuries.  G4S’s route planners and controllers thus work to ensure the cash and valuables in transit (CVIT) trucks arrive at their destinations, but most bu

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:51:00 GMT 48526
Working with debtors really pays off https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48525/working-with-debtors-really-pays-off

When a motorist fails to pay a parking fine, that debt has to be collected in a sensitive manner. Phoenix Commercial Collections is striving to ensure that it works with drivers to manage their debts in a structured way, taking special care when working with vulnerable debtors. Phoenix’s core business is the collection of unpaid parking fines and local taxation. It currently serves around 50 local authorities and deals with approximately 100,000 debtors each year. The introduction of new

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:49:00 GMT 48525
Mastering rapid responses to penalised drivers https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48524/mastering-rapid-responses-to-penalised-drivers

When motorists receive a penalty charge notice (PCN) for allegedly violating parking or traffic regulations they have the right to make a representation to the issuing authority asking for the ticket to be cancelled. The Response Master helps local authority back office staff generate responses to letters of representation. Response Master composes case specific replies by drawing on the authority’s own parking and traffic policies. However, Barbour Logic felt that more could be done to a

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:46:00 GMT 48524
Tunbridge Wells is checking out new parking technology https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48523/tunbridge-wells-is-checking-out-new-parking-technology

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) has helped develop a system that gives motorists the advantages of pay-on-foot without the need for barriers or ANPR cameras. The council had received many requests, and even a petition with over 2,000 names, from residents and businesses asking for a payment option that would enable payment by card at the end of their parking session instead of having to predict the length of time beforehand.  Parking services manager Rosemarie Bennett says: “O

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Case Studies Wed, 30 Mar 2016 09:43:00 GMT 48523
Revised traffic signs guidance comes into force on 22 April https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48659/revised-traffic-signs-guidance-comes-into-force-on-22-april Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) 2016 will into force on 22 April. TSRGD 2016 was laid before Parliament on 22 March. A PDF of the 546-page document can be downloaded here.  Normal 0

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Parking Policy Thu, 24 Mar 2016 11:44:00 GMT 48659
Bromley asks friends and relatives not to misuse Blue Badges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48662/bromley-asks-friends-and-relatives-not-to-misuse-blue-badges Enforcement action against the misuse of Blue Badges is to be intensified in on-street parking locations and council operated car parks in Bromley in south London. Only disabled persons are entitled to make use of the parking concessions provided under the Blue Badge scheme. The campaign will see relatives and friends of Blue Badge holders being that if they are caught misusing a badge, even to run an errand on behalf of the badge holder, their actions could lead to a criminal conviction.

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Operational Tue, 22 Mar 2016 11:54:00 GMT 48662
Kensington Chelsea awards NSL a 65m parking enforcement contract https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48480/kensington--chelsea-awards-nsl-a-65m-parking-enforcement-contract The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has awarded NSL a 12-year contract worth £65m for the delivery of civil enforcement services. NSL was originally appointed by the central London council in 2006. The new contract, which comes into effect from July,  covers on-street enforcement, housing estate civil parking enforcement, vehicle removal and relocation and vehicle pound management. Around 100 civil enforcement officers (CEOs) will be equipped with new handheld devices that

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Business News Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:55:00 GMT 48480
BRE publishes good practice guide to solar car parks https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48479/bre-publishes-good-practice-guide-to-solar-car-parks

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has published a good practice guide for solar car parks. The guidance shows how car park owners can maximize the economic and environmental performance of their assets by deploying PV technologies. Jonny Williams, director of the BRE National Solar Centre Jonny Williams said: “Solar carports are an excellent way of improving the car-parking experience, whilst also generating clean electricity. With over 17,000 car parks in th

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Construction Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:20:00 GMT 48479
Harpenden parking pressures lead to review of provision https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48661/harpenden-parking-pressures-lead-to-review-of-provision St Albans City & District Council is looking at ways to improve parking in the Hertfordshire town of Harpenden following concerns over the lack of parking. The council has launched a review of parking in the town and new parking strategy will be introduced this autumn. Council officers will update research into parking in the town. They will collect and analyse data from the council’s car parks and bays about the occupancy rate and turnover. This is helped by the council’s rece

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Operational Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:52:00 GMT 48661
Edinburgh considers introducing Sunday parking charges https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48361/edinburgh-considers-introducing-sunday-parking-charges The introduction of parking restrictions on Sundays are among the changes suggested in new Parking Action Plan for Edinburgh. Councillors have agreed in principle to extend new parking controls to Sundays, but have requested further details on costs involved and the implementation of the wider plan. Of 18 smaller cities in the UK, only three other local authorities currently have no parking restrictions on a Sunday – Bristol, Perth and Stirling. 

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Parking Policy Tue, 15 Mar 2016 15:16:00 GMT 48361
Croydon closes down bogus Blue Badge application site https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48360/croydon-closes-down-bogus-blue-badge-application-site

Drivers in the London Borough of Croydon are being urged to remain vigilant to the threat of bogus websites that promise to ease the Blue Badge application process but in reality leave their victims without the badge, and out of pocket. The south London council closed down one such Blue Badge application website - http://bluebadgeonline.org - after complaints from disgruntled motorists.

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Enforcement News Tue, 15 Mar 2016 14:58:00 GMT 48360
Bournemouth adopts 'card-in/card-out' payment at Richmond Gardens car park https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/48346/bournemouth-adopts-card-in-card-out-payment-at-richmond-gardens-car-park

Bournemouth Borough Council has upgraded the payment system at one of its busiest multi-storey car parks, Richmond Gardens. The council has replaced existing pay & display systems with one that offers drivers the ability to use contactless bankcards at the entry and exit of the facility, negating the need to visit pay stations. Richmond Gardens has 935 spaces, including 12 disabled spaces, over five floors. The council has installed ParkAdvance system from WPS.  When a customer uses

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Payment systems Mon, 14 Mar 2016 09:41:00 GMT 48346