Sharpening the commercial edge
The case for well-managed council commercial activity is one that needs to be defended if we want a mature and sustainable local state, argues Jonathan Werran.
Why innovation and collaboration are key to the next generation of parking
19/03/2021 Hannah Fuller calls on councils to take a multi-vendor approach to touchless parking. |
Councils report nearly 5% dip in parking profits
25/01/2021 Local authorities in England have reported a slight dip in parking profits, which they warn could impact their ability to fix potholes and tackle congestion. |
Insurer compares the market for parking fines
19/01/2021 Councils are issuing fines worth an average of £850,000 a year for parking offences, with one raking in more than £10m, according to new research. |
Council given power to tackle antisocial lorry parking
11/12/2020 Kent County Council has been given new powers to clamp and fine lorries that are illegally or inappropriately parked. |
Councils urged to provide free parking over the Christmas period
30/11/2020 Town hall chiefs have rejected calls that all local councils should provide free town centre parking over the festive period. |
London council to end outsourcing of parking enforcement
11/11/2020 Hackney Council is set to bring parking enforcement officers back in-house when its current contract ends in March 2022. |
Maximising income from car parks
23/10/2020 Ron Buck explores the different ways councils are making the most of their parking facilities as a means of driving revenue. |
Welsh councils to get pavement parking enforcement powers
15/10/2020 Councils in Wales could have greater powers to prevent pavement parking by 2022 after ministers backed recommendations from an independent taskforce. |
Ministers seek middle path on pavement parking
01/09/2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a consultation setting out three options to tackle the issue of pavement parking. |
Jenrick announces ‘crackdown’ on parking fines
01/09/2020 The Government has proposed a new code of practice aimed at eliminating unfair fines issued by private car parking firms. |
Council to review its Blue Badge process after investigation
13/08/2020 A London council has agreed to review the way it assesses applications for disabled parking permits following an investigation by the ombudsman. |
Selling off government car parks could deliver 110,000 new homes, study finds
15/07/2020 Public sector owned car parks have the potential to deliver more than 110,000 new homes while maintaining parking services, a new study has revealed. |
Glasgow to cut a third of parking and 'won't miss it'
05/06/2020 Glasgow city centre is set to suspend around a third of its on-street parking spaces to increase space for social distancing. |
Hancock announces free parking for NHS staff
26/03/2020 The Government has announced NHS trusts are to receive financial support to provide health care workers with free car parking during the coronavirus pandemic. |
Councils in London urged to increase cost of residential parking permits
18/03/2020 Councils in London are under-charging for residential on-street parking spaces, a think tank has found today. |
Councils back ban on pavement parking
12/03/2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has pledged to set out new plans to tackle pavement parking, which it said would make streets safer for parents and disabled people. |
Council clamps down on idling drivers by removing coach parking spots
23/01/2020 Westminster City Council is removing prime parking spots for coaches after drivers ignored previous warnings to turn off their engines while parked. |
Over 12,000 Blue Badges granted to people with ‘hidden disabilities’
02/01/2020 Thousands of people with hidden disabilities have benefitted from the Government’s extended Blue Badge scheme, new figures reveal. |
Prosecutions for Blue Badge fraud up by 18% in past year
05/12/2019 A third of councils in England do not have a policy in place to prosecute people for Blue Badge fraud, new figures have revealed today. |
Councils make £930m profit from parking
18/11/2019 Councils in England made a profit of £930m last year from their parking operations, new figures have revealed. |
Council broke its own blue badge assessment policy, Ombudsman finds
24/10/2019 Sheffield CC has agreed to review its process for dealing with blue badge applications after an investigation revealed it was breaking its own policy. |
Green number plates considered for electric cars
22/10/2019 The Government is considering introducing green licence plates to help councils identify and incentivise the drivers of the cleanest cars. |
Blue Badge: Achieving a citizen-first approach
18/10/2019 Paul Tomlinson explains how councils can balance the lack of standardisation with the Blue Badge service with their need for flexibility in designing and processing applications. |
Council apologises after motorist denied right to challenge parking ticket
26/09/2019 Cherwell DC has apologised ‘unreservedly’ after an investigation revealed that motorists were being denied the right to challenge parking tickets. |
MPs call for a ban on pavement parking
