TECHNOLOGY FOR ENFORCEMENT
303. Parking attendants are increasingly being assisted
by the new technology, notably use of digital cameras to record
evidence of parking contraventions. This evidence is proving helpful
both to councils and the parking adjudicators in dealing with
challenges to penalty charge notices. Westminster City Council
planned to photograph all parking contraventions that result in
Penalty Charge Notices by April 2006 as part of a wider policy.
"This is part of our process of moving towards a fairer and
more customer-focused service by embracing new technology, utilising
digital cameras, mobile phone payment, and cashless parking."[263]
304. Essex County Council complained that parking
adjudicators are requiring increasingly burdensome evidence that
contraventions have taken place, including photographs.[264]
The Chief Parking Adjudicator for England and Wales clarified
the position. "There is no requirement for corroboration
of the parking attendant's evidence but where the adjudicator
is required to consider two conflicting accounts the decision
will necessarily be made at least in part on the quality of the
evidence presented (emphasis applied)."[265]
305. The use of digital cameras to provide photographic
evidence of parking offences is a step in the right direction.
Provision by councils of such evidence to motorists at the first
opportunity when a challenge has been made, will save time and
costs associated with subsequent correspondence and possible appeals.
306. In London, where civil enforcement applies to
some moving traffic offences as well as parking offences, CCTV
cameras have been used to detect and process contraventions. The
Traffic Management Act 2004 will extend this beyond London to
other local authorities in England and Wales. The types of offence
to be included are stopping in bus lanes, yellow box junctions,
no right turns, and one-way streets. London authorities have found
camera enforcement to be a generally efficient method of detecting
these offences.
307. We support applying civil enforcement measures
to moving traffic offences throughout the country, for example,
stopping in bus lanes. These measures are designed to improve
traffic management on congested streets and keep the traffic moving.
Councils must ensure however that, as is particularly important
with fresh initiatives in street and road traffic management,
the regulations in force are carefully and clearly communicated
to drivers. The new measures must also be carefully evaluated
for success or failure.
TECHNOLOGY FOR PROCESSING TICKETS
308. Technological advances can also assist the 'back-office'
operation of local authority parking departments where Penalty
Charge Notices and representations are processed. Westminster
City Council has adopted a new 'IT solution' for processing tickets
to promote both efficiency and customer service. The Council hopes
to become a leader in the provision of processing and customer
handling.[266] Manchester
City Council has brought its processing work within the council,
including development of technology and IT systems, "allowing
investment to be made in the service unhindered by contract durations".[267]
309. A number of technologies designed to improve
the quality of parking operations were brought to our attention.
We welcome these initiatives and wish to see more use being made
of technology. Extensive use of effective and well trialled technology
will bring benefits to motorists, local communities, and council
enforcement activities. Local authorities should be encouraged
by the Department for Transport to invest in the new technologies.
310. We wish to know from the Department how the
research for technologies to aid parking enforcement is organised;
what role the Department has in identifying and trialling potentially
useful new technologies; and what guidance there will be to local
authorities to ensure that practice over the country in the use
of technology to support parking is uniform where possible, economies
of scale are achieved, best practice is shared, and the repetition
of mistakes avoided.
252 Ev 92 Back
253
Ev 136, Ev 01 Back
254
Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group Corporate Plan 2004-2007; and
PAR 04 Annex 3 Back
255
Ev 136 Back
256
Ev 67. "Car cloning" is when false number plates are
used on a vehicle. The owner of the properly registered vehicle
will then receive parking penalty charge notices for whatever
activity is carried out in the vehicle with the 'cloned' registration
plate. Back
257
RAC Foundation Press Release. The Security Industry Authority
exists to manage the licensing of the private security industry
as set out in the Private Security Industry Act 2001, see http://www.the-sia.org.uk/home/ Back
258
Written Ministerial Statement, 2 December 2005, Stephen Ladyman
MP Back
259
Department for Transport Ministerial Written Statement, 16 February
2006 Back
260
Institution of Highways and Transportation (2005) Parking Strategies
and Management Back
261
Institution of Highways and Transportation (2005) Parking Strategies
and Management Back
262
Ev 96 Back
263
Ev 25 Back
264
Ev 139 Back
265
Ev 106 Back
266
Ev 25 Back
267
Ev 29 Back
