News

A detailed overview of authority plans* for charging Clean Air Zones (CAZs) as of Wednesday 15 February 2023 can be found in the table below.   Types of charging CAZ   There are four types of charging CAZ, which will be indicated on signs through the letters A–D.   A: Buses, coaches, taxis and private […]

The Department for Transport has announced a £200 million fund for local authorities in England for improvements that encourage walking and cycling, while reducing emissions and boosting local economies. Local authorities can apply for the funding through Active Travel England, with projects to be designed in consultation with residents and businesses. Successful funding applications will […]

The British Parking Association (BPA) has launched a new public information initiative to encourage motorists not to infringe parking provision for those with disability and accessibility needs. The campaign, supported by Disabled Motoring UK and the Welsh Government, is the latest phase of the BPA’s ‘selfish parking’ campaign, which focuses on the importance of motorists […]

Annual Meeting of the PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) ADJUDICATION JOINT COMMITTEE Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of the PATROL Adjudication Joint Committee is to be held on Tuesday 11 July 2023 at 18 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ The meeting will commence at 11:00am. For further information and a copy […]

The Rt Hon Mark Harper has been appointed Secretary of State for Transport, effective 25 October. He replaces the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan – who was only appointed in September – as part of incoming Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet reshuffle. Harper, who is MP for the Forest of Dean and a chartered accountant by […]

The fourth Clean Air Zone in England launched in the city centre of Bradford today, operated by Bradford Metropolitan District Council (Bradford Council).   The Bradford scheme joins other Clean Air Zones (CAZs) launched since the start of 2021 in Bath, Birmingham and Portsmouth, as well as a Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) in Oxford. CAZs […]

Over 1000 new electric vehicle (EV) charge points are set to be rolled-out across England through a new pilot scheme backed by Government and industry funding. The charge points will be installed across nine local authority areas that were successful in applying for funding through the pilot phase of a new Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) […]

The Department for Transport has today released updated technical guidance for local authorities in England on obtaining approval of equipment used to capture evidence of certain traffic contraventions. The guidance>> has been released following the new Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions Regulations 2022 giving effect to moving traffic enforcement powers for local authorities in England […]

North East Lincolnshire Council has been judged Overall Winner of PATROL’s 2022 Promoting Awareness of Civil Enforcement through Reporting (PACER) Awards. The Council’s 2020/21 Annual Report on its parking and traffic operations came out on top among a host of excellent submissions to PATROL’s awards programme this year. The team from North East Lincolnshire were […]

The first Designations and Miscellaneous Amendments Order for local authorities in England (outside London) that have applied for moving traffic enforcement powers has been laid before Parliament. The first tranche of authorities under the order – all of which have applied to the Secretary of State for Transport to exercise the powers – are: Bath […]

The Department for Transport (DfT) has today published new Statutory Guidance for local authorities (outside London) on the civil enforcement of bus lane and moving traffic contraventions. Access the new Statutory Guidance here>>.   The guidance accompanies the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions Regulations 2022, which came into force today, giving effect to moving […]

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) has announced the appointment of its new Chief Adjudicator, Caroline Hamilton, who will start the role in July. Hamilton is taking over from Caroline Sheppard OBE, who is retiring after 23 years in post. She is joining the TPT from London Tribunals, where she has been Chief Environment and Traffic […]

The Department for Transport (DfT) has today announced planned changes to the Highway Code covering the use of self-driving vehicles. The planned changes follow a public consultation and are focused on safety surrounding the revolutionary technology involved, ensuring motorists understand their responsibility to resume control of a self-driving vehicle when prompted to. Furthermore, while future […]

The Department for Transport (DfT)’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has published comprehensive guidance for local authorities on the provision of EV charging infrastructure in their communities. The guidance, which can be accessed here>> includes resources, links to relevant government publications and support, and advice from external bodies. The DfT has also published its […]

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) laid its new private parking Code of Practice in Parliament on 7 February 2022. The new code is aimed at improving the standards and consistency of private parking operators, generally, as well as to provide greater clarity and protections for the motorist against so called ‘rogue’ […]

Applications are open for recruitment of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s new Chief Adjudicator, following the announcement of Caroline Sheppard OBE’s retirement from the role. Sheppard will retire as Chief Adjudicator on 31 March 2022, having been in the role since 1999. Link to the job application and spec for the role>>.

