Annual Parking Report 2022

Portfolio holder for Environment and Transport  

Welcome to Gateshead Council's Annual Parking Report for 2022/23. This year's report seeks to provide information to residents and other stakeholders about how Gateshead Council seeks to deliver parking provision and enforcement, as well as other associated services across the borough. In doing so, it places those activities in the context of other policies, including our contribution to the council's vision for the economic and environmental sustainability of the borough and our legal duty to keep traffic moving as freely as we reasonably can on our roads. 

The Council realises that people have different parking needs and expectations.   Levels of car ownership continue to rise and the resulting demand for parking places, particularly on-street, far outstrips the availability of kerb space in most urban areas, including Gateshead. The Council's Parking Services Team, part of the Highways & Waste service within the Housing, Environment & Healthy Communities group are responsible for ensuring that motorists comply with parking restrictions in Gateshead and the day-to-day management of the Council's off-street car parks. In instances where motorists fail to comply with the regulations, appropriate action is taken which inevitably leads to the issuing of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). 

I do understand that parking enforcement is not always popular, particularly if you have received a parking ticket. Equally, however, motorists who do park correctly expect robust action to be taken against those who do not, especially in busy areas. The Traffic Management Act 2004 places a duty on local authorities to effectively manage their network to reduce disruption and congestion.  

An effectively managed parking service is crucial in supporting the Council's "Thrive" Agenda in ensuring healthy neighbourhoods and a thriving town centre for our residents, businesses, and visitors to the area. The Council, like many of our neighbouring authorities, continues to deal with challenges including congestion, climate change and air quality issues. Parking enforcement is a fundamental service of the Council with the aim to influence how people choose to travel, with the aim of encouraging more sustainable forms of transport. 

To conclude, I hope that the contents of this report will help to explain what some of the objectives of parking enforcement are and why enforcement activity is necessary to help meet these objectives. 

Service Director - Highways and Waste 

As indicated by Councillor McElroy, the Council tries to use this Annual Parking Report to provide the sort of information that many people find useful, as well as meeting our statutory obligations. We have made some further changes this year so that it better reflects the type of information which the Parking Services team is most frequently asked to provide. Unless indicated otherwise, the information contained in this report relates to the year from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023.    

It is more important than ever that the limited resources available are spent to best effect. It is also important that the various teams within the service work together to ensure that the most effective solutions to traffic issues are identified and delivered and that, where possible, we can anticipate future issues.    

Like all authorities in Tyne and Wear, Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) operates throughout the Borough of Gateshead (with the exception of a few significant routes such as the A1, the A184 and certain sections of the A167). This means that the Council is responsible for the enforcement of parking restrictions rather than the police, although they continue to be responsible for the roads not subject to CPE and for all obstruction offences. The Council does not have the power to deal with vehicles which are causing an obstruction of the highway (in this sense, "highway" includes footpaths as well as roads).  Obstruction offences of this nature are dealt with by the Police. Such offences can be reported by calling the police non-emergency line, 101. 

Gateshead Council is committed to being transparent about our Parking Services and enforcement activity and this report provides an insight into the activities during the 2022/23 financial year. We also detail how our parking enforcement service is managed in Gateshead with an aim to develop an understanding and acceptance of why such enforcement is important.  

To help achieve the above goals and contribute to our commitments in respect of the Tyne and Wear Local Transport Plan, Parking Services manages a wide range of the borough's parking-related functions, and these will be referred to in this report.  They include: 

• Council operated public car parks (off-street) 
• on-street public parking bays 
• resident's parking schemes and permits 
• The Blue Badge scheme  
• Civil Parking Enforcement strategy and appeals 

Another function of the team is the co-ordination of the Street Works in Gateshead. In brief, they are responsible for applying the provisions of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (NRSWA) in relation to the Co-ordination of highways works by utility companies and the Council's own operations. They are required to grant licences for such works to other contractors, inspecting re-instatements following completion of those works and directing rectification work where required. This includes levying statutory fees for inspecting street works operations and issuing fixed penalty notices for non-compliance with NRSWA. The team must also ensure that all works carried out on the carriageway which are likely to impact on traffic flow are shown on the national street works website. If you think there has been a poor road repair carried out by a utility company, then please contact the utility company to report it in the first instance. If you are unaware who carried out the work, then please contact the Streetworks team on 0191 433 3092 for assistance. 

