Dear Resident,
I am writing to advise you that from Monday 18 November 2013, parking will not be permitted on pavements adjacent to the double yellow lines in Elm Grove.
Parking on the pavement causing an obstruction or where there are double yellow lines is illegal.
Pavement parking has been common for several years, but the situation has become more serious, with safety compromised by vehicles blocking the views at junctions and overhanging the pavements. Vehicles parking on the pavement or dropped kerbs obstruct pedestrians, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs. Between 2010 and 2012, 27 people were injured in collisions in Elm Grove.
Recently, the council has worked with a local group to develop a solution to the long term problems on the street, but this was rejected in a recent residents’ consultation. A decision by Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee last month agreed to follow the alternative course of action presented in the consultation - to enforce against those parking most dangerously on pavements adjacent to double yellow lines. We expect that this will affect 70 of the 200-300 vehicles currently parking on Elm Grove.
From 4 November, for a period of two weeks, warning notices will be issued.
From 18 November 2013, if a vehicle is seen parking illegally, a Penalty Charge Notice may be issued.
Sussex Police support the enforcement of these restrictions and there will be joint action with the council to manage parking and other issues such as driving on the pavement, abandoned/stolen vehicles, illegal trading and unlicensed skips.
If you wish to report illegal parking, please call 0845 6035 469 and select option 3.
Thank you for your co-operation.
It may be worth also considering the following snippet.......
For your information I attach a letter which will be posted out later this week to about 800 addresses in Elm Grove and side roads.
Warning notices will be attached to vehicles parked illegally in Elm Grove and side road junctions from 4 November and penalty charge notices may be issued from 18 November.
There will be a multi agency exercise with Sussex Police on the morning of Tuesday 19 November. In addition to illegal or obstructive parking issues tackled will include; unlicensed materials on the highway, lived in vehicles, abandoned vehicles and bicycles, commercial vehicle sales, driving on the footway.
I also attach a FAQ sheet which will shortly go on the web page Proposals to improve Elm Grove
Elm Grove - Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you enforcing illegal parking in Elm Grove?
Although no permission or regulation has been passed to allow cars to park on the footways in Elm Grove this has been commonplace for many years. However vehicle ownership has increased and so has the number of vehicles on the pavement. There are also a disproportionate number of road traffic collisions resulting in injuries compared to similar roads in the city.
Parking & road safety issues include:
• vehicles driving along the pavement
• vehicles parking next to dropped kerbs and bus stops
• vehicles parking up to the junctions making it difficult to see
• vehicles overhanging the pavement so as to obstruct pedestrian access
Earlier this year residents were sent a consultation leaflet and questionnaire in the post. Environmental improvements were proposed which included the creation of additional parking areas in the street. It was set out that the alternative was no change in the road layout together with enforcement of the existing yellow line restrictions.
Residents did not support the proposals and the council approved an enforcement & management plan for the street at Environment Transport & Sustainability Committee on 8 October 2013. Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee 08/10 (Agenda item 32)
Will we get any warning before you start enforcing?
Our intention is to enforce against parking adjacent to double yellow lines, either on the road or on the pavement from 18 November 2013. Advance warning letters will be sent to households and businesses in Elm Grove two weeks before enforcement begins and warning notices will also be attached to vehicles that are parking illegally.
What kinds of parking is illegal?
The following list is not exclusive:
Parking on or behind yellow lines, parking on bus stops, parking on white zigzag markings at crossings, across dropped kerbs and accesses and on or behind no loading restrictions (yellow kerb blips. Only licensed taxis may park in taxi bays.
What are you doing about other parking & highway issues in the street?
There will be joint action with Sussex police to enforce highway obstruction and other road traffic offences and issues nuisances. Driving along the footway to access a parking space is contrary to the highway code and unlawful and can put other road users in danger. Vehicles should not be parked so as to obstruct pedestrians, wheelchairs or child buggies or footway users onto the road.. Any vehicles seen driving on the footway could receive a fixed penalty notice from the police.
