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Your guide to driving and parking in Westminster

2011/12

ParkRight

Sponsored by

UPDATEFebruary 2012

Westminster City Council

Westminster City Hall 64 Victoria Street London SW1E 6QP

020 7641 6000 westminster.gov.uk

Introduction ...................................................................................... 3

How to park

- Types of parking bays ....................................................................... 4 - Disabled drivers ................................................................................ 5 - Concessions and restrictions ........................................................... 6 - PCNs and enforcement .................................................................... 7 - Cashless Parking .............................................................................. 8

Talking to motorists in Westminster: The NSL on-street team ................................................................ 10

Parking Zone Map ......................................................................... 12

Do it online ....................................................................................... 13

Renew your resident parking permit ......................................... 14

Useful contacts ............................................................................... 15

Contents

Sponsored by

All information correct at time of going to press (December 2011).

Please always check signage on-street when parking in Westminster.

Welcome to Park Right, the guide to parking in Westminster. This guide tells you where you can park, where you can’t, and what to do if you’re not sure.

The council’s responsibility is to make sure that those people who need to drive in the city can get around easily and safely, and can find somewhere safe and convenient to park. We aim to balance everyone’s needs as fairly and reasonably as possible, whether you’re driving a private car, a delivery vehicle, a motorbike or an ambulance.

We’ve tried to make this book as comprehensive as possible – but if you have a question that isn’t answered inside, then take a look at our website: westminster.gov.uk/parking

Introduction – Cllr Lee Rowley

Cllr Lee Rowley Cabinet Member for Parking & Transportation

4 ParkRight 2011/12

Westminster’s streets can often be extremely busy, and it’s important to know when and where you can stop or park. Below, we’ve outlined the different types of parking bays, rules on loading and unloading, and who can park where, and when.

Residents’ Bays

Westminster residents can apply for a resident parking permit for the zone in which they live. There are two types of resident bays: shared-use and resident only bays. Resident permit holders can park in both types of bays 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A resident’s permit for a motorcycle also enables the bike to be parked in any motorcycle bay without further charges.

Pay by Phone and Pay & Display bays

There are a number of ways to pay for parking in Westminster, including Pay by Phone, using on-street Pay & Display machines (card payments only) and via scratchcards available from Westminster Libraries and Westminster Post Office branches. See pages 8 – 9 for more information.

Loading and unloading

You can stop to load and unload:

• within dedicated loading bays (some loading bays are for goods vehicles only. Please check signage within the bay)

• on single and double yellow lines when no loading ban is in force

• in Pay & Display and Pay by Phone bays

• in residents’ bays.

When stopping to load/unload from your vehicle, continuous loading activity must be apparent, otherwise a PCN may be issued.

IMPORTANT: The rules vary depending on whether you are driving a Heavy Goods Vehicle, a commercial vehicle (delivery vehicles, liveried vehicles, motorcycle couriers etc) or a private vehicle. To find out more visit westminster.gov.uk/loadingunloading

Suspensions, dispensations and skips

If you need to carry out works or deliver heavy equipment, you can use a parking bay suspension or yellow line dispensation.

If you wish to place a skip on the street you will need to apply for a skip licence, which may also require a parking bay suspension or yellow line dispensation.

Find out more, and how to apply, at westminster.gov.uk/suspensions

How to Park – types of parking bay

Where no time is shown on the sign, bays are solely for resident parking permit holders at any time.

WARNINGPARKING

SUSPENDED

LoadingStoppingWaitingNO

ParkRight 2011/12 5

How to Park – disabled drivers

Where can Blue Badge holders park?

In Westminster, Blue Badge holders cannot park on yellow lines, except when loading or unloading or during extended evening or weekend controlled hours (see p13) nor are they allowed to park free of charge in shared-use Pay & Display or Pay by Phone parking bays.

In Westminster there are approximately 480 bays set aside for Blue Badge holders to park in free of charge for a maximum of 4 hours Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.30pm. Outside of these hours, the bays are still for the exclusive use of blue badge holders but there is no time limit.

In shared-use Pay & Display and Pay by Phone bays, Blue Badge holders get an extra hour of parking free of charge after making an initial payment for parking.

For further information on Blue Badges see bluebadgelondon.org.uk

White Badges

Westminster operates its own White Badge scheme for disabled people who live or have their main place of work in Westminster.

Where can White Badge holders park?

• In resident bays free of charge with no time limit

• In shared-use Pay & Display or Pay by Phone bays free of charge with no time limit

• In Blue Badge bays – see ‘Where can Blue Badge holders park?’

• In White Badge bays. Please note that White Badge bays can only be used by a specific badge holder. A signpost next to the dedicated bay will indicate which badge holder can park there.

The Blue Badge scheme is the national scheme for disabled drivers and passengers. However, the scheme does not apply in the four central London boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, City of London and (parts of) Camden.

6 ParkRight 2011/12

Motorcycle parking

Motorcyclists can park in ‘Solo Motorcycle Only’ bays for an unlimited time. There are approximately 6,150 dedicated on-street spaces for motorcycles throughout the city.

There is a small daily charge to park in an on-street motorcycle bay in Westminster. However there is no extra charge if you move from one motorcycle bay to another on the same day. To save you money, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly permits are also available. Visit westminster.gov.uk/motorcycle for more information.

