June 2007 News
Fairer and greener parking from 1 July
Important changes in parking regulations come into effect on 1 July 2007. The new rules are designed to reduce pollution levels by penalising serious gas guzzlers, rewarding people who use environmentally friendly cars, improving parking, especially for disabled people, and ensuring a fair and proportionate system for parking contraventions, so that more serious contraventions carry higher penalties. The changes are set to make Hackney greener, safer and cleaner.
Permit changes
All residents and business owners will receive a comprehensive booklet detailing the changes in the post this week. 70% of the borough’s permit holders currently have a vehicle with a normal sized engine (1200cc – 2000cc). Therefore they will see no real terms rise at all in their permit. If they apply for a renewal online there is a £5 discount on the permit price. Those with environmentally friendly cars (engines below 1200cc, or that run on green/hybrid fuel) will be eligible for either a half price discount or an entirely free permit (see note 1). Motorbikes and mopeds will be able to park for free in residents, business and shared use bays. The motorbike must be parked at the end of the bay and must be at right angles to the kerb.
Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods welcomed the changes and said: “This is the first permit review the Council has introduced since 2002. The vast majority (84%) of vehicle owners in the borough will not see any real terms increase in their permit prices. Only 1% of permit holders have a vehicle which is in the largest engine category (4000cc), who will be asked to pay £207.50 for their permit (150% increase on a normal permit price). These changes are about introducing a system which is fair and really tackles the air pollution problem we have in this borough and across London.”
Changes to charges for parking and traffic contraventions
A London-wide two tier parking contravention system is also being introduced on 1 July. In line with new guidelines, parking contraventions will be split into two categories, so that people are penalised differently depending on what type of parking contravention they have committed. The Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by parking attendants will no longer result in a flat fee of £100. Instead more serious parking contraventions (e.g. parking in a disabled bay illegally) will mean a higher fine of £120 (£60 if paid within 14 days). Less serious contraventions (e.g. parking with an expired pay and display ticket) will carry a lower fine of £80 (or £40 if paid within 14 days).
Hackney Council also intends to change its clamping and removal policy. Under the new policy, only vehicles in exceptional circumstances will be clamped and or towed, meaning fewer cars will be clamped. For example cars parked in permitted spaces will not normally be clamped, unless for example the owner is a persistent evader of fines.
Companion badge and disabled parking consultation
The companion badge, introduced to stop the theft of blue badges (which entitle the holder to park in disabled bays) will be free from 1 July. The companion badge carries the registration number of the vehicle the blue badge owner uses therefore it cannot be used in any other car. So far it has proved very effective in counteracting blue badge fraud and theft.
Following a major consultation with disabled residents and carers earlier this year, there will be significant improvements made to the number and location of disabled parking bays in the borough. This will result in an increase in the number of disabled bays located outside public buildings, public amenities and car parks managed by the Council. There will also be stricter penalties for vehicles without blue badges that park in disabled bays.
More information
Visit our parking is changing page for more more details on the changes and to download a copy of the information brochure or call 020 8356 8877 to request a copy by post. Information is also available in Bengali, French, Kurdish, Polish, Urdu, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese, other languages on request, on tape, on disk and in Braille.
Page updated: 11 Jun 2007
Parking is Changing Booklet (2MB)