Police chief offers £200,000 to fund Telford council traffic wardens

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion says bringing in new wardens will free up important resources to concentrate on more serious crimes.

Telford & Wrekin is one of the few authorities in the county that does not have the power to run traffic wardens

Proposals are now underway to implement a dedicated 'civil enforcement team' to manage parking in the borough.

Mr Campion says he agreed to offer up to £200,000 to the council over a four-year period to support the implementation.

The local authority has started a consultation on proposals to take on the responsibility for parking enforcement from the police.

The consultation focuses on the public's experience with parking issues faced in Telford & Wrekin and what can be done about them.

Mr Campion, said: "I would encourage the public to support the proposals which would deliver a better service for communities, freeing up considerable resources and giving the police the time to focus on the most serious priorities which will keep our communities safe.

"Dedicated civil enforcement teams are already the norm across most of the country and I have worked hard with the council to progress this change, for the benefits of local residents and communities."

Target

The council says it wants to take on parking wardens to target bad driving. It says it has no plans to change its car parks that are currently free to use.

Councillor Richard Overton, cabinet member for enforcement, said: "We know how illegal and inconsiderate parking causes problems for residents and businesses and we understand the frustration that it isn't being policed.

"That's why the council wants to take over this role and we would like to hear from as many people as possible about experiences, what the issues are and where the hotspots are.

"I want to reassure residents that we are not taking on these powers to make money by issuing lots of fines, it's very much about tackling the minority of inconsiderate drivers who park illegally and in doing so present risks to other drivers and pedestrians."

The survey asks questions from parking around schools and on pavements, to disabled parking bays and the potential for business permits to allow them to make deliveries in main towns across the region.

The public consultation has gone live and is available until October 15.

It is hoped the civil parking enforcement powers will pass necessary legal hurdles and get approved by the Department of Transport by autumn 2019.