Document
Annual Parking Report
The main purpose of this report is to look at the work undertaken by the Parking Services Team during 2022/2023 and to provide useful and factual information for our customers.
The report highlights the full range of services provided by Parking Services which include managing and controlling our Car Parks, ensuring the free flow of traffic and the issuing of Penalty Charge Notices. All of these areas have a positive influence on road safety and to ensure the fair access of available parking spaces to different types of motorists.
Horsham District Council is committed to providing a Parking Service that operates in a fair and consistent manner. As a Council we are also committed to providing a service that benefits residents, visitors and businesses of Horsham District, ensuring that our district is safe, easily accessible for all road users and thereby supports our local economy.
Horsham District Council owns and manages 23 car parks across the district. To compliment this, on street parking enforcement was contracted to us in 2006 as agents for West Sussex County Council. As part of this agreement we manage on-street parking to maintain the vitality of and access to our district.
Parking charges and controls are used specifically to manage availability of short stay parking spaces which are protecting the needs of the town centre residents and encourage long stay parking to take place off-street and in the long stay car parks. This helps to contribute to a higher turnover of vehicles allowing ease of access for potential visitors and customers of the town and surrounding villages.
Overview
Parking controls in Horsham District are essential to keep traffic moving and provide ease of access for residents, businesses and our many visitors to the town. There is a high demand of parking in parts of the district and this must be managed and controlled effectively. The parking team work closely with West Sussex County Council to ensure that ad hoc demands and enforcement requests can be met. In turn a very close relationship is maintained with all our Civil Enforcement Officers, which helps to ensure that all communication between the two organisations is reflected in our enforcement.
A number of large events take place within the district on both an annual and monthly basis, this requires careful planning to ensure that any impact to the surrounding area is kept to a minimum. The Parking team is equipped to arrange parking bay suspensions or dispensations where necessary. The provision of such bays plays a vital role in supporting the local economy and tourism helping to maintain a balance of the needs of residents, visitors and businesses.
Parking Services Team
Civil Enforcement Officer (CEOs)
The CEO team are responsible for both on and off-street parking enforcement across the whole of the district and the rural areas and is operational 7 days a week. CEO’s are deployed across the district with patrols concentrated at those locations where parking related issues are most prevalent.
We operate intelligence led patrolling which means that the team frequently respond to specific concerns and or requests received for parking enforcement from members of the public and other agencies such as Police and local Schools.
All our Civil Enforcement Officers have been trained and completed a City & Guilds Level 2 qualification in Civil Parking Enforcement, which includes CEO roles, responsibilities and conflict management. They will have also completed a range of other generic training such as Health and Safety and Customer Service.
The main aims of the CEO’s are to maintain the free flow of traffic and encourage compliance within parking restrictions. Compliance with parking restrictions play an active role in maintaining road safety for drivers as well as pedestrians.
Notice Processing
Notice processing is a demanding procedure requiring the understanding of the legal requirements and guidelines that impact on parking enforcement. All staff within the Parking Services back office team have completed a City & Guilds Level 3 in Notice Processing or more recently has been renamed WAMITAB qualification which includes an introduction to Notice Processing, Information Management, Processing PCN’s, responding to appeals, and dealing with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
The principal duties are responding to challenges, representations and adjudications, which include carrying out investigations into the issue of the Penalty Charge Notices. This involves DVLA checks, location/map checks, TRO checks, evidence supporting the PCN and machine breakdown check etc.
The main aim of a Notice Processor is to ensure that all tickets have been issued appropriately and fairly, ensuring that all processes have been completed correctly and any points raised by the recipient are considered in relation to the penalty charge notice received.
Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) Statistics and Information
Table 1 – Total PCNs Issued 2019-2023
| Financial year | On street | Off street | All PCNs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 6453 | 5131 | 11584 |
| 2020/2021 | 3477 | 2526 | 6003 |
| 2021/2022 | 5547 | 5012 | 10559 |
| 2022/23 | 4458 | 3439 | 7897 |
Some Penalty Charge Notices are issued instantly e.g. where a vehicle is parked within a restricted bay, whilst others require an observation e.g. vehicles parked in a car park without displaying a valid pay and display ticket, permit or parking clock (applicable for the rural car parks).
Higher & Lower Rate Contraventions
It is acknowledged that some contraventions are more serious than others. For example parking on a pedestrian crossing would be a high band PCN, whereas parking for longer than permitted would be a lower band PCN. The two bands are priced accordingly to reflect this.
The number of higher contraventions that are recorded On-Street exceeds those within our Car Parks.
Table 2 – Higher and Lower statistics 2019 - 2023
On street
| Financial year | Higher | Lower | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 4759 | 401 | 5160 |
| 2020/21 | 2467 | 240 | 2707 |
| 2021/22 | 5131 | 419 | 5550 |
| 2022/23 | 2960 | 432 | 3392 |
| Total | 15317 | 1492 | 16809 |
Off street
| Financial year | Higher | Lower | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 466 | 3474 | 3940 |
| 2020/21 | 163 | 1866 | 2029 |
| 2021/22 | 825 | 4187 | 5012 |
| 2022/23 | 307 | 2296 | 2603 |
| Total | 1761 | 11823 | 13584 |
Top 3 contraventions for on street parking
The table below indicates that parking in a Resident or Shared space is the main contravention that occurs on our streets. All of the top three contraventions that occur on street are classed as higher band penalties.
Table 3 - top 3 contraventions statistics for on-street (2020-2023)
| Financial year | 12 resident or shared spaces | 01 yellow lines 1 or 2 | 25 loading bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 1319 | 1180 | 254 |
| 2021/22 | 2016 | 1791 | 408 |
| 2022/23 | 1620 | 1569 | 395 |
Table 4 - top 3 contraventions statistics for off-street (2020-2023)
| Financial year | 83 No Valid P&D ticket | 82 Expiry of paid time | 85 No Valid Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 1842 | 230 | 186 |
| 2021/22 | 3294 | 539 | 607 |
| 2022/23 | 1934 | 376 | 317 |
Cancellations
Where it is deemed that a Penalty Charge Notice has been issued incorrectly then the ticket will be cancelled. In addition, cancellation may also result where there are significant mitigating circumstances.
Table 6 - Percentage of PCNs cancelled (2019-2023)
| 2019/20 | 2021/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.29% | 19.07% | 31.33% | 7.13% |
The rate of cancellations has significantly decreased over the last year. This is a result of the lockdowns lifting and no more restrictions being in place in relation to Covid. Each case is considered on its own merit, taking into account all of the evidence available and the circumstances at the time. An acceptable level of cancellations will therefore always be seen.
Top three reasons for cancellation
Table 7 – Top 3 reasons for cancellation (2020 - 2023)
Financial year 2020/21
| Reason | Total |
|---|---|
| Challenge accepted | 250 |
| Valid permit | 41 |
| Valid disabled badge | 54 |
Financial year 2021/22
| Reason | Total |
|---|---|
| Challenge accepted | 184 |
| Valid ticket | 156 |
| Valid disabled badge | 139 |
Financial year 2022/23
| Reason | Total |
|---|---|
| Challenge accepted | 288 |
| Valid ticket | 51 |
| Valid disabled badge | 83 |
Challenges, Representations and Appeals
If the recipient of a PCN feels that the PCN should not have been issued for whatever reason, they have the right to submit an appeal. All appeals must be received in writing (via post or online), full instructions of how to appeal are printed on the back of the Penalty Charge Notice for the ease of the customer.
There are three stages of appeal that are open to the customer:
- Informal Challenge (within 28 days)
- Formal Representation (The Registered Keeper receives a Notice to Owner which must be completed either online or returned by post within 28 days.
- Appeal to Traffic Penalty Tribunal ( A formal representation must have been received and rejected. Appealing to TPT must be made within 28 days of rejection of formal representation). Extensive information with regards to the appeal process and the option available can be found on the Patrol UK website.
If the customer does decide to appeal within the 14 day discounted period and parking services rejects the appeal, the 14 day discount period is re-offered.
The table below identifies that the level of Challenges, Representations and Appeals has reduced significantly over the last 3 years.
Table 8 - Percentage of PCN incoming correspondence
| Financial year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 35.48% |
| 2021/22 | 26.58% |
| 2022/23 | 31.58% |
Learning from Appeals
Horsham District Council aim to help motorists understand the parking regulations in our response to their appeals. We do this by including evidence such as photos of the vehicle, photos of the relevant signs & road markings, extracts from the Highway Code, the Blue Badge Scheme book and relevant legislation if appropriate.
The adjudicator’s decision is considered carefully to ensure that future appeals benefit from any guidance given. It is also considered that if recommendations are stated, that these are considered within the internal procedures of Parking Services and that the relevant Policies or guidance notes reviewed if felt appropriate.
We also benefit from sharing adjudicator’s decision of our appeals amongst the Civil Enforcement Officers and back office team as a continual learning process to ensure that every case is being dealt with at the highest standard – from issuing the PCN to responding to the appeal and providing clear and concise submissions.
Website
Information held on the HDC website relating to parking is constantly reviewed and updated to ensure that it meets the needs of the customer. All changes to tariffs are reflected on the website.
All of the guidelines of use of season tickets and residents permits are clearly detailed on our website under the relevant pages.
Details of the Controlled Parking Zone, including area map Permit Applications and prices are also available. Unfortunately the facility to apply for a permit online is not yet available however the application forms can be downloaded.
Additional information will be included on the website to inform customers of the frequently asked questions we receive and information based on customer feedback.
Website page views
Table 10 – Statistics on specific web pages
| Page title | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town Centre Parking | 17033 | 26634 | 33882 |
| Season Tickets | 20601 | 48013 | 27898 |
| On Street Parking Permits | 13412 | 15727 | 15649 |
| Pay your parking fine | 5980 | 10024 | 7508 |
| Appeal your parking fine | 1881 | 3240 | 5401 |
| Rural car parks | 2878 | 4102 | 37910 |
| Annual Parking Disc | 9189 | 29944 | 5031 |
| Disabled Parking | 2207 | 4458 | 2735 |
Payment channels
Horsham District Council have various payment channels within the car parks, ranging from standard pay & display options to Pay by Phone using the app and the ANPR system in our Multi-Storey Car Parks. We also have an AutoPay service which allows people to setup an account and automatically pay for parking once the vehicle has left the multi-storey car park.
| Season tickets and permits | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person | 14.12% | 2.65% | 2.72% | 5.96% |
| Post | 3.53% | 5.88% | 2.39% | 1.15% |
| Phone/website | 82.33% | 76.10% | 94.88% | 92.88% |
| PCNs | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022.23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Person | 0.03% | 1.11% | 0.15% |
| Post | 3.60% | 1.25% | 1.67% |
| Internet | 89.28% | 81.80% | 76.49% |
| Phone | 38% | 15.84% | 21.68% |
Off street car parks
Horsham District Council operates 34 car parks across the district, with all the Horsham town centre car parks having been awarded the ‘Park Mark’ safer parking award.
Pay and Display, Ring Go and MiPermit are the methods of payment accepted within the car parks. Season tickets help customers to park as flexibly as possible in our season ticket car parks. Our multi-storey car parks have the flexibility to obtain season tickets from the new pay machines making this a much easier process for the customer as they are in complete control throughout the entire transaction.
Car park details
Horsham Town Centre car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | AutoPay scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT Exchange | 81 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Denne Road | 64 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Forum | 472 | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Library | 7 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| The Pavilions | 243 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Jubilee | 40 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| New Street | 20 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| North Parade | 72 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| North Street | 122 | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Piries Place | 516 | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Swan Walk | 900 | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Dukes Square | 106 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Talbot Lane | 21 | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Hanover Walk | N/a | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Pulborough car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | AutoPay scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Street | 75 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Storrington car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | AutoPay scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Street (Library, Storrington) | 167 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Old Mill Square | 123 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Monastery Lane | 10 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Billingshurst car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | AutoPay scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jengers Mead | 17 | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Six Bells | 38 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Library | 60 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Leisure Centre | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Myrtle Lane | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Steyning car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | SmartPark scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leisure Centre | 69 | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Newmans Gardens | 131 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Coopers Way | 103 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Library Car Park Henfield | 66 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Fletchers Croft Steyning | 80 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Southwater car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | SmartPark scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lintot Square | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Station Road | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
| Worthing Road | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
| Bens Field | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Roffey car parks
| Car park | Spaces | Pay on foot | Pay by phone | SmartPark Scheme | Annual Parking Disc | Season tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godwin Way | 59 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Permits
Table 13 - Resident Permit Statistics 2022/23
| Area | Resident parking capacity | Permits issued | % of scheme take-up | Waiting list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | 364 | 307 | 84.34% | Not in operation |
| Zone B | 386 | 132 | 32% | Not in operation |
| Zone C | 129 | 51 | 38% | Not in operation |
| Zone D | 702 | 425 | 60.11% | Not in operation |
| Zone E | 407 | 275 | 65.11% | Not in operation |
| Zone F | 130 | 41 | 28.46% | Not in operation |
| Billingshurst | 256 | 75 | 28.12% | Not in operation |
Other permits issued for 2022/23 also include Healthcare & Carer permits.
Freedom of Information (FOI)
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) came into force in January 2005. This means that the general public have even greater access to information held by Horsham District Council that they had previously. Parking Services receives Freedom of Information requests and must respond to these in accordance with the legislation
For the financial year 2022/23, Parking Services received a total of 16 Freedom of Information Requests.
Three most common questions we receive 2022/23
- Penalty Charge Notices Issued
- Parking Operation/Contracts
- On and Off Street Parking
Glossary of Terms used when dealing with a Penalty Charge Notice
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Charge Certificates | The notice served 28 days after the service of the Notice to Owner if the Penalty Charge Notice remains unpaid. This notice increases the Penalty Charge by 50% |
| Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) | The name given to the officers that enforce parking restrictions for the Authority |
| Contravention | Where a motorist does not comply with a parking regulation (formally referred) |
| Dispensation | A dispensation is where permission to park in contravention of a parking restriction is given. |
| DVLA- No Response | The state refers to the DVLA being unable to provide an address for the owner of the vehicle at that time. |
| Formal Representation | An appeal made within 28 days of the service of the Notice To Owner to the Registered Keeper |
| Informal Challenge | An appeal made within 28 days of the service of the Penalty Charge Notice |
| Notice to Owner (NTO) | The statutory notice issued to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle if a Penalty Charge Notice is not paid within 28 days of its issue. The recipient may either pay in full at this stage |
| Not Contested | The appeal was not disputed by the Council |
| Off-Street | This relates to facilities and enforcement to Council Managed Car Parks. |
| On-Street | This relates to facilities and enforcement on the Highway. |
| Park Mark (SC) | Safer Parking status, Park Mark, is awarded to parking facilities and have met the requirements of a risk assessment conducted by the Police. |
| Parking Regulations/Parking Restrictions | The rules that motorists must follow. These can be a result of Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) or national legislation |
| Penalty Charge Notice | The notice issued to a vehicle believed to be parked in contravention of a parking regulation. |
| Registered Keeper | The person who is deemed responsible for the payment of a Penalty Charge Notice irrespective of whether they were driving at the time of the contravention. These details are obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) |
| Spoilt | An error has occurred within the issuing of the Penalty Charge Notice therefore the ticket then becomes spoilt and another ticket reissued. |
| Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA 2004) | The legislation under which the Authority operates its Civil Parking Enforcement Scheme. |
| Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) | The Independent body that considers appeals in relation to Penalty Charge Notices where the appellant is unhappy with the Authority’s response to their Formal Representation. This is the final stage of appeal for the motorist and their decision is binding on both the Authority and the Motorist. |
| Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) | The legal basis for the majority of parking regulations. Traffic Regulation Orders may only be introduced following public consultation. |
Contravention Code Lists
On Street
| Offence Code | Offence Description | Higher/Lower |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours | Higher |
| 02 | Parked or loading/unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading/unloading restrictions are in force | Higher |
| 05 | Parked after the expiry of paid time | Lower |
| 06 | Parked without displaying a valid pay & Display ticket or voucher | Lower |
| 07 | Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time | Lower |
| 12 | Parked in a residents’ or shared use parking place or zone displaying an invalid permit, an invalid voucher or an invalid pay & display ticket | Higher |
| 16 | Parked in a suspended bay or space or part bay or space | Higher |
| 19 | Parked in residents’ or shared use parking place or zone displaying an invalid permit, an invalid voucher or an invalid pay & display ticket | Lower |
| 21 | Parked in a suspended bay or space or part of bay or space | Higher |
| 22 | Re-parked in the same parking place or zone within one house of leaving | Lower |
| 23 | Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle | Higher |
| 24 | Not parked correctly within the bay or space | Lower |
| 25 | Parked in a loading place during restricted hours without loading | Higher |
| 27 | Parked in a special enforcement area adjacent to a dropped footway, cycle track or verge lowered to meet the level of the carriageway | Higher |
| 28 | Parked in a special enforcement area on part of the carriageway raised to the meet the level of a footway, cycle track or verge | Higher |
| 30 | Parked for longer than permitted | Lower |
| 40 | Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner | Higher |
| 42 | Parked in a parking place designated for police vehicles | Higher |
| 45 | Parked on a taxi rank | Higher |
| 46 | Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway) | Higher |
| 47 | Stopped on a restricted bus stop or stand | Higher |
| 48 | Stopped in a restricted area outside a school when prohibited | Higher |
| 49 | Parked Wholly or partly on a cycle track or lane | Higher |
| 99 | Stopped on a pedestrian crossing and/or crossing area marked | Higher |
Off Street
| Offence code | Offence description | Higher/Lower |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | Parked in a loading area during restricted hours without reasonable excuse | Higher |
| 71 | Parked in an electric vehicles’ charging place during restricted hours without charging | Lower |
| 73 | Parked without payment of the parking charge | Lower |
| 74 | Using a vehicle in a parking place in connection with the sale or offering or exposing for sale of goods when prohibited | Higher |
| 75 | — RESERVED FOR LITTERING FROM MOTOR VEHICLES — | N/A |
| 77 | – – – RESERVED FOR DVLA USE – – – | N/A |
| 78 | Parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space | Higher* |
| 80 | Parked for longer than permitted | Lower |
| 81 | Parked in a restricted area in a car park | Higher |
| 82 | Parked after the expiry of paid for time | Lower |
| 83 | Parked in a car park without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket or voucher or parking clock | Lower |
| 84 | Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time | Lower |
| 85 | Parked in a permit bay without clearly displaying a valid permit | Higher |
| 86 | Not parked correctly within the markings of a bay or space | Lower |
| 87 | Parked in a disabled person’s parking place without clearly displaying a valid disabled person’s badge | Higher |
| 89 | Vehicle parked exceeds maximum weight and/or height and/or length permitted in the area | Higher |
| 90 | Re-parked in the same car park within one hour after leaving | Lower |
| 91 | Parked in a car park or area not designated for that class of vehicle | Higher |
| 92 | Parked causing an obstruction | Higher |
| 93 | Parked in car park when closed | Lower |
| 94 | Parked in a pay & display car park without clearly displaying two valid pay and display tickets when required | Lower |
| 95 | Parked in a parking place for a purpose other than that designated | Lower |
| 96 | Parked with engine running where prohibited | Lower |