The Corporate Director Communities submitted a report to Council to seek approval from the Council to make a change to the Capital Programme to include a budget of £68,000 for the purchase of a Civil Parking Mobile Enforcement Vehicle. 

He stated that on the 1^st April 2013, Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) was given the powers to undertake civil parking enforcement (CPE) under the legislative powers of the Traffic Management Act 2004, to deliver effective parking enforcement.  Drivers who park their vehicles in areas such as on school ‘keep clear’ markings, bus stops and where a loading ban is in place, are a danger to road users and pedestrians, especially children, as well as causing traffic congestion. Road safety outside of schools is vitally important, and concerns in this regard have been expressed by schools, parents and local members representing the communities.

He advised Members that the Authority currently employs 12 Civil Enforcement Officers, exclusively operating within the County Borough of Bridgend to provide parking enforcement, both on-street and off-street across the Authority. They currently issue in the region of 10,000 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) per annum.  While enforcement resources were appropriate for the majority of parking infringements, it was of concern that it had been suggested that enforcement consistently fails to meet expectations in the areas of schools, bus stops and other locations where short-term parking is prohibited i.e. zig-zags associated with pedestrian crossing facilities, no loading/unloading restrictions, double yellow lines with kerb markings. (Note: these are not areas where blue badge holders would be exempt from penalty charge notices being applied).  He added that whilst officers are regularly deployed to these areas their physical presence prevents parking only whilst they are there. Once officers leave the area, inappropriate parking reoccurs.

The Cabinet Member Communities stated that the vehicle would be targeting improving road safety in the borough and inappropriate parking When parking enforcement officers were visible, parking and driving was generally fine but when they aren’t visible the inappropriate behaviours returned causing chaos.  Therefore, he endorsed the purchase of the Civil Enforcement Vehicle and equipment as a good investment stating that it would be a deterrent as it is mobile, therefore, holds back inappropriate behaviour.  He added that this decision had come from requests from schools, residents and some members.  He advised that it would be strictly controlled and not to be used outside areas identified in the report and the vehicle is bright yellow to ensure its visibility. 

Several Members welcomed the initiative around schools, as they had seen many occurrences of inconsiderate and dangerous parking with PCSO’s on duty getting verbal abuse on a regular basis. They welcomed the vehicle as a deterrent and as a good initiative to reduce putting our children in danger.

One Member added that as the dangerous and inconsiderate parking and driving did not only occur at the beginning and end of the school day but also during the middle of the day when younger nursery children were being dropped off and collected and asked for the timing of the traffic orders to be looked into as some were only inforce for an hour each side of the school day. The Corporate Director Communities agreed that he would review the traffic orders in place and feedback to Members. 

A member who was fully supportive for the funding of the vehicle asked if there was a possibility that rather than additional staff be employed to run this scheme that the Authority utilise existing staff for a more efficient enforcement scheme and utilise the additional funding for other road safety initiatives. 

The Corporate Director Communities stated that he undertook an assessment for this scheme and for it to work effectively extra resource would need to be employed.   The Cabinet Member Communities confirmed that although the foot patrols covered the Vale under the Shared Regulatory Service, this scheme only covered Bridgend and because it is our initiative, it was for BCBC to recruit the extra officers needed for the scheme to run effectively. is ness to recruit extra officers

A Member asked if there would be a programme of introduction of the vehicle and if it could be made known in the press and via various social media channels when the programme starts. 

The Corporate Director Operations stated that the first step was to procure the vehicle then it would be deployed and agreed upon in detail.  He added that due to reports from head teachers and Members of the public they knew where to most problematic areas were so they would be prioritising these areas first and foremost.  He added that the vehicle will also be able to take pictures on the move. 

RESOLVED: That Council approved that the Capital Programme be amended to include funding for to the purchase of a Civil Parking mobile enforcement vehicle, at an estimated cost of circa £68,000. The scheme will be funded from existing earmarked reserves.