Get set for new parking charges

11:33am Tuesday 19th February 2008

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DPE comes to Wilmslow in the middle of May.

Decriminalised parking enforcement, which has been around in many neighbouring towns for some time, will be introduced in Macclesfield Borough on Wednesday May 14.

On that day, eighteen enforcement officers, two supervisors and a parking enforcement manager, employed by Macclesfield Borough Council, will take over the on-street enforcement of parking regulations from the police.

Infringement will pass from being a criminal to a civil offence, but the newly appointed manager of DPE in the borough, James Howard, promises: "We'll be out there every day, managing the kerb space for the good of everybody, keeping the traffic moving and keeping Macclesfield Borough a lively place."

Two levels of penalty will be introduced. More serious offences, such as potentially dangerous parking, will incur a £70 penalty, while less serious breaches, such as overstaying the time permitted in a designated parking bay, will receive a £50 penalty. Both may be reduced by half if paid within fourteen days.

The uniform of the new parking enforcement officers has yet to be decided upon.

"It's on my list of 140 things still to do," said James Howard, who became the borough's parking enforcement manager at the beginning of December, having carried out the same work in Trafford.