09/09/2019 The Government should introduce an outright ban on pavement parking across England, MPs have said today in a new report. |
Blue Badges offered to people with non-visible disabilities
30/08/2019 The Government has today implemented the expanded Blue Badge scheme which will now include people who have non-visible disabilities. |
London boroughs eye £750 workplace parking charge
25/07/2019 Several London boroughs are considering introducing workplace parking levies (WPLs) of at least £750 a year to cut pollution and encourage active travel. |
Council to refund hundreds of incorrect parking fines
04/07/2019 Hundreds of parking fines are to be repaid after a council discovered it had imposed them on motorists using free car parks. |
Councils set to make £1bn profit from parking
01/07/2019 Local authorities in England are predicting that they will make £913m of profit from their parking activities this financial year, although the real figure might be nearer £1bn. |
Review launched into Blue Badge fraud
17/06/2019 A new task force to help councils tackle the fraudulent use of Blue Badges has been set up by the Government. |
Ombudsman welcomes move to streamline complaints
31/05/2019 The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has welcomed a decision by the trade body representing bailiffs to give up dealing with complaints from members of the public. |
Age of the parking machine ‘could be coming to an end’, says minister
30/05/2019 The UK is 'on verge of revolution to make parking easier', according to a government announcement. |
Council told to consult residents over free parking
23/05/2019 Stockport Council has been told to consult residents over their right to free parking permits after the ombudsman found it had been unfairly refusing them. |
Councils raise £242m from parking permit applications
10/05/2019 Local authorities have raised hundreds of millions of pounds over the last three years thanks to applications for parking permits, according to a new study. |
Bringing efficiencies to the new Blue Badge digital service process
16/04/2019 With the Department for Transport’s new Blue Badge digital process now live, Hannah Buckley talks through the council’s strategy and transformative approach in responding to the challenges and timeframes. |
Westminster inaction prompts pavement parking inquiry
08/04/2019 The Transport Select Committee has launched an inquiry into pavement parking. |
Councils set for £1bn parking income
11/03/2019 Latest trends suggest councils in England could be set for a £1bn parking income by the end of the decade. |
Scottish Tories slam car park tax as ‘disgrace’
21/02/2019 Scottish Conservative council leaders have criticised a proposed car park tax that could be introduced in Glasgow and Edinburgh as a ‘total disgrace’. |
Councils must ensure parking fines are issued correctly, Ombudsman says
31/01/2019 The local government Ombudsman has urged councils to ensure they are using the correct legislation to issue parking fines at country parks. |
Council to reimburse drivers after ‘confusing signs’ lead to fines
24/01/2019 A county council has said it will reimburse the parking fines of drivers who were caught out by ‘confusing’ signs. |
Parking charges increase by £170m in five years
09/01/2019 Council chiefs defend themselves after research reveals local authorities have increased their revenue from parking charges by nearly £170m in five years, while simultaneously cutting road improvements. |
Blue Badge theft up by 45% in past year
30/11/2018 Councils have warned that Blue Badge theft in England has increased by 45% in the past 12 months. |
Whitehall backs ‘one-stop shop’ for appealing private parking fines
26/11/2018 The Government has thrown its weight behind a new independent appeals service for drivers wishing to challenge private parking fines. |
Councils made £867m profit from parking charges last year
20/11/2018 Car parking charges have generated 32% more profit for councils in England over the last four years, new figures have revealed. |
Welsh councils generated £10m profit from parking charges and fines last year
19/11/2018 Conservatives in Wales have accused councils of imposing a 'huge tax on shoppers' after figures revealed they made more than £10m this year from parking charges and fines. |
London penalty charge notices up 10%
15/11/2018 The number of penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by London’s highway authorities rose by 10% during the last financial year. |
Parking management worth £3.6bn, London boroughs say
03/10/2018 London’s boroughs have made the business case for their parking management, with a report that estimates it is worth £3.58bn per year to the capital’s economy. |
A smarter way to park with the help of asset finance
22/08/2018 Chris Wilkinson explores how asset finance can help councils improve the parking experiences of drivers. |
Blue Badge extended to cover 'hidden disabilities'
30/07/2018 A decision to extend the Blue Badge parking scheme to people with mental conditions has been hailed as a 'lifeline'. |
Congested cities, circling cars, and the price of parking
