North Ayrshire Council introduced the Decriminalised Parking Enforcement scheme on 3 November 2023.
DPE is the process the council uses, under the Road Traffic Act 1991, to enforce:
- on-street parking restrictions
- off-street parking in council owned car parks
The responsibility for enforcing parking restrictions has transferred from Police Scotland to North Ayrshire Council.
DPE benefits
The benefits of DPE by local authorities include:
- enhanced enforcement - reducing illegal parking and increasing compliance
- improved traffic flow - reducing obstruction and congestion
- increased road safety - helping to reduce accidents and ensuring safer access for pedestrians and cyclists
- fairness and equality - ensuring all road users have equal access to parking spaces
- revenue generation - investing money from fines in improvements to transport infrastructure and maintaining parking facilities
- better utilisation of parking spaces - discouraging illegal parking, reducing congestion, and improving accessibility for motorists in need of parking
- stronger local control - tailoring parking policies to community needs and ensuring regulations align with local priorities and considerations