A new pilot is underway allowing members of the public to upload photos and videos of illegal parking in their communities directly to the police to hold drivers accountable.
Angelique Foster, Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said the Parking No initiative would initially run in the Ashbourne and Mercia areas, with the potential for a wider roll-out in future.
It comes in response to the growing number of complaints received by police from residents concerned with dangerous parking practices across the two communities. The issue is currently the highest rated concern by the public on the police communication platform Derbyshire Alert.
Derbyshire Constabulary has designed new software that allows videos and photographs of offending vehicles to be sent directly to the force. The stills or footage will then be assessed by an experienced roads policing officer to determine whether any dangerous parking offences have been committed.
The offences covered by the pilot will include leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position in the following circumstances:
- Blocking pavements and forcing pedestrians into the road.
- Parking at/on/too close to a junction.
- Parking a vehicle at a traffic light or pedestrian crossing
- Parking on school ‘Keep Clear' markings when children enter or leave school.
- Parking on double white lines.
- Unnecessary/Wilful Obstruction.
Road Safety is a key priority in the Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan, and she strongly supports proactive enforcement operations to ensure motorists meet their responsibilities behind the wheel.
Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: "I am pleased to launch Parking No in Ashbourne and Mercia. In some cases, unsafe parking can increase the likelihood of a serious or even fatal collision and put cyclists, pedestrians, and other drivers at unnecessary risk. I know many residents have expressed their concerns, especially about persistent issues around schools.
"Residents want to see action. The force's new tool enables residents to input their concerns directly onto the platform and will make the process of dealing with dangerous parking more effective. Our officers have significant ground to cover and they cannot possibly attend every cases reported by residents via the normal channels. This scheme will help save officer time and increase our capacity to deal with potentially dangerous circumstances.
"The safety of our roads remains a key priority for everyone. This initiative has proven successful in other areas of the country, and we are looking forward to seeing how it will help communities and the police work together to resolve some of the more difficult and persistent cases."
To report parking issues as part of Parking No visit: www.derbyshire.police.uk/ReportParking.