Thank you for reading our Annual Report and I hope you find it of interest. If you have any further questions after reading this report or have any comments, the Council's Parking Services team will gladly assist. 

Parking Services 

Highways and Waste 

Housing, Environment and Healthy Communities  

Civic Centre 

Regent Street 

Gateshead 

NE8 1HH 

Tel: 0191 433 3636 

Parkingandregulation@gateshead.gov.uk 

Parking information on the Gateshead website.

Statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Transport under section 87 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 encourages local authorities operating Civil Parking Enforcement to publish an annual report on their enforcement activities. It is considered good practice to publish a report that provides information to the public about the way parking enforcement is undertaken in a bid to provide reassurance that enforcement is undertaken in the correct manner. This report seeks to demonstrate accountability, as the transparency given by regular and consistent reporting helps people to understand and accept the imposition and enforcement of parking regulations. 

Under section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended by the Traffic Management Act 2004, all English local authorities are required to keep an account of all income and expenditure in designated (i.e. on-street, but not off-street) parking spaces which are in a Civil Enforcement Area, and of their income and expenditure related to their functions as an enforcement authority. 

In respect of off-street parking places (i.e. car parks), national regulations and guidance confirm that "income and expenditure as enforcement authorities" includes income related to the issue of Penalty Charge Notices. It does not, however, include pay and display or permit/season ticket income or direct expenditure relating to the collection of that income. 

Please note: Unless otherwise indicated, all of the information in this report relates to the financial year from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023. 

The operation of Civil Parking Enforcement is in line with Thrive, the Councils strategic approach and to support the current North East Transport Plan (LTP 2021-2035) which seeks to move to a green, healthy, dynamic and thriving North East. 

The Plan is centred on connecting people to good employment opportunities, generating economic growth, while enabling the region and its people to move to healthier and greener more sustainable ways of travel. 

Our parking control objectives seek to: 

• Minimise the use of vehicles in the most congested areas during busy periods; 

• Provide sufficient short-stay parking facilities to support local businesses as well as other organisations and leisure activities, thereby underpinning social and economic life across the borough; 

  • reduce the risk of accidents caused by inconsiderate and dangerous parking
  • safeguard the needs and requirements of visitors, residents, businesses and other organisations
  • encourage the use of public transport
  • preserve and improve the environment and infrastructure
  • increase and improve pedestrian and cyclist mobility
  • improve accessibility for people with mobility difficulties
  • regulate and control parking both on and off street
  • improve bus journey times through the enforcement of bus lanes 
  • protect the Council's parking revenue

Parking operations will contribute towards these objectives by providing or facilitating: 

• on street parking enforcement, by patrolling restricted areas with a particular focus on main bus routes and other busy transport corridors where parking issues are apparent 

• enforcement of the Council's off street car parks and parking places to ensure effective use of limited spaces and to protect the Council's revenue by issuing PCNs for any contraventions observed

• management and administration of suspensions and dispensations

• checking of Pay & Display machines and meters to identify faults

• reviewing strategic enforcement and deployment whilst amending them as necessary from time to time

Such operations will embrace the following activities: 

• the issue and serving by Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) of PCNs where vehicles are observed to be parking in contravention of the regulations, both on- and off- street
• deployment of a camera-equipped vehicle to enforce restrictions at schools and bus stops
• static cameras to enforce bus lane contraventions
• reporting inadequacies of and/or damage to signs and road markings
• suspension procedures for Pay & Display machines and parking bays

PCNs will normally only be cancelled in response to a challenge or appeal, although some may be cancelled if the council realises straight away that they were wrongly issued. The reasons for cancelling PCNs fall into three broad categories: 

• those which were incorrectly issued in the first place;  
• those where evidence has come to light later that circumstances existed when the PCN was issued which were entirely beyond the driver's control and which forced them to park where they did; or  
• those where the council is satisfied, based on satisfactory evidence provided by the person making the appeal, that there were mitigating circumstances sufficient to justify the cancelling the PCN, even though it was correctly issued. 

