Council faces backlash over near-600% parking hike
20/08/2024 ‘Ridiculous’ parking charge increases in a coastal Kent town have prompted complaints from residents and a petition with more than a thousand signatures. |
Ealing set for ‘parking chaos’ during strikes
15/08/2024 Three weeks of ‘parking chaos’ await Ealing during planned strikes by 40 traffic wardens, Unite has warned. |
Council set to trial motorhome parking ban
09/08/2024 North Yorkshire Council is set to trial a ban on overnight motorhome parking at coastal hotspots because of ‘safety fears’ and escalating complaints from residents. |
Plans to boost Teesside Freeport vehicle and access approved
22/07/2024 Plans for new transport facilities to support the growing number of vehicles entering the Teesworks site on Teesside have been given the green light. |
Councillors back £88,000 parking revamp
12/07/2024 Unreliable parking ticket machines in Rugby will be replaced as part of the council’s mission to regenerate the town centre. |
Requests for driver details rise
18/06/2024 Councils and parking companies are increasingly requesting details about a car’s registered keeper, which allows them to fine drivers, according to a car sales firm. |
London sees 400% increase in blue badge thefts
04/06/2024 A fourfold increase in the number of blue badge thefts in London is partly the result of local authority cuts, warns London Assembly Member. |
Council parking income set to top £2bn
10/04/2024 English Councils received nearly £2bn in income from on and off-street parking in 2022-23, but paid out nearly £1bn in running and enforcement costs. |
Changing lanes: why moving to an Open Market model for parking is the right choice for councils
08/02/2024 Peter O’Driscoll, Managing Director at RingGo, makes the case for an Open Market model for parking. |
Westminster revamps emissions-based parking charges
30/01/2024 Westminster City Council will revamp its parking schemes so that residents and visitors are charged based on their vehicles’ tailpipe emissions. |
Edinburgh first to enforce pavement parking ban
29/01/2024 Edinburgh City Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to enforce a ban on pavement parking. |
Council referrals to bailiffs up 20%
24/01/2024 Referrals to bailiffs in England and Wales to recover council debts have risen by nearly 20%, a BBC investigation has found. |
Council’s parking fine income up 50%
08/01/2024 Buckinghamshire Council brought in £1.4m from parking fines in 2023, a 50% increase compared to 2022. |
Parking meters face disruption from 2G switch off
18/12/2023 Parking meters, alarm systems and telecare devices risk facing disruption when 2G and 3G mobile networks are switched off, council chiefs warn. |
Transport planners take on 'hotly contested' parking debate
15/12/2023 A report from the Transport Planning Society argues that current parking practice promotes car use and outlines policy recommendations to lower carbon travel. |
Councillors reject £1.5m debt write-off
04/12/2023 Councillors in Bolton have voted against plans to write off £1.5m worth of debt owed by the local authority's parking operator. |
Councils' parking revenue approaches £1bn
13/10/2023 The income councils raked in from parking surged to almost £1bn in the last financial year. |
Charity calls for pavement parking crack down
25/09/2023 A charity for the visually impaired has urged the Government to do more to crack down on pavement parking. |
Bristol rules out workplace parking levy
10/08/2023 Bristol City Council has ruled out introducing a workplace parking levy because of the cost-of-living crisis. |
Developers to convert Cheltenham car park into housing site
02/08/2023 Cheltenham Borough Council will consider plans to transform a car park into a 150-home development. |
London Councils signals hike in parking and traffic penalties
01/08/2023 Cross-party group London Councils is consulting on penalty charges for parking and traffic offences, and says current charges are not high enough. |
Greenwich brings in parking charges based on emissions
31/07/2023 Parking charges and resident and business permits in Greenwich are now based on vehicles’ carbon dioxide emissions. |
Town centre parking charges to be reviewed
31/07/2023 Changes to parking charges and debt recovery fees could soon be introduced as the Government looks at ways to better regulate the private parking industry. |
Cash-strapped Thurrock to hike charges
08/06/2023 Beleaguered Thurrock Council is set to increase charges for its services to help deal with its cash crisis. |
Car parks at risk from EV increase
05/06/2023 An increase in the use of heavy electric vehicles poses a risk to car parks, structural engineers have warned. |
Council apologises for fining entire car park
17/05/2023 A local authority has apologised after all the vehicles in a car park were mistakenly issued with fines. |
Counter-terrorism measures restrict blue badge parking, campaigners say
11/04/2023 A policy of restricting access to York city centre for motorists with blue badges has been slammed as ‘disproportionate’ and a human rights breach. |
