We must all take care when we park. Restrictions are in place for a reason, often to protect people or to help easy congestion. The reasons are not always obvious. West Suffolk Council enforce the rules they don’t set them.

In managing the expectations of residents, everyone is reminded that:-

1. CPE powers are enshrined in law (Highways Act 1980, Traffic Management Act 2004 and Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984)

2. In its capacity as the Highway Authority, Suffolk County Council delegates CPE enforcement functions to us in West Suffolk and parts of Babergh and Mid Suffolk through an Agency Agreement.

3. The Agency Agreement clearly sets out the functions and service levels we have to comply with and provide.

4. We enforce the lines and signs that are on the street. Any discretion in doing so is severely limited – a vehicle is either parked on the street legally or it is parked illegally and subject to a penalty charge notice if caught.

5. Changes to the lines and signs are the responsibility of the Highway Authority through a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) procedure defined in the legislation which is a relatively lengthy and expensive process.

See below for the number of visits and tickets issued last month.

Haverhill

Visits 1266 Tickets 304

Clare

Visits 121 Tickets 9

Cavendish

Visits 14 Tickets issued 0

Clare Country Park

Visits 16 Tickets issued 14

PCNs issued at £70* rate:

Total number of PCNs issued this month: 2770

1476

PCNs issued at £50* rate:

1294

PCNs issued on-street

1930

PCNs issued off-street (car parks)

840

PCNs paid 

2235

PCNs paid at discount

1884

*there are two different fine rates depending on the seriousness of contravention