PATROL held its second Electric Vehicles (EV) ‘Leading the Charge’ Workshop on Tuesday 2 November. With the Government moving forward its ban on new petrol and diesel cars to 2030, the arrival of green number plates and recent headlines that sales of Tesla cars have hit £1 billion in Britain, the charge towards EVs has […]

Cheshire East Council>> is the Overall Winner of this year’s Promoting Awareness of Civil Enforcement through Reporting (PACER) Awards, which recognised 2019/20 Annual Reports. The team from Cheshire East, were presented with their award during a reception at the House of Commons on Monday 25 October, together with other award winners from this year and […]

Caroline Sheppard OBE will retire as Chief Adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) in March 2022. A reformer by nature, her long and illustrious career has been characterised by the understanding that adjudication is not a standalone exercise, but a barometer to assess the effectiveness, impact or proportionality of civil enforcement. The observations and […]

The Government has published guidance for creditors (which includes local authorities enforcing parking and traffic penalties) to accompany new regulations being introduced from 4 May that will provide those with problem debt the right to ‘breathing space’ from creditor action. The Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space Moratorium and Mental Health Crisis Moratorium) (England and Wales) […]

The first Clean Air Zone in England (outside London) launched in the city centre of Bath today, operated by Bath & North East Somerset Council. Clean Air Zones (CAZs) – designed to improve air quality within a defined geographic area of a city centre – are a new type of scheme (outside London), where local […]

The PATROL Joint Committee is pleased to welcome its new Director, Laura Padden, who starts the role on Thursday 18 February 2021. Laura is joining PATROL from London Tribunals, where she has been Head of Support Services for the past five years. London Tribunals provides administrative support to the Environment and Traffic Adjudicators in London, […]

This year, PATROL has rebranded its awards programme recognising local authorities that produce a parking and traffic Annual Report to the PACER (Promoting Awareness of Civil Enforcement through Reporting) Awards. This change from the previous PARC (Parking Annual Reports by Councils) Awards is to better reflect the wider traffic management and enforcement responsibilities of our […]

A number of local authorities shared their experiences of rolling-out electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in their communities at a PATROL workshop in November. PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) brought together four local authorities at its workshop, ‘Leading the Charge’, on 10 November, which was also attended by representatives from the Government’s Office […]

PATROL has responded to the Department for Transport (DfT)’s Pavement parking: options for change consultation, which focused on three potential options for local authorities in England (outside London) to tackle pavement parking. Read PATROL’s consultation response here>>.   The three options proposed by the DfT in its consultation were: To rely on improvements to the […]

In its Clean Air Strategy 2019, the Government identifies nitrogen oxide (NOx) concentrations around roads as an ‘immediate and urgent’ air quality challenge, with road transport being responsible for some 80% of all NOx concentrations at the roadside. This follows the UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations, published in 2017 and supplemented in […]

Lincolnshire County Council is the Overall Winner of this year’s PATROL Parking Annual Reports by Councils (PARC) Awards, which recognised 2018/19 Annual Reports.   Access Lincolnshire’s Annual Report here>>. The other award winners were as follows:   Highly Commended for Reporting: Innovation and New Services Cardiff Council View report>> Highly Commended for Reporting: Customer Service […]

The Department for Transport (DfT) launched a consultation last week focused on changes to the Highway Code that would see the safety of ‘vulnerable’ road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, prioritised. Proposed changes to the code include: introducing a hierarchy of road users which ensures that those road users who can do the […]