23/07/2018 Anthony Eskinazi explores measures local authorities can introduce to combat emissions from cars - and the role that parking plays in this. |
Council fights thieves by ‘armour-plating’ parking meters
17/05/2018 Leicester City Council has been forced to armour-plate its parking meters to discourage thieves. |
The positives of pain-free parking - for drivers, councils and cities
30/04/2018 Anthony Eskinazi explains how the 'future' version of parking could be a reality in every city tomorrow. |
Blue Badge thefts quadruple in five years
15/02/2018 The theft of Blue Badges has quadrupled in the last five years, council chiefs warn. |
Online council information for drivers with disabilities ‘poor’, Socitm finds
02/02/2018 Council parking services do a ‘poor job’ when it comes to the provision of online information for drivers with disabilities, ICT body warns. |
Council to review policy of charging disabled people £3,300 to park near home
25/01/2018 Cornwall Council has confirmed it will ‘urgently review’ its policy to charge people with disabilities over £3,000 for disabled parking spaces near their homes. |
Blue badge reform to improve travel for people with ‘hidden disabilities’
22/01/2018 A proposed reform to the blue badge criteria could mean people with ‘hidden disabilities’ will find it easier to travel. |
Council workers protesting ‘outrageous’ withdrawal of free parking passes
18/01/2018 Hull City Council employees are staging a demonstration today over the council’s decision to withdraw their free parking passes. |
Council forced to remove fake parking signs
12/01/2018 A council has been forced to remove fake residents-only parking signs after an estimated 18 appeared across two streets. |
Ex-council deputy leader 'breached' code of conduct over parking fines
11/01/2018 The former deputy leader of Sandwell Council has breached the code of conduct for underselling a public toilet to a friend, and attempting to quash parking tickets for his wife and children. |
Councils urged to limit the number of parking fines issued by motoring group
12/12/2017 The AA has launched a campaign against 'rampant ticketing' by council and private parking enforcers. |
Councils make record £819m parking profit
27/11/2017 English councils made a record £819m from their parking operations in the last financial year, a new RAC report finds. |
Cardiff launches new smart parking app
08/11/2017 Cardiff has become the first council in Europe to launch a new smart parking system across its citywide road network. |
Edinburgh considers parking surcharge for diesel cars
25/10/2017 A surcharge on parking permits for diesel cars is being considered by the City of Edinburgh Council. |
Council cracks down on illegally parked supercars
04/10/2017 Westminster City Council’s traffic marshals have been carrying out ‘special operations’ in a bid to crack down on illegally parked supercars. |
Foreign drivers owe £1m in Westminster parking fines
27/09/2017 Drivers from abroad rack up more than £1m in parking fines in Westminster, council says. |
Council fined due to security risk of ‘flawed’ parking ticket system
18/08/2017 Islington Council has received a £70,000 fine after an investigation found it failed to secure the personal details of up to 89,000 people on its parking ticket system. |
Council saves thousands by removing pay and display machines
15/08/2017 A council is saving thousands of pounds and generating extra income by removing pay and display parking machines and shifting to cashless payments. |
Majority of drivers avoid pay-by-phone parking bays finds research
09/08/2017 Seven out of ten drivers are more likely to drive by than park somewhere they can only pay by phone, potentially driving customers away from struggling high streets, according to the AA. |
Parking tickets from private companies ‘soar’
25/07/2017 The number of motorists handed tickets by private parking companies has soared in one year, official figures suggest. |
'Parking pain' costs UK economy £30bn a year
14/07/2017 UK drivers spend on average 44 hours a year looking for parking, costing them £733 each in time, fuel and emissions and totalling £23.3bn across the country, leading traffic analysts have estimated. |
Owners of ‘inconsiderately parked’ cars face £2,500 fine
09/06/2017 Vehicle owners living in Boston who repeatedly block bin lorries will face prosecution and a fine that could run into the thousands, says council. |
'Glitch' in car parking app causes serious data breach
18/04/2017 An update of a car parking app used by councils across the country has exposed users to a serious data breach. |
Scottish councils rake in £40m from parking penalties
06/04/2017 Local authorities in Scotland made more than £40m surplus from car parking fines and charges during the last financial year, according to the RAC Foundation. |
Councils call for powers to ban pavement parking
24/03/2017 Councils have called for laws banning pavement parking in London to be rolled out across the country in order to crack down on motorists endangering lives. |
Council introduces £150 diesel levy
15/03/2017 A London council is set to introduce a new diesel levy of £150 — up from £65 — to tackle air pollution. |
