Motorists warned new parking penalty charging in Highland

The Highland Council is warning motorists in the Highlands that the local authority will be responsible under Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) for issuing penalty charge notices for illegally parked, waiting or loading vehicles from Monday 3 October. The Council will also have powers to uplift vehicles.

A new team of Parking Enforcement Officers will be out and about from Monday onwards looking for illegally parked vehicles and issuing warning notices. After two weeks they will begin issuing £60 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).

Money raised through the issue of Penalty Charge Notices will only be spent on maintaining the service and any surplus can only be used for traffic-related projects. Police Scotland will still be responsible for reportable traffic offences on all roads, such as dangerous parking or obstruction.

The Council is warning motorists, if you want to avoid fines, make sure that you know the parking enforcement regulations in the areas where you work, live or visit as there may have been some changes.

Maps for Inverness and Fort William are now on the council’s website at www.highland.gov.uk/parking which can be searched by postcode to show the detailed parking restriction areas and traffic orders for these areas.

 

Cllr Allan Henderson Chair of Highland Council’s Community Services Committee said: “The new Decriminalised Parking Enforcement powers now, with Highland Council should not be a problem for motorists who park according to signs and road markings. However, anyone who flouts the rules is warned that Parking Enforcement Officers will be enforcing and fines will be handed out. I urge everyone who drives, to think about where they go, to check out the road markings and parking signs in those areas and not to leave your vehicle unless it is parked accordingly.”

Shane Manning, Highland Council’s Principal Traffic Officer added: “We have developed a new website www.highland.gov.uk/parking where people can find out information about the introduction of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement in Highland; search the traffic order maps by postcode; and pay parking fines online.

“To avoid receiving parking fines, make sure you know that you are parking legally. I would remind anyone who uses disabled parking badges, Inverness residents and business parking permits; or Lochaber residents parking permits to make sure that their permits are up to date or they will not be entitled to park or wait in disabled, resident or loading bays.”

For further information on parking in Highland visit www.highland.gov.uk/parking