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Moorside South Residents Association |
Car Parking Enforcement In Salford Borough
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CITY OF SALFORD PARKING ENFORCEMENT POLICY
This page is an insight to the Parking Enforcement Policy employed by The City Of Salford. In 2001 Salford City Council took on the de-criminalised parking enforcement in partnership with CPS (Central Parking System). Incidentally the contract with CPS concludes in 2006 and the tender will go out for 2007.
At present approximately 25 traffic wardens operate per day, and this number decreases at the weekend. The wardens can enforce on yellow-line regulations and on private car parks, however they cannot deal with obstruction offences. In the near future and pending legalities, Salford will eventually task wardens with other functions/enforcements i.e. dog fouling and litter dropping.
The Traffic Management Act 2004 charged local authorities with more control i.e. bus lane enforcement, minimum obstructions, no right turns etc.
Officially no parking is allowed on double yellow line, however traffic wardens do have guidance to practice discretion in certain circumstances i.e. funerals, weddings, unloading. The wardens will allow an observation time for such exceptions.
The traffic wardens have the power to clamp and remove vehicles, however as a rule Salford do not adopt this procedure and only use it in exceptional circumstances i.e. known repeat offenders. Salford have removed around 15 vehicles in total, which prompts the owner to come forward and pay the penalty. If the vehicle is not claimed, then it is crushed.
Salford does not have a policy for obstruction i.e. parking on pavements and this would be a police matter. The wardens could only intervene in these circumstances if a double-yellow line enforcement was broken.
Traffic wardens will normally work alone but will work in pairs for Health & Safety reasons or if a trainee is shadowing an experienced warden.
At present the penalty for an offence is £60, which is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days. If the penalty is not paid then it is increased to £90 plus a £5 warrant charge. To appeal, the holder of the penalty notice must write to the contractor. All contact details and how to appeal are printed on the back of the penalty notice. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the appeal i.e. if there are sufficient, reasonable grounds, then the notice is cancelled. If however the appeal is declined, after 28 days the registered keeper of the vehicle will be contacted with 7 options to make representations. The owner sends this back to the council, where a council officer will then make the decision to either accept or reject the appeal. If again it is rejected for a second time, the appeal is sent to an adjudicator. If the adjudicator accepts the appeal at this stage, costs can be awarded in certain cases. If the adjudicator rejects the appeal and the penalty notice holder still does not pay the penalty, then the bailiffs are involved.
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