A new vehicle, fitted with cameras, is due to start patrolling Newport later this month as the council plans to crack down on illegal parking.
Newport City Council has revealed the car will begin patrolling on Monday, August 24 with a focus on safety for those returning to work and school in September.
New civil parking enforcement measures were introduced in July last year, and since then almost 22,000 penalty charge notices have been issued to motorists parking illegally across the city.
Reports show that the areas around schools continue to be a problem.
To target the issue, the council is introducing a new mobile enforcement vehicle to enforce zigzags outside schools, as well as pedestrian crossings, bus stops, taxi ranks, clearways and no loading restrictions.
The hybrid car will be fitted with cameras on the roof and clearly display logos and ‘parking enforcement vehicle’ in both English and Welsh.
Motorists who are caught parking illegally will be issued a penalty charge notice in the post with fines at the same level – £70 (reduced by 50% if paid within 7 days).
Councillor Roger Jeavons, deputy leader and cabinet member for city services, said: “This bespoke mobile parking enforcement vehicle is an investment which will improve public safety and extend the council’s capability to effectively tackle key enforcement priorities in all areas, but especially hotspots that have been previously reported and identified.
“Our aim is to reduce the numbers of unlawfully parked vehicles outside schools, in bus stops and on pedestrian crossings, therefore providing safer routes for walking and cycling across Newport.”
A team of civil enforcement officers, employed by the council, patrol the city.
The officers are able to enforce all parking related restrictions on the public highway if a vehicle is parked unlawfully, including:
- parking on yellow lines
- overstaying time limits on parking bays
- parking across dropped kerbs
- parking more than 50cm from the edge of the kerb
Other traffic restrictions will continue to be enforced by Gwent Police, including moving traffic offences and dangerous parking.