There is a right of appeal in respect of every PCN the Council issues, but there is a process to follow. Any such challenge or appeal must be submitted in writing (letter or email).

There are effectively three opportunities to challenge a PCN:

• an informal challenge, prior to the issue of a "Notice to Owner"
• a formal challenge (or "Representations") after the issue of a Notice to Owner (which cannot be sent out until at least 28 days after the PCN was issued)
• an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) against a "Notice of Rejection of Representations" issued by the council.

(In relation to PCNs issued by post, the first of these stages does not apply because the PCN takes the place of the Notice to Owner.)

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) Representations and Appeals Regulations 2007 set out the grounds upon which the council must cancel a PCN where it is satisfied that one or more of the grounds applies. To maintain the integrity of the process, the Council will expect the person making the appeal to submit acceptable supporting documentary evidence where such grounds of appeal are relied upon. A summary of those grounds follows, but it necessarily does not contain all of the information set out in the law. For the actual legal grounds, please consult the regulations: 

• The alleged contravention did not occur; 
• You were not the owner of the vehicle in question at the time;  
• The vehicle had been taken and parked there without your consent;  
• You are a vehicle-hire firm and the hirer acknowledged liability for any Penalty Charge Notice issued during the hiring period;  
• The penalty charge exceeded the amount applicable in the circumstances;  
• There has been a procedural impropriety by Gateshead Council;  
• The Traffic Regulation Order was invalid;  
• The penalty charge due has already been paid.

In addition, the Council will consider any other compelling reasons submitted to it in support of an appeal. Once again, we would expect to see acceptable documentary evidence in support of such reasons.  

Whilst Representations to the Council and Appeals to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal are statutory processes, informal challenges are not. The council introduced informal challenges to deal more speedily with PCNs which we agree were obviously incorrectly issued, or where we accept that there were circumstances entirely beyond the driver's control. However, the informal challenge process is not intended to deal with special circumstances or arguments involving mitigation; these are intended to be dealt with during formal Representations or Appeals.  

By definition, CPE operates under civil law, not criminal law. Cases are therefore decided "on the balance of probabilities" based on the available evidence (as opposed to "beyond reasonable doubt", which is the standard of evidence required in criminal cases).  

In all cases where the Traffic Penalty Tribunal has ruled against the Council (and sometimes when their decisions are in our favour) a review is conducted to see what lessons can be learned from the decision. We are particularly keen to learn whether the decisions were specific to the case concerned or whether they have wider implications for the council (such as lines or signs at a particular location needing to be changed).  

However, unlike the decisions of the Courts, Tribunal decisions are not binding on Adjudicators in subsequent cases. It is not always easy, therefore, to apply the lessons of one case to future ones. The Parking Adjudicators who decide appeals are qualified lawyers appointed by the Lord Chancellor and are totally independent of local authorities.  

Further information about the work of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, including the appeals process, example cases and various reports and statistics, can be found on the Tribunal's website.

The Council operates several public car parks throughout the Borough. These car parks tend to be concentrated in the areas of greatest demand, such as around Gateshead Quays or in Gateshead Town Centre, but there is also significant provision elsewhere.  

The conditions of use vary depending on where the car park is situated. Those which apply in each car park are indicated on notice boards situated at each location, including when the car park may be used, and which vehicles may park there. The conditions and charges can change from time to time, so it is important that all drivers check the boards each time they visit. Where charges apply, the location of the Pay & Display machine is usually indicated by the presence of a "Pay Here" cone or similar signage. As well as paying with cash and displaying a ticket in the traditional way, for a small administration fee it is also possible to pay the parking charge electronically in all of our car parks, using the Pay By Phone app. 

