Consultation on Penalty Charge Notices for Parking Enforcement
Feedback updated 30 Sep 2022
We asked
We sought views from stakeholders and interested parties on proposals that relate to the Government’s existing guidance on penalty charge levels and also the amount of the penalty charge for the new parking prohibitions which in the future will be set out in regulations.
You said
75% of responders agreed that an equivalent contravention code list should be created for Scotland. Common themes surrounding the agreement were that it potentially could make contraventions clearer for drivers throughout the UK and reduce confusion.
We asked participants if the newly introduced parking contraventions from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, (pavement parking, double parking and parking over a dropped kerb) should be considered as a higher contravention where 72% or responders agreed with this proposal.
When concerning a penalty charge increase, 70% of respondents agreed that PCN’s should be increased.
We did
We have published non-confidential responses to the consultation and an analysis of the consultation responses. The full analysis report can be found at;
Penalty Charge Notices for Parking Enforcement - Consultation Analysis Report | Transport Scotland
Given the findings Transport Scotland feel there is merit in working towards a Scottish version of parking contravention codes and to include the newly introduced parking prohibitions from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 in that list.
There was also strong response to our suggestion that Penalty Charges should be increased with 70% of respondents in agreement. Although these results point towards a desired increase, it is Transport Scotland’s view that this is not an appropriate time to introduce due to the current cost of living crisis. We will continue to monitor this issue and will review in the near future.
Results updated 30 Sep 2022
Given the findings Transport Scotland feel there is merit in working towards a Scottish version of parking contravention codes and to include the newly introduced parking prohibitions from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 in that list.
There was also strong response to our suggestion that Penalty Charges should be increased with 70% of respondents in agreement. Although these results point towards a desired increase, it is Transport Scotland’s view that this is not an appropriate time to introduce due to the current cost of living crisis. We will continue to monitor this issue and will review in the near future.
Links:
Published responses
View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.
Overview
Since 1997, 21 local authorities in Scotland have introduced decriminalised parking enforcement regimes into their areas. These regimes enable local authorities to administer their own parking policies and penalty charge schemes to control on-street parking.
We believe parking policies are an essential part of a local authority’s traffic management strategy as they are designed to effectively manage the traffic network, improve and maintain traffic flows whilst reducing congestion.
The integration of enforcement powers and parking policy enhances a local authority’s accountability to its residents, through better monitoring of the effectiveness of the parking controls in place to ensure that their parking policy is responsive to public needs.
However, parking has become a contentious issue across our towns and cities as we seek to improve the country’s health and encourage active travel whilst making our streets more accessible for all.
It’s encouraging to see increased rates of cycling in Scotland, but we know that some people who previously used their private vehicle to travel may be even more reliant on their vehicle now as a result of COVID-19. In addition, measures to encourage active travel through the Spaces for People initiative may have temporarily impacted on-street parking options. To that end, an effective parking enforcement regime is critical to managing to keep Scotland moving (and parking) effectively.
Why your views matter
We have been working to improve parking legislation in Scotland by introducing provisions within the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 that will ban pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs, thereby tackling the impact of inconsiderate and obstructive parking. These changes will impose new duties on local authorities to enforce these new provisions.
For enforcement to be effective, penalty charges for parking in breach of the prohibitions need to be set at an appropriate level. This is why the Scottish Government is seeking your views on proposals that relate to the Government’s existing guidance on penalty charge levels and also the amount of the penalty charge for the new parking prohibitions which in the future will be set out in regulations.
What happens next
Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at http://consult.gov.scot. If you use the consultation hub to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email.
Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us. Responses will be published where we have been given permission to do so. An analysis report will also be made available.
Interests
- Transport
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