Purpose

arking Services has 30 Civil Enforcement
Officer (CEO) posts to contribute to the achievement of statutory
requirements for civil parking enforcement and the management of
the traffic network to ensure the safe and expeditious movement of
traffic (including pedestrians and cyclists) as required by the
Network Management Duty prescribed within the Traffic Management
Act (2004).
CEOs will typically undertake patrols on foot and will require
transport to reach areas outside of central Bath, where resident
parking zone (RPZ) schemes and other waiting restrictions exist, as
well as our market towns and more rural areas.
To ensure officers can be deployed effectively Parking Services
maintains a fleet of two vehicles that are available for CEO
deployment. In late 2023, a third vehicle provided with CAZ grant
funding was surrendered back to the supplier for a full refund
following performance negotiations.
Following the introduction of 7 new outer area RPZs in 2023; the
introduction of parking charges into Midsomer Norton and Radstock
car parks for Jan 2025; and the service nearing full CEO
compliment, the service is no longer able to effectively deploy its
officers efficiently across outer areas and other towns with
sufficient frequency to ensure an effective deterrent through a
visible presence or the issue of PCNs. This impacts negatively on
the reputation of the service and council from those affected by
selfish parking, whilst placing pedestrians and cyclists at risk of
harm and congestion on the network.

Decision

To fully approve £30k for the
procurement of a vehicle for Parking Services for the effective
deployment of Civil Enforcement Officers within BANES to perform
their statutory duty of traffic management. This is due to the
increase in the number of Resident Parking Zones and the
introduction of car parking charges in Midsomer Norton and
Radstock.

Alternative options considered

Not purchasing the vehicle will make it
difficult to manage these changes leading to an increase in
displacement parking where restrictions exist.