Back Regent/Walker Terrace, Gateshead (NE8 1LU)

Charles Street, Gateshead (NE8 1EW)

Church Street, Gateshead (NE8 2AT)

Civic Centre, Gateshead (NE8 1HH)

Coach Park, Gateshead (NE8 2AU)

Cross Keys Lane, Low Fell (NE9 6DA)

Felling Metro, Felling (NE10 9LS)

Garden Street Car Park, Gateshead (NE8 2AU)

Heworth South Short Stay, Gateshead (NE10 9LW)

Heworth North Long Stay, Gateshead (NE10 0YJ)

Lowreys Lane, Low Fell (NE9 5JB)

Regent Court Car Park (NE8 1EW)

Sunderland Road (Tynegate), Gateshead (NE8 3HU)

Swinburne Street, Gateshead (NE8 1AX)

Town Hall, Gateshead (NE8 1HE)

Whickham Shopping Centre (East) Short Stay (NE16 4AB)

Whickham Shopping Centre (West) Long Stay (NE16 4AB)

Quarryfield Road (NE8 3AE)

If you use a council car park in Gateshead regularly, an annual permit may save you money where available. The cost of an annual permit varies depending on its location, the type and duration of the permit. 

Depending on the location, permits may be available for three, six or 12 months. No permit may extend beyond the following 31 March. 

In many cases, permits can also be issued for specified days. This flexibility may be of use to part time workers, for example, who only need a permit for certain days of the week. In these circumstances the permit charge will be calculated using the day rate. A pro-rata rate applies in these cases, as indicated below. 

Part months are charged at the full rate for that month. All permits must be paid for in full before they are issued. 

The car parks for which permits are currently available are:

Back Regent/Walker Terrace 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit- Specified days (Per day of week)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

Church Street Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

12 months - Specified days (Per day of week)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

Cross Keys Lane Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days) 

Garden Street Car Park 

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday) 

Heworth Metro Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

12 months - Specified days (Specific days, per day of week)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

Pipewellgate Car Park 

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday) 

Quarryfield Road Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

12 months - Specified days (Specific days, per day of week)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

Regent Court Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

12 months - Specified days (Specific days, per day of week)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

6 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday)  

3 months - Seasonal Permit (All days) 

Sunderland Road (Tynegate) Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days)  

12 months - Seasonal Permit (Monday to Friday) 

Whickham Shopping Centre Car Park 

12 months - Seasonal Permit (All days) 

The Safer Parking (or "Park Mark") Scheme is managed by the British Parking Association in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The scheme was introduced by the Government in order to promote more safe and secure parking facilities all over the country.  

Higher security standards reduce crime and the fear of crime. To be awarded a "Park Mark", car parks must be independently judged to have achieved these standards. Owners and operators must meet a stringent set of standards, including good design and management and provide an effective level of security and lighting.  

Over 1,120 car parks in the UK currently hold Park Mark status, and both operators and users have seen the benefits of increased security within car parks. In recognition of our investment in security and car park management, Gateshead Council currently holds ten of these prestigious awards.  

The public car parks in the borough that have attained the Park Mark Award are:

• Church Street Car Park 
• Civic Centre Car Park 
• Cross Keys Car Park  
• Heworth North (Long Stay) Car Park 
• Lowrey's Lane Car Park 
• Quarryfield Road Car Park 
• Swinburne Street Car Park 
• Whickham Long Stay Car Park 
• Whickham Short Stay Car Park 
• Wrekenton Centre Car Park 

Subject to cost pressures, which are particularly great at present, the Council will continue to strive to ensure that all public car parks under its control are brought up to the standards set out in the Park Mark scheme. 

We operate a number of on street parking bays throughout the Borough. Charges apply in some of these, but some of them are free. Those locations where charges are applied are shown below. These charges will normally be higher than the equivalent rate in any neighbouring off street car parks. Areas which are designed to have a higher turnover of vehicles may expect to have a higher level of enforcement to encourage this. The majority of these locations have a maximum stay period in operation. 

The Council operates several residents' parking schemes in the Borough. There is a general presumption that a vehicle legally on the road may park on any unrestricted public road, provided no obstruction is being caused. Permit parking schemes are therefore only introduced where the Council considers that there is an exceptional commuter parking issue in connection with a significant "parking generator", such as concentrations of high employment or in areas surrounding hospitals, transport hubs and sporting arenas or other attractions. 

