Civil Parking Enforcement
starts today
Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) starts today, 12 May 2008.
This is a major change to the method of enforcing parking regulations on the streets and in public car parks. Previously the police were responsible for enforcing the yellow-line regulations and issuing penalty tickets. Now the job has been passed to local councils, hence the word "Civil" in the title.
In Nottinghamshire (outside Nottingham city), all 7 of the district/borough councils have entered into a partnership with the county council to run CPE, and the actual enforcement on the streets has been contracted out to NCP, who will be employing Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) to patrol the streets and car parks.
In Rushcliffe, 4 CEOs will be employed to patrol the car parks owned by the Borough Council and all the yellow lines.
Nottingham city has its own CPE scheme, but this is very similar to the county's scheme and will look no different to the motorist.
The main change for motorists is that enforcement will now be more frequent and stricter than before.
Drivers can't expect to park on a yellow line and get away with it!
Drivers can't expect to overstay their paid-for time in a car park and get away with it!
Hopefully the new system will ease the flow of traffic and make more spaces available for more genuine short-time need such as shopping.
The police will still be able to take action in cases such as obstruction or parking at a junction.
