Parking Enforcement starts / Free parking at Bowyers

9.39.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 17th Jun 2008

The council has now taken over responsibility in West Wiltshire for on-street parking management.

There has been no enforcement of on-street parking law in West Wiltshire since the police lost interest in doing it a few years ago, so people have got used to being able to park illegally without any sanction.

There will be two levels of fine - £70 for serious offences such as parking on a double yellow line or in a disabled bay without entitlement, and £50 for less serious offences such as not having a pay and display ticket. There's a 50% discount for prompt payment, and a corresponding increase in the fine if payment is not made in time.

The decision to charge the highest possible rate for fines is in response to a request from the county council, who will take over the whole process next year when the districts are abolished.

It's estimated that about 12,000 fines will be issued per year in West Wiltshire, raising about £300,000 for the new council.

The new regime is already bringing results, with traffic able to flow more freely round Trowbridge town centre.

Meanwhile repair work has started on the multi-storey car park in Trowbridge. Bowyers car park has been re-opened by the council for public use while the multi-storey is out of action - you can park there free for three hours. Also at weekends anyone can use the county council car parks free of charge.