Council at war with Lamborghini driver over parking spot
27/02/2017 Gloucestershire County Council is in the middle of a parking war with a Lamborghini driver who insists on parking in the mayor’s space. |
Winners of £4m tech funding to improve journeys are revealed
21/02/2017 Nineteen councils will share £4m funding to deliver tech projects that cut congestion and improve parking in city centres. |
Councils urged to bid for electric car charging fund
14/02/2017 Local authorities are being urged to bid for a share of £2.5m funding to install on-street electric car chargers. |
Ombudsman calls for ‘fairness’ over parking fines
06/02/2017 Councils in England need to do more to ensure parking fines are ‘fair to all’, Ombudsman says. |
Four days a year ‘wasted’ by motorists looking for parking spaces
01/02/2017 Motorists spend nearly four days a year looking for a parking space, according to new research. |
London council to trial ’polluter pays’ parking charges
30/01/2017 A pilot scheme to charge diesel cars more for parking within Marylebone is to be piloted by Westminster City Council from April. |
Motorists voice concerns over cost and availability of parking
20/01/2017 The number of motorists that are concerned over the availability of parking has increased by 75% in the past year, according to the results of a new survey. |
Motorists voice preference for traditional ways of paying for parking
09/01/2017 Half of motorists prefer to use traditional cash pay and display machines when paying for parking, with 28% saying they do not trust new technologies, a new survey has revealed. |
Councillors reject accusations they profit from ‘excessive’ parking charges
09/12/2016 Council leaders have hit back at accusations that they have profited from excessive car parking charges. |
Govt gets behind council parking charges legislation
28/11/2016 A Private Member’s Bill has been put forward to assist councils with cutting parking charges – and ensuring they consult when seeking to raise them. |
Welsh councils report £14m profit on parking activities
17/11/2016 Local authorities in Wales made a profit of nearly £14m on their parking activities in the last financial year. |
Council declares out-of-date blue badge amnesty
11/10/2016 North Somerset Council has declared a month long amnesty to encourage people to hand in out-of-date blue badges. |
Blue badge thefts treble in three years
22/08/2016 The number of blue badge thefts has risen by a fifth in the past 12 months and has trebled in three years, councils warn. |
City council sends in cameras to improve road safety
28/06/2016 Portsmouth City Council could soon deploy roving cameras to protect schoolchildren from dangerous drivers. |
Rogue companies dump more than 1,000 cars near Gatwick Airport
28/06/2016 A investigation by two councils and the police has uncovered more than a 1,000 vehicles abandoned by rogue parking operators in a boggy field near Gatwick Airport. |
County accused at 'shedding staff' via parking charge
20/06/2016 Somerset County Council has been accused of forcing staff to leave the authority under plans to charge staff to park at its headquarters by a trade union. |
Workplace parking levy raises millions for council
08/06/2016 New research has revealed council’s parking levy brings in £9m a year, prompting a transport campaign group to recommend other local authorities follow suit. |
Research reveals hike in cost of parking permits
23/05/2016 Councils have increased the cost of a residential parking permit by an average of 51% since 2011, according to new research. |
Town halls using parking charges to raise cash
13/04/2016 Local authorities are collecting increasing amounts of revenue from parking charges, despite a court ruling forbidding the use of such charges as a form of taxation. |
Encouraging compliance to fulfill new street safety objectives
12/04/2016 Nigel Coltman argues that now is the time to build on the success of decriminalised enforcement to ensure limited police resources are not overstretched as councils look to further improve community safety. |
Council writes off thousands of 'irrecoverable' parking tickets
04/04/2016 A council will save thousands by writing off ‘bad debts’ from irrecoverable parking tickets. |
County becomes final council to charge for Blue Badges
03/02/2016 Lancashire County Council has introduced a £10 charge for issuing Blue Badges, making it the final council in England to charge for the service. |
Plymouth first to launch 'dementia friendly' parking spaces
02/02/2016 Parking spaces designed specifically for people caring for those with dementia have been unveiled by Plymouth City Council. |
Agreement paves the way for blue badge abuse crackdown
26/01/2016 Police and local authorities in Scotland have agreed to share information in order to crack down on the misuse of disabled parking permits. |
Council launches crackdown on selfish parking
20/01/2016 Drivers in Scarborough who park their cars on the pavement or block driveways will be served with ‘advice notices’ under a new scheme. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