What about advertising boards, skips and shop displays
Council officers will on site and investigate any unlicensed objects on the highway taking action as appropriate streetlicensing@brighton-hove.gov.uk
What about stolen//abandoned vehicles?
Together with Sussex Police council officers will on site and investigate any suspected stolen or abandoned vehicles taking action as appropriate
What about travellers/people living in vehicles?
Council officers will be on site and investigate & take action as appropriate
I have a private forecourt or driveway can I drive along the footway to get to it?
You should only use a properly constructed vehicle crossover to access a private area. You should not drive across pedestrian accesses, dropped crossings or tactile paving.
Have you considered where all these illegally parked vehicles go?
Yes. It is accepted that there is some residents currently park on the footway and some of these are illegally parked behind yellow lines and will be prevented from doing so. Up to 70 illegally parked vehicles could be displaced into surrounding streets. Any expansion of controlled parking zones in the area could make this problem worse in the future. Surveys showed there were up to 40 spaces available on side roads on the north of Elm Grove but fewer on roads on the south side. At the lower end of Elm Grove some of the vehicles during the day may be commuters. At the upper end of Elm Grove some vehicles may be hospital staff and visitors who may transfer onto the hospital site.
Surely this is just about raising revenue?
No. The charge for a penalty charge notices is set by central government and the revenue raised is used to meet the costs of administration, enforcement and maintenance of the parking restrictions. The charge can be reduced if payment is made within 14 days. The council sets parking fees and charges generally to manage parking demand and congestion and any surplus is used towards transport purposes. For more information please see the Parking Annual Report Parking Annual Reports
How can I report vehicles parked where they shouldn’t be?
If you wish to report a vehicle parked where it shouldn’t be in Elm Grove or anywhere in the city please telephone 0845 6035469 (option 3) Council parking attendants can then issue a ticket (Penalty Charge Notice)
If a vehicle is parked obstructively on the footway, but there are no double yellow lines then it should be reported to the police.
If you require more information, please email parking@brighton-hove.gov.uk or telephone 01273 296622
I am writing to advise you that from Monday 18 November 2013, parking will not be permitted on pavements adjacent to the double yellow lines in Elm Grove.
Parking on the pavement causing an obstruction or where there are double yellow lines is illegal.
Pavement parking has been common for several years, but the situation has become more serious, with safety compromised by vehicles blocking the views at junctions and overhanging the pavements. Vehicles parking on the pavement or dropped kerbs obstruct pedestrians, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs. Between 2010 and 2012, 27 people were injured in collisions in Elm Grove.
Recently, the council has worked with a local group to develop a solution to the long term problems on the street, but this was rejected in a recent residents’ consultation. A decision by Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee last month agreed to follow the alternative course of action presented in the consultation - to enforce against those parking most dangerously on pavements adjacent to double yellow lines. We expect that this will affect 70 of the 200-300 vehicles currently parking on Elm Grove.
From 4 November, for a period of two weeks, warning notices will be issued.
From 18 November 2013, if a vehicle is seen parking illegally, a Penalty Charge Notice may be issued.
Sussex Police support the enforcement of these restrictions and there will be joint action with the council to manage parking and other issues such as driving on the pavement, abandoned/stolen vehicles, illegal trading and unlicensed skips.
If you wish to report illegal parking, please call 0845 6035 469 and select option 3.
Thank you for your co-operation.
It may be worth also considering the following snippet.......
For your information I attach a letter which will be posted out later this week to about 800 addresses in Elm Grove and side roads.
Warning notices will be attached to vehicles parked illegally in Elm Grove and side road junctions from 4 November and penalty charge notices may be issued from 18 November.
There will be a multi agency exercise with Sussex Police on the morning of Tuesday 19 November. In addition to illegal or obstructive parking issues tackled will include; unlicensed materials on the highway, lived in vehicles, abandoned vehicles and bicycles, commercial vehicle sales, driving on the footway.
I also attach a FAQ sheet which will shortly go on the web page Proposals to improve Elm Grove
Elm Grove - Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you enforcing illegal parking in Elm Grove?
