As of 31st March 2008, the Traffic Management Act attempts to bring the powers of London and non-London authorities in line in order to provide greater consistency across the Country while allowing parking policies to suit local circumstances.
The new legal framework also seeks to ensure that the system is fair to the motorist as well as effective enforcement of parking restrictions.
The main elements of the changes are:
- Parking Attendants will be called Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO)
- The introduction of parking penalties based on differential charges to provide a penalty appropriate to the seriousness of the contravention.
- Powers to serve a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) by post if the CEO has started to issue the PCN but the driver either drives away before it can be served or is prevented from serving due to aggressive or threatening behaviour (Regulation 10 PCN's).
- The Parking Adjudicator will have the power to decide cases where procedural irregularity has taken place and to refer appeals back to the local authority via the Chief Executives office if he or she considered that suitable discretion with regard to mitigating circumstances was not exercised when considering an appeal.
- Ability to issue PCN's for parking within a restricted pedestrian crossing (joint responsibility with the Police) ie pedexes (pelican, puffin and other crossings).
- New powers to enforce double parking and parking across dropped footways subject to signing.
- An obligation to the Council to publish its policies on enforcement and cancellation of PCN's.
- Statutory timeframes for responding to representations.
Differential Penalties
- The TMA requires authorities to introduce two levels of penalty charges, which are considered fairer in that they relate to the seriousness of the contravention.
| Higher Contravention |
Lower Contravention |
| £70 (£35 if paid at discounted rate) |
£50 (£25 if paid at discounted rate) |
- Parking on double yellow lines or in a disabled bay without displaying a valid blue badge is more serious (higher contravention) than for example not clearly displaying a valid pay and display ticket (lower contravention). More details can be found by clicking on the link below 'Contravention Codes and Differential Charges'.
The following enforcement protocol will be adopted by Northamptonshire County Council:
As of 31st March 2008, the following contravention codes and differential charges will apply: