Witney News - New parking wardens for West Oxfordshire

New parking wardens for West Oxfordshire

On 25th January 2010 West Oxfordshire District Council takes over the management of on-street parking from the Police.

A new team of civil enforcement officers, called Community Wardens, will control parking both on the street and in council-managed car parks across the district.

Wearing distinctive green uniforms and high-visibility jackets, the new Community Wardens will carry out regular patrols on foot throughout the District. They will:

· help improve parking problems caused by illegal and inconsiderate parking, which will help keep roads safe and traffic moving freely
· provide advice to motorists and residents, linking the public with council services
· penalise those that flout the law by issuing Penalty Charge Notices.

Cllr David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Environment said, “Having one team looking after parking across the district makes complete sense. The district council is taking on parking management because we want to preserve our market towns and the free on-street and off-street parking that exists. This is a great boon for West Oxfordshire, as it is an added attraction to visitors and helps maintain a thriving local economy.”
All car parks in West Oxfordshire will remain free and there are currently no plans to introduce any on-street pay and display or residents parking areas (Controlled Parking Zones).

In addition to managing parking the new community wardens will act as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Council, reporting environmental issues such as littering, dog-fouling and graffiti. They will also work closely with neighbourhood Police teams.