Council seek new powers to stop illegal parking in Peterborough - as results of consultation set to be announced

The results of a public consultation over whether Peterborough City Council should apply for new traffic enforcement powers to tackle illegal parking in the city centre is set to be announced in the coming weeks.

It comes as the local authority has come under pressure from residents to stop illegal parking on pavements and pedestrianised areas of the city.

The council now hopes to apply for enhanced powers under the Traffic Management Act (2004), which were previously unavailable outside of London.

The powers enable local authorities to penalise driving offences using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and issuing fines by post – powers that previously could only be enforced by the police.

The council is now assessing the feedback and responses from the consultation, which ended on December 23 last year, and will “make an announcement shortly” regarding the next steps.

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part in the recent consultation and provided us with valuable feedback.

“We are currently analysing the responses and will look to make an announcement shortly regarding our next steps.”

However, guidance dictates that there must be a six-month warning notice period for first offenders in all new enforcement locations, but then there will be the ability to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to offenders with a £70 fine reduced to £35, if paid within 14 days.

Initially, the council would enforce the following offences: - Entrance into Long Causeway from Westgate (Pedestrian zone)- Entrance into Westgate from Broadway / Midgate (Pedestrian and cycle zone)- Church Street / Cowgate Junction (No entry)- Queens Drive West (Safer school street)- Apollo Avenue / Peterborough Road - Stanground (Entering bus lane)- Bellona Drive / Whittlesey Road - Stanground (Entering bus lane)

Further down the line the new powers could give the council the ability to fine offenders for: incorrectly driving into a bus lane or through a bus gate, driving in a pedestrian zone, ignoring a no-entry sign, stopping in a yellow box junction, performing a banned right or left turn, performing an illegal U-turn and going the wrong way in a one-way street.