Councils in Suffolk are working together to keep roads safe for emergency vehicles and key workers.
Parking management in Suffolk will move from the police to local councils from 6 April – it has been in operation in Ipswich since 2005 – with the aim of driving down unlawful parking. However, in light of the current COVID-19 situation, councils will be taking a common-sense view and focusing on tackling obstructive and dangerous parking to ensure emergency, care, delivery, refuse and highways services can get around safely at this challenging time.
As part of the national response to the pandemic; advice from the British Parking Association and the Local Government Association is that parking enforcement is an important public service that keeps roads safe and ensures access to goods and services.
This is vitally important, particularly for key workers, as Suffolk’s councils strive to continue providing essential services to their residents.
Councillor Andrew Reid, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Rural Affairs, said:
“Despite the unprecedented challenges we are experiencing currently, there are certain projects that continue in the background, and the move of statutory parking enforcement from the police to districts and boroughs is no exception.
“Although this move must take place now, it is extremely important that we are pragmatic in our approach to parking management and enforcement at this time. This builds on the continuing county-wide efforts to tackle the challenges and impacts of COVID-19, with our priority fixed on keeping roads open and safe and to protect parking spaces for healthcare workers, volunteers and people supporting the most vulnerable.
“That is why it is vital that we focus our resource on tackling dangerous and obstructive parking which could hinder key services from carrying out their duties.
“I am pleased that we have reached a consistent county-wide approach in how parking is managed during the coming weeks and months. I very much welcome the cross-council collaborative working in order to deliver better parking for Suffolk. Our colleagues will continue working together to ensure CPE is successfully launched and I look forward to seeing the benefits locally that these changes will bring, now and in the near future.”