New Parking Rules Come into Force

From today councils across England, including Shepway, have new parking powers including the right to use CCTV to detect offences and to send Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) by post if the offence was spotted on photos or CCTV, or even if the vehicle is driven away after an offence is identified but before a ticket can be issued.

The Traffic Management Act 2004, which came into force on 31 March 2008, has changed the statutory Regulations governing parking and the procedure for enforcing all PCNs issued on or after that date.

Around 200 councils in England (outside London) and Wales have taken on civil-enforcement powers, issue Penalty Charge Notices - or parking tickets - and have signed up to the PATROL scheme. They have funded and launched new website, www.patrol-uk.info, which explains parking rules and the enforcement process and advises drivers on how to challenge a ticket.