New camera enforcement car
A new camera enforcement car will take to the streets of Torfaen to help improve road safety from this week. The vehicle will be fitted with CCTV to record footage of any cars parked illegally outside schools, in bus stops or on zig zag lines.
A two-week notice period starts on Monday November 3, when any drivers caught parked illegally will be issued with a written warning. From Monday November 17, drivers found to be parked in excluded areas will be automatically sent a penalty charge notice.
Cllr Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: "We regularly get complaints from schools about illegal parking that posed a serious risk to pupils. While our civil enforcement officers regularly visit schools motorists often move on when they see them.
"The camera car is not designed to be covert but it will be able to detect cars parked illegally without the officers having to stop. We hope this will encourage drivers to think twice before parking in a restricted area."
The automatic penalty charge notice will be £70, which will be reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 14 days.
According to an Executive Member report in July, the car will target dangerous and obstructive parking around schools, bus stops, zigzag lines, loading bays, no loading/unloading restrictions and double yellow lines with kerb markings.
Blue badge holders will continue to be allowed to park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, if loading restrictions are not present and it's safe to do so.