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has launched an online service for motorists to update the address details of their vehicle log book (V5C). The service – part of a DVLA campaign to encourage more motorists to use its services online – is billed as being able to cut the time required for the […]

The Department for Transport (DfT) updated its Guidance for local authorities on enforcing parking restrictions on 22 June to reflect new powers given to local authorities to enforce against parking in cycle lanes using a camera and associated recording equipment (‘approved device’). The update to the guidance follows the amended Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions […]

PATROL is committed to promoting digital communication channels as a means of more effectively reaching and engaging the public and key stakeholders on the topic of civil parking and traffic enforcement.   As part of this commitment, PATROL has produced its first digital Annual Report Toolkit this year, as an online microsite, providing easy and […]

NOTICE OF MEETING – January 2024 PATROL Adjudication Joint Committee Executive Sub Committee Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the PATROL Adjudication Joint Committee Executive Sub Committee is to be held on Tuesday 23 January 2024 at The Studio, 7 Cannon St, Birmingham B2 5EP The meeting will commence at 11:00am. For further […]

The annual PATROL PARC (Parking Annual Reports by Councils) Awards took place during a reception at the House of Commons on Tuesday 16 July, hosted by Huw Merriman, MP for Bexhill and Battle, and a member of the Transport Committee. The PARC Awards recognise local authorities for the publishing of informative, engaging and transparent Annual […]

PATROL consulted its members on the issue of pavement parking during a series of workshops in Autumn 2018. These workshops brought together 75 Councillors and Officers representing district, county and unitary authorities outside London, to explore the challenges of pavement parking and the powers that would help them manage it in a way that would […]

City councils in Birmingham and Leeds have recently approved plans to introduce Charging Clean Air Zones (CAZs) in their city centres, while in Derby, Nottingham and Southampton, there are no plans to introduce a charging zone. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has approved Leeds City Council’s plan to introduce a charging […]

The annual PATROL PARC (Parking Annual Report Awards by Councils) Awards took place on Tuesday 10 July at the Houses of Parliament. Devon County Council received the award for Best Overall Report during an event that shone a light on the fantastic work being done by our local authority members across England and Wales to inform and engage […]

In October, DEFRA announced that maximum on the spot litter fines will almost double to £150 with effect from April 2018, with new fines to be introduced for owners of vehicles from which litter is thrown. The cost of cleaning up our streets and countryside stands at almost £800 million annually said DEFRA, hence the increase of […]

As part of its commitment to improving public information about civil enforcement, PATROL promotes best practice in local authority parking annual reports through the PARC (Parking Annual Reports by Council) Awards. PATROL has appointed an independent review group (pictured) comprising Peter Bayless (Head of Traffic and Safety at Hampshire County Council – Retired), Kelvin Reynolds […]

Councils with major roads mentioned in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Air Quality Plan, will need to have final plans prepared by the end of 2018 for reducing NO2 levels in the fastest possible time, reports PATROL Director Louise Hutchinson. “A total of 33 major roads outside London are due to breach […]

  As part of it’s commitment to improving public information about civil enforcement, PATROL promotes best practice in local authority parking annual reports through the PARC Awards. The 2015/16 shortlisted councils were recognised at a House of Commons Reception sponsored by David Rutley MP on 11th July 2017. Former Chair of the Transport Select Committee, […]

The Department for Transport is seeking feedback on a draft accessibility action plan which sets out our proposals to improve the travel experience for people with disabilities. The action plan covers a range of transport modes including: aviation rail buses taxis The document also considers ways that we can improve our public space to make […]

The new Mersey Gateway bridge opened to traffic on 14 October 2017. A free-flow road user charging system is now operating on this 2.3 km bridge which connects Runcorn and Widnes. Merseyflow is the name given to the charging scheme and Halton Borough Council is the charging authority. For more information on registration and charges […]