Moving Traffic Offences

Decriminalised Enforcement

Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) is the term that has been traditionally used to refer to all parking enforcement functions which were managed by the Police but which were taken over by councils. In general the offences were identified by enforcement teams where vehicles were stationary and were, for example, were wrongly parked, causing obstruction or failing to meet the requirements of the previous legislation.

Decriminalised Traffic Enforcement (DTE) is the term that this blog will be using to discus enforcement against moving vehicles. This area of work became a responsibility of local authorities in 2004 when a number of pilot authorities were appointed.

The range of offences covered by DTE include

• compliance to procedures for turning right at traffic lights where are yellow box junctions,
• drivers doing U turns at prohibited locations and in restricted areas,
• use of yellow box junctions at all times - even when going straight,
• no right turns or no left turns,
• no entry signs

Parking Complaints Online is interested in the outcomes of the pilots. Have the outcomes been cost effective? Have the enforcement against moving vehicles reduced congestion? Is there reliable evidence to sustain any outcomes or positions taken by enforcement teams?

There were further concerns about the fairness and equitable distribution of DTE sites. For example, was traffic and road users in town centre locations penalised more than vehicles in 'quieter' parts of a borough?

Comments

[h chopra]

i got a moving parking fine in sept 2007 and paid the fine but in august 2008 the ealing borough council decided to send me a further penalty of 120 pounds due to it being late but this was no fault of minde as there was a post strike at the time