When restrictions within a residents' parking zone are in force, any vehicle parking within the zone which is not exempt (such as an operational emergency services vehicle) must display a valid permit in order to park within the zone. Failure to do so may result in the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice. Please note that blue (disabled) badges are not valid for use in these circumstances. The following types of permit are valid for use in residents' parking zones:  

• a resident or business permit showing that it is valid for use in that zone
• a visitor scratchcard, with the date/time correctly showing, valid in that zone
• a green visitor disc, with the date/time correctly set, valid in that zone
• a trade permit or Health Professional Permit  

The days and times when restrictions apply can vary from zone to zone, although most of them tend to operate on weekdays between 9.00am and 6.00pm to deal with commuter-related parking issues. The permit's conditions of use are set out on the application form and accompanying notes. Please note that restrictions apply on Bank Holiday Mondays or other public holidays unless the signs within each zone show otherwise. 

Resident Permit Holder Only areas in Gateshead can be viewed in appendix 2. 

Gateshead Council now has several hundred drivers registered with Co-Wheels. This is saving the Council money in mileage claims and helping reduce carbon emissions across the Borough.  

Our fleet currently comprises of 17 petrol cars (Aygos and MG 3s) which are based at the Civic Centre and 2 Yaris' located at Shearlegs Road, all of which have guaranteed parking spaces.  

Pool cars can be used to travel to meetings or sites that are not easily accessible on foot or by public transport. The use of the pool cars helps us reduce our overall travel costs and in turn contribute to budgetary savings across the Council.  

For those pool cars which are electric vehicles, there are currently four types of charging post located at the Civic Centre. All of the electric vehicles have both 3- pin and male/female charging cables. In addition to this, the charging canopy can be utilised if the charging posts are in use.

The financial operation of a CPE system is broken down into two distinct elements, namely costs (expenditure) and income (revenue). The balance between these two elements indicates whether the scheme is likely to be financially sustainable over the longer term.  

Costs are broken down into three areas:  

• Capital Expenditure - Fixed elements, irrespective of their size and design. These include scheme design (Civil Enforcement Area, contractors, etc), media campaign, street works;  
• Revenue Expenditure - Fixed elements, irrespective of size and design, including enforcement software maintenance, printing, tribunal costs, DVLA tracing charges;  
• Revenue Expenditure - Variable elements depending on the size and design, including Notice Processing and Enforcement Officer costs.  

Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 introduced Civil Parking Enforcement to create a more reasonable, transparent, and proportionate system of parking enforcement. It also sets out to improve consistency across England, whilst allowing local councils which operate CPE to tailor their specific operations to suit their transport policies and other local needs with that national framework.  

Parking Revenue Budget  

The table at appendix 3 is published in accordance with both section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) and the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.  

Where parking operations covered by this legislation produce a surplus, the legislation specifies the order in which that surplus must be applied.  

Penalty Charge Notices issued  

The council issued a total of 23,078 PCN's across the Borough during the year in review (including bus lane PCNs). Of those, 3,943 were issued for on-street contraventions with 3,148 issued for off-street contraventions and 17,739 for being in a bus lane (a contravention is essentially the civil law equivalent of an offence).  

Appendix 4 lists number of PCNs issued under each contravention code. Appendix 5 shows the number of PCNs issued by type for the year. Appendix 6 shows the locations where the greatest number of PCNs were issued. 

Challenges, Representations and Appeals  

During the year, over 5,672 pieces of written correspondence were recorded as having been received in connection with PCNs. The council endeavours to record the principal reasons for the cancellation of PCNs. This enables us to make any changes or improvements necessary to reduce the probability of the same problems occurring again.  

Where the specific reason is recorded, the largest number of cancellations was because a valid pay and display ticket was subsequently produced where none was clearly visible in the vehicle at the time. 

Of the 23,078 PCNs issued in the year 2022-23, 13.2% of all PCN's issued were cancelled. 

Headline information regarding the number and outcome of appeals submitted to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is published on the Tribunal's website.