Traffic wardens return to streets

The parking free-for-all is almost over and traffic wardens are about to return to the streets of Newark and Sherwood.

Notts Parking Partnership takes control of on-street parking and parking in council carparks from May 12.

The partnership is made up of the county council and the seven district and borough councils in Nottinghamshire.

Motorists who park illegally in Ollerton face receiving a fine when traffic wardens return to the district a week on Monday.

Notts Parking Partnership, which comprises Nottinghamshire County Council and seven district and borough councils, is taking over the control of parking on streets and in council-maintained carparks on May 12.

About 20 civil parking enforcement officers are expected to be employed across the county.

Three will cover Newark and Sherwood. One or two will work full-time in Newark at any given time.

They will also cover Ollerton and other towns and villages such as Southwell and Edwinstowe as required.

The streets have been a virtual free-for-all since the police retrained their wardens as community support officers three years ago.

Apart from infrequent purges, the police have only issued tickets to vehicles causing an obstruction.

The leader of Ollerton and Boughton Town Council, Mr Ben Wells, said illegal parking was common on Forest Road and Sherwood Drive, Ollerton.

Mr Wells said motorists parked on double yellow lines and parked all day in spaces that had a time limit.

“Hopefully, from May 12, this will be put right,” he said.

“It will upset some people to start with but it will assist people with parking.”

Fines will be issued to people who park on yellow lines when waiting or loading restrictions apply, stay beyond the time limit in a short stay space, park in a bus stop or bus or cycle lane during prohibited hours or in a loading bay, space for disabled people or a taxi rank unless authorised, or break any other parking restriction.

A high-profile publicity campaign is under way and leaflets informing people of the changes have been distributed throughout the county.

Parking enforcement officers are issuing dummy tickets in the run-up to May 12.

The details of vehicles that receive dummy tickets will be logged so if the same vehicle is subsequently ticketed for real the motorist cannot claim they were unaware of the changes.

People who park illegally on single or double yellow lines will be fined £70.

Those who commit less serious offences, such as parking for longer than permitted, will be fined £50.

Both fines will be halved if paid within 14 days.

The fine for parking offences in carparks is currently £60 reduced to either £30 or £20, depending on the offence, if paid within ten days.

The new charges for carparks will be the same as on-street charges — £70 for unauthorised parking in a disabled bay or £50 for overstaying.

The hours the enforcement officers will work will vary, depending on when restrictions are in force but would typically be from 8am-6pm.