Updated Tuesday 11th January 2005
Traffic Attendants Return

New-look parking attendants are being introduced in East Herts from next Monday in a bid to eliminate traffic chaos and restore parking order to the district.

Monday January 17 2005 is P day for East Herts - the day when the district's new parking attendants officially hit the streets.

From that date, East Herts Council will not only be able to enforce restrictions in its own car parks, but on the streets as well. Everywhere and anywhere there are parking restrictions, such as yellow lines, the new parking attendants will be able to issue parking fines - called Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).

The parking attendants have been introduced to fill the gap left by Herts Police who withdrew the traffic warden service in April 2004 to focus on core policing duties.

The decision to take over the service was spurred by a series of public meetings about parking where East Herts residents told us they were fed up with poorly- and inconsiderately parked vehicles all over Hertford.

Some 20 uniformed attendants will cover East Herts parking hotspots. As the district was left with just three traffic wardens towards the end of their watch, the chances of a ticket for parking incorrectly are now set to dramatically increase.

Bob Parker, Executive Member with special responsibility for parking, said: "People who park considerately, observing the regulations and rules on the roads and in our car parks, have nothing to fear about the introduction of our parking attendants. I know that the majority of our residents will be pleased to see them out there.

"But those motorists who think it's okay to overstay their welcome or park where they're not supposed to should take this as a friendly but firm warning: change your ways or take the fine."

Parking enforcement in East Herts is being supplied under contract by Central Parking Services - the world's largest parking services provider.

The new parking attendants will be required to visit all council car parks in the district several times a day and all 'yellow line' sites across the district, varying the pattern of when each is visited. Specific sites where residents or businesses inform us there is a real problem, can be targeted at short notice. The fine on the roadside or in the carpark is the same: £60, reduced to £30 if you pay within 14 days.

Vehicles causing an obstruction will still require a police response - as these offences can lead to points on your driving licence - but the parking attendants will be alerting the police control room immediately when they come across motorists parking dangerously.