Peterborough residents unhappy with new online parking ticket system

Park ward representative Cllr Aasiyah Joseph, introducing a petition, told members at Monday’s Cabinet meeting: “The introduction of online digital parking tickets and scratch cards for residents is not stopping people parking on their streets, and the price of the new tickets has gone up twice since introduced in 2018.

“Residents in Zone E don’t feel they’re getting value for money, as they’re being charged more and more to park outside their own houses, but very little additional parking enforcement for illegally parked cars is in evidence.”

Parking Zone E encompasses Henry Street, Granville Road, Huntly Grove, Princes Street, All Saints Road, Dogsthorpe Road, Park Road and others.

The new scheme introduced last year has annual electronic residents’ permits available online, as well as short-term visitor scratch cards for parking.

Cllr Joseph added: “I’ve brought this petition before the Cabinet not as a member of the Labour Group, but because these are unhappy residents I represent.

“They’ve told me that as well as the price rises, visitor scratch cards are now being limited from two to just one, and the number of annual parking permits per household has been reduced from three to two.”

Cllr Irene Walsh said that: “The introduction of online electronic parking permits and restrictions is not limited to those who live in Parking Zone ‘E’, but will eventually become a city-wide policy.

“I’ve spoken with Rob Hill, assistant director of public protection, who has written to the residents explaining that while there have been some reliability issues with the software, these are now overcome, and we will be providing more parking places in the future.

“Mr Hill points out that the enforcement of illegally parked cars will now be covered at the weekends as well as weekdays, following the introduction of two additional enforcement officers, taking the number from 10 to 12.

“There have in fact been more patrols in the last 12 months in Zone E following the introduction of the online electronic permit system, over 180 in total, and more penalty charges have been issued.

“The online electronic permits were brought in to help make the system more efficient and easier for people to apply.

“Overall the new scheme is proving very effective for us to administer parking control at a reduced cost to the residents who live in Parking Zone E and to those who wish to park temporarily.”