Traffic Warden Duties

HC Deb 12 April 1994 vol 241 cc92-3W

Mr. Mike O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which local authorities have taken over traffic warden duties;

(2) what plans he has to transfer traffic warden duties to local authority responsibility.

Mr. Key

Under the Road Traffic Act 1991, local authorities can apply to the Secretary of State for Transport for designation orders enabling them to use parking attendants to enforce most parking offences in their areas. At present, these offences are enforced by traffic wardens and the police.

Nine London boroughs—Wandsworth, Bromley, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lewisham, Camden, Hackney, Hounslow, Richmond and Southwark—are currently using parking attendants to enforce most parking offences in their areas. It is the Government's intention that all the London boroughs will be enforcing permitted parking by July this year; by that date, it is expected that the majority of the boroughs will also be enforcing most restricted parking. Enforcement on the red routes in London is to remain with the police and their traffic wardens.

The Government are currently preparing guidance for the local authorities outside London which would like to enforce parking offences in their areas. Once the guidance has been published, local authorities outside London will be able to apply to the Secretary of State for designation orders giving them the necessary powers.