Don’t force drivers to pay for parking with smartphones, Gove says
06/04/2023 Levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has told councils they must not force drivers to use smartphones to pay for parking spaces. |
Pavement parking ban parked after 'frustratingly slow' jibe
04/04/2023 The Welsh Government has shelved a consultation on banning pavement parking after councils apparently claimed they were too busy to engage with it. |
Motorists face digital exclusion from car parks, MPs warn
30/03/2023 MPs have asked the Government to help motorists who have problems parking because of increasing use of mobile technology apps. |
Council raises safety fears after Clarkson Farm row
15/03/2023 Oxfordshire council has imposed ‘safety precautions’ after death threats were made to councillors who oppose extension of a car park at Jeremy Clarkson’s farm. |
Councillors’ parking tickets binned by officers in Liverpool
08/02/2023 Council officers in Liverpool binned dozens of parking tickets given to councillors without going through any formal process, according to a local newspaper. |
Better use of car parks to bolster bottom lines
07/02/2023 Chris Wortley, managing director of intelligent parking company Metric Group, examines how councils can make better commercial use of their car parks. |
Council drops plans for a new workplace parking levy
08/11/2022 Leicester City Council has dropped plans to introduce a workplace parking levy (WPL) in 2023 due to the cost of living crisis. |
Council to take legal action over 200,000 parking payments
14/10/2022 Worcester City Council is planning to take legal action against the car park operator Flowbird over delayed customer repayments. |
Councils team up to save £100,000 on parking enforcement
31/08/2022 Cherwell District Council is set to strike a new deal with Oxfordshire County Council that will see car park enforcement streamlined. |
Councils accused of allowing cars to hold public space ‘hostage’
24/08/2022 Activists have accused councils of allowing cars to hold public space ‘hostage’ by charging more for the suspension of parking spaces than for parking permits. |
Workplace Parking Levy: Surviving the cost of living crisis
19/08/2022 Christopher Hammond, UK100 membership director, argues now is the time for councils to follow Nottingham City Council in introducing a Workplace Parking Levy. |
Council launches review into HMOs in Northampton
22/06/2022 West Northamptonshire Council yesterday launched a review into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Northampton after complaints by local campaigners. |
Council defends controversial ditch
18/05/2022 A local council has defended its decision to dig a ditch alongside a car park after residents said it blocked their access to the beach. |
Council chiefs call for action against ‘scourge’ of pavement parking
18/05/2022 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to give councils the freedom to ban pavement parking in their own areas. |
Cap parking provision at one space per property, charity says
14/03/2022 A charity has called for car parking provision at new housing developments to be capped at a maximum of one space per property. |
New greenfield developments encouraging congestion, report argues
08/02/2022 New housing developments on greenfield land are locking local communities into car dependency, a report has argued. |
Cowboy parking firms targeted by new Code of Practice
07/02/2022 Drivers are set to benefit from the launch today of a new Code of Practice aimed at cracking down on cowboy private car parking firms. |
Leicester aims for workplace parking levy by 2023
07/01/2022 Leicester City Council has announced plans to introduce a workplace parking levy based on the Nottingham model. |
City council considers bringing in parking levy
21/12/2021 Leicester City Council has launched a consultation over a scheme that could see companies charged for car parking spaces. |
Worcester named best city for accessible parking
25/11/2021 Worcester is the UK city with the most accessible parking, according to the results of a new survey. |
Councils call for increase in parking penalty charges
31/08/2021 Local authorities across the UK have called for an increase in parking penalty charges to make them a more effective deterrent. |
County to get new powers to tackle illegal parking
14/07/2021 The Government has approved Oxfordshire County Council's plan to take responsibility for all civil parking enforcement across the county. |
IoT technology: Benefitting local authorities and councils
02/07/2021 Nick Sacke outlines some of the primary challenges being faced by local authorities and how technology can help. |
Government rejects council's bid to extend lorry parking ban
30/06/2021 The Government has rejected a bid by Kent County Council to extend its lorry parking ban pilot by a further six months. |
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'. |
Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.
Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.
Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.