Police support council taking on parking legislation
Posted on Wednesday 10th April 2019
Motorists who park illegally will face prosecution
Motorists who park illegally will face prosecution by Newport City Council from 1 July once the Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) regulations kick in.
In recent months traffic orders have been checked and where necessary parking enforcement signs and single and double yellow lines have been updated or replaced in readiness for the big day.
The council has also been recruiting for a team of 12 civil enforcement officers who will be patrolling the streets across the city from 1 July to ensure drivers are not breaking the rules.
If a vehicle is found to be parked unlawfully the officers will have the power to issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)
The council is taking over CPE from Gwent Police who will withdraw from parking enforcement on 30 June 2019 with the council taking over from the next day.
However the responsibility of enforcing other traffic related legislation, particularly for more serious offences or where it is necessary in the interests of public safety, remains with Gwent Police.
A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: “We will continue to work in partnership with our colleagues at Newport City Council to ensure the city is a safe place to work and live, however we will no longer be the lead agency regarding parking offences.
“We welcome the fact that civil parking enforcement will be a priority for the Local Authority, with significant resource being involved to make a positive difference within communities.”
Newport City Council’s CPE campaign to remind motorists of the rules of the Highway Code in relation to parking starts in the coming weeks with a #ParkRight message.
Councillor Roger Jeavons, Newport City Council’s cabinet member for Streetscene, said: “There has been a good response from the recruitment push to take on people to carry out duties under the CPE rules from 1 July.
“We will be reminding our residents of parking legislation, which is outlined in the Highway Code, in the next few months with our #ParkRight campaign.”