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Who's responsible for parking

Local traffic authorities (usually local councils) together with private companies are responsible for managing parking.

Managing parking involves:

• creating parking spaces
• operating car parks
• creating controlled parking zones – where parking may be reserved for permit holders or restricted to certain times of day

Who enforces parking regulations

Who enforces parking regulations depends on where you live. In many areas, including London, local authorities have the power to enforce parking restrictions. In others, parking is a criminal matter, enforced by the police and dealt with through the magistrates' courts.

• Find your local council

• Paying and appealing parking tickets (home and community section)

• Find a car park near a tube station in London Opens new window

Parking restrictions

You must pay for parking in most controlled parking zones and car parks. Parking without paying or exceeding the period allowed means you may be issued with a penalty fine.

There are two types of parking controls:

• restrictive parking – for waiting and loading only
• designated parking – identifies where vehicles can be left and under what conditions and includes residential parking zones

There are also areas where parking or waiting is banned:

• double yellow lines – parking is banned, although there may be specific exceptions for loading
• single yellow lines – parking is banned at specified times
• red routes – a single red line usually bans stopping and parking during working hours, while a double red line bans stopping and parking at any time

• The Highway Code - 'waiting and parking'

• Residential parking permits (home and community section)

• Paying and appealing parking tickets (home and community section)

• Information about red routes Opens new window

Wheel clamping and removal of illegally parked vehicles

If you park on private land without permission then you are trespassing. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the landowner may enforce their rights by immobilising your vehicle - for example, by fitting a wheel clamp. They may do it themselves or they may employ another person or organisation to do it for them.

If your vehicle is clamped, blocked in or towed away on private land you may be asked to pay a release fee. If you are, then the person immobilising your vehicle or taking payment for its release must be licensed by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

The SIA does not regulate the:

• size of the release fee
• time taken to release your vehicle
• adequacy of warning signs around the site

• Security Industry Authority Opens new window

Park and Ride schemes

Many towns and cities run Park and Ride schemes to encourage drivers to park on the outskirts rather than drive directly into the centre. The schemes are a combination of:

• a car park on the outskirts of the town
• public transport system, often a bus, which takes passengers directly into the centre

Park and Ride schemes vary depending on where you live. Some schemes only operate on certain busy days while others operate all week. Fares also vary. Some schemes only charge the bus fare while others charge for both car parking and bus travel.

Some schemes allow children to travel free. Others operate 'carload' tickets, where a number of people who arrive in one vehicle can travel on a single ticket for one price.

• Find your local Park and Ride Opens new window

Green parking scheme in Sheffield

As transport is a major contributor to air pollution, Sheffield City Council has introduced a green parking scheme to reward drivers of cleaner vehicles.

By 'cleaner vehicles', they mean cars that do not run solely on petrol or diesel. For example, cars powered by electricity, gas, bio-diesel or duel-fuel are all eligible.

The scheme operates throughout Sheffield's Central Parking Zone. It allows free parking in any City Council off-street car park or any on-street pay-and-display bay (subject to a maximum time limit).

• Greener cars and driving (environment and greener living section)

• Green parking scheme Opens new window

Other parking schemes

There are other parking schemes which aim to make it easier for certain groups of people to find a parking space.

These include:

• residents parking schemes – allow residents of areas with limited parking a permit to park
• the Blue Badge Scheme – offers free or reduced parking and access to convenient parking bays for disabled people with severe walking difficulties in vehicles they use either as drivers or passengers

• Residential parking permits (home and community section)

• Paying and appealing parking tickets (home and community section)

• The Blue Badge parking scheme (disabled people section)

More useful links

• Find a car park - Cross & Stitch journey planner Opens new window

• Parkopedia car park finder Opens new window

• Plan your journey

Useful contacts

• Department for Transport (DfT)

• Transport for London (TfL)