Although no permission or regulation has been passed to allow cars to park on the footways in Elm Grove this has been commonplace for many years. However vehicle ownership has increased and so has the number of vehicles on the pavement. There are also a disproportionate number of road traffic collisions resulting in injuries compared to similar roads in the city.
Parking & road safety issues include:
• vehicles driving along the pavement
• vehicles parking next to dropped kerbs and bus stops
• vehicles parking up to the junctions making it difficult to see
• vehicles overhanging the pavement so as to obstruct pedestrian access
Earlier this year residents were sent a consultation leaflet and questionnaire in the post. Environmental improvements were proposed which included the creation of additional parking areas in the street. It was set out that the alternative was no change in the road layout together with enforcement of the existing yellow line restrictions.
Residents did not support the proposals and the council approved an enforcement & management plan for the street at Environment Transport & Sustainability Committee on 8 October 2013. Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee 08/10 (Agenda item 32)
Will we get any warning before you start enforcing?
Our intention is to enforce against parking adjacent to double yellow lines, either on the road or on the pavement from 18 November 2013. Advance warning letters will be sent to households and businesses in Elm Grove two weeks before enforcement begins and warning notices will also be attached to vehicles that are parking illegally.
What kinds of parking is illegal?
The following list is not exclusive:
Parking on or behind yellow lines, parking on bus stops, parking on white zigzag markings at crossings, across dropped kerbs and accesses and on or behind no loading restrictions (yellow kerb blips. Only licensed taxis may park in taxi bays.
What are you doing about other parking & highway issues in the street?
There will be joint action with Sussex police to enforce highway obstruction and other road traffic offences and issues nuisances. Driving along the footway to access a parking space is contrary to the highway code and unlawful and can put other road users in danger. Vehicles should not be parked so as to obstruct pedestrians, wheelchairs or child buggies or footway users onto the road.. Any vehicles seen driving on the footway could receive a fixed penalty notice from the police.
What about advertising boards, skips and shop displays
Council officers will on site and investigate any unlicensed objects on the highway taking action as appropriate streetlicensing@brighton-hove.gov.uk
What about stolen//abandoned vehicles?
Together with Sussex Police council officers will on site and investigate any suspected stolen or abandoned vehicles taking action as appropriate
What about travellers/people living in vehicles?
Council officers will be on site and investigate & take action as appropriate
I have a private forecourt or driveway can I drive along the footway to get to it?
You should only use a properly constructed vehicle crossover to access a private area. You should not drive across pedestrian accesses, dropped crossings or tactile paving.
Have you considered where all these illegally parked vehicles go?
Yes. It is accepted that there is some residents currently park on the footway and some of these are illegally parked behind yellow lines and will be prevented from doing so. Up to 70 illegally parked vehicles could be displaced into surrounding streets. Any expansion of controlled parking zones in the area could make this problem worse in the future. Surveys showed there were up to 40 spaces available on side roads on the north of Elm Grove but fewer on roads on the south side. At the lower end of Elm Grove some of the vehicles during the day may be commuters. At the upper end of Elm Grove some vehicles may be hospital staff and visitors who may transfer onto the hospital site.
Surely this is just about raising revenue?
No. The charge for a penalty charge notices is set by central government and the revenue raised is used to meet the costs of administration, enforcement and maintenance of the parking restrictions. The charge can be reduced if payment is made within 14 days. The council sets parking fees and charges generally to manage parking demand and congestion and any surplus is used towards transport purposes. For more information please see the Parking Annual Report Parking Annual Reports
How can I report vehicles parked where they shouldn’t be?
If you wish to report a vehicle parked where it shouldn’t be in Elm Grove or anywhere in the city please telephone 0845 6035469 (option 3) Council parking attendants can then issue a ticket (Penalty Charge Notice)
If a vehicle is parked obstructively on the footway, but there are no double yellow lines then it should be reported to the police.
If you require more information, please email parking@brighton-hove.gov.uk or telephone 01273 296622
