TECHNICAL FOCUS
Streamlined process offers savings
Te Traffic Sign Review Focus Group met at the offices of AECOM, the consultant appointed by the Department for Transport (DfT) to advise on the design and delivery of wide area parking controls. Te session produced excellent ideas to help take this part of the Traffic Signs Review
project forward. AECOM was also
invited to attend a meeting of the Local Authority Special Interest Group for further feedback from local authority members, and to give an update about their involvement in the project.
In November,
DVLA AND BPA ON JOURNEY
Following the latest DVLA Focus Group meeting at the DVLA offices in Swansea, the BPA agreed to undertake a number of actions, some of which are
listed below: l To publish FAQ’s page on our website for questions related to DVLA registers and to act as the conduit between local authorities and the
DVLA for service related questions. l To work with DVLA to devise a plan to enable sharing of information with all sectors of the
parking industry viewing DVLA data. l To work with DVLA to help in the transition to ELISE Data Sharing Platform and the closure of
EDI and similar services in late 2011. l To advise all local authority members that they no longer need to supply quarterly contravention code statistics to DVLA in respect of data requests. This requirement will become automatic once ELISE is in place.
Blue badge changes
Proposals from Scotland and England (and potentially Wales too) on changes to the administration of the Blue Badge scheme are now available on the Scottish Government and Department for Transport websites. Representative of
www.britishparking.co.uk
the Blue Badge Focus Group has been asked to liaise with each of the respective government departments to establish what the current situations are. Te group will then review and coordinate a BPA response and input.
Te Approved Operator Scheme (AOS) team is focusing its efforts on lobbying government to reconsider its proposal to ban clamping and towing away on private land. We have identified a number of associations with significant landowner interest to partner with. BPA chief executive
Patrick Troy led a delegation of these organisations at a meeting with government ministers, where they were able to explain the problems that landowners would face if this ban comes into force. We have also learned that the Bill containing legislation
the BPA undertook a survey on behalf of the DfT, designed to establish the costs to local authorities
for processing various Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO). As part of the review, the DfT is also seeking to streamline the TRO process to reduce costs for local authorities and to provide clearer use of restrictions and prohibitions for the road user.
THREE- PRONGED ATTACK
The BPA is seeking to set up a meeting between the
Ministry of Justice, the Department for Transport and the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC) officials to try to collectively understand and resolve issues
around false witness statements, and related matters, including changes of address on warrants and local printing of warrants, all of which are causing concern for our local authority members. The meeting is due to take place this month.
CLAMPING BAN UNDER FIRE
covering this ban will not get its first reading in Parliament until next February. Following the
successful launch of the AOS Standards Advisory Panel in October, a number of improvements to the code were proposed to the AOS Board for ratification. Te next meeting of the group will focus on reviewing
the draft AOS members’ handbook, which we plan to introduce to members in April 2011. In order for us to
get sufficient take-up of the independent appeals service, we have decided to extend the duration of the pilot. Tis will enable us to make better informed decisions about the practicality of the process, and to conduct a survey of appellants and operators who chose to take part. Te independent appeals process is designed to mirror the public sector equivalent and gives the motorist the opportunity to make a challenge to an impartial adjudicator if earlier appeals fail.
DECEMBER 2010 21
© BEN WATKINS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52