Electric vehicles

All of these vehicles are entitled to parking concessions within Westminster, though these vary according to what type of electric vehicle you have. Electric vehicles (powered solely by electricity) can park free in Pay & Display/PbP bays throughout Westminster (up to the bay’s maximum stay limit) and in Electric Vehicle Charging Bays up to the maximum stay limit as long as the vehicle is being charged.

Parking restrictions and CPZs

This sign indicates a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). The times on the sign indicate when parking regulations are generally in force in this area. Where parking regulations differ to the times shown on the CPZ sign these will be displayed on signs at the kerbside. The times on the sign show when single yellow lines and paid-for bays are enforced.

Please note: Double yellow lines are controlled at all times.

For more information about Controlled Parking Zones visit www.westminster.gov.uk/parkingzones

How to Park – concessions and restrictions

To find out more about how to park in Westminster, including:

- dropped kerbs

- disabled drivers

- commercial vehicles

- the Traffic Management Act 2004 and what this means for you

visit westminster.gov.uk/parking

Did you

know......parking in suspended

bays can cause delays

and inconvenience

other drivers?

...parking in suspended

bays can cause delays

and inconvenience

ParkRight 2011/12 7

What if I get a parking ticket?

If you get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) there are a number of ways that you can pay or challenge it.

Paying a PCN

If you park incorrectly in Westminster, you will be issued with either an £80 or £130 PCN. If you pay the PCN within 14 days, you will get a 50% discount (£40/£65) (NB for a CCTV parking PCN the discounted rate applies for 21 days). Information included on the PCN will clearly explain the discount period that applies.

You can pay a PCN:

Online at westminster.gov.uk/paypcn

By phone – call 020 7823 4567 for a 24hr automated service

By post – send a cheque or postal order to the address detailed on the PCN

Challenging a PCN

If you feel that a PCN has been wrongly issued you should challenge it as soon as possible. There are a number of stages to the challenge process which can differ according to how the PCN was issued.

For details of how to challenge a PCN, please refer to the PCN itself, or visit westminster.gov.uk/parking

Please note: If you have formally challenged the issue of a PCN but this has been rejected by the council, you can appeal to an independent Adjudicator via the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS). parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk

Enforcement: Fixed CCTV, CEO, mobile CCTV vehicles

Westminster carries out enforcement:

• via our CEOs (Civil Enforcement Officers)

• using fixed CCTV cameras around the city

• using mobile CCTV cameras affixed to vehicles which move around Westminster.

When CEOs come across a vehicle they believe to be parked in contravention of the regulations, they will issue a PCN via their handheld computer and either fix it to the vehicle or hand it to the person appearing to be in charge of the vehicle. A PCN from a CEO can also be issued retrospectively by post.

We use fixed CCTV and mobile CCTV vehicles to enforce parking rules in situations where it’s dangerous or impractical for our CEOs to patrol or where other methods of enforcement have not been effective – for example where traffic is moving quickly. PCNs issued using a CCTV camera are sent by post to the person registered with the DVLA as being the keeper of the vehicle. A CCTV-issued PCN will contain a photograph of the alleged contravention.

For more information, including a map showing the locations of all our fixed CCTV cameras, visit www.westminster.gov.uk/cctv

How to Park – PCNs and enforcement

ParkRight 2011/12 7

Did you

know......Westminster does not clamp and

remove vehicles? If your vehicle needs

to be moved it will be relocated to the

next available safe place – we shall

not impound your vehicle

...Westminster does not clamp and

remove vehicles? If your vehicle needs

to be moved it will be relocated to the

next available safe place – we shall

not impound your vehicle

8 ParkRight 2011/12

How to Park – Cashless Parking

Parking in Westminster has changed. Instead of using cash in traditional meters, we’ve made paying for parking easier, quicker and more secure. You can now pay for parking using your mobile phone, your credit or debit card in Pay & Display machines, or use Parking Cards, available from Westminster Libraries.

Here’s how it all works:

You can use your mobile phone to pay for parking, using your credit or debit card.

Call 0207 005 0055 to register for PbP parking…

KAREN F CITIZEN

1

07795844207

KAREN F CITIZEN

KAREN F CITIZEN

1234 567

K.F. Citizen0207005

0055KAREN F CITIZEN

1

45

LJ98257

8334 45123

1 messagereceived

Pay by phone

Parking in Westminster has changed. Instead of using cash in traditional meters, we’ve made paying for parking

3220207

00500550207

0050055

1

02070050055Pay by phone1When prompted, enter your credit or debit card details, including your three digit security code.

Don’t forget, to register you will need your mobile phone number...

Call centre staff will then complete your registration and if required, your first parking session.

...and your vehicle registration

You can also register or manage your account at westminster.gov.uk/cashlessparking

...your credit or debit card number and security code

Once you’ve registered, you can pay for your parking each time by calling 0207 005 0055...

…enter the number of minutes you want to park, followed by the hash key…

…confirm your registration number is correct by pressing ‘1’…

Alternatively, once you’ve registered you can pay by text at 0795 008 0201.

You can even choose to receive reminder texts so that you know when your parking session is about to end, and can top up your parking via text or phone.

Keying in your location number, a space, the length of your stay in minutes, a space then your security code...

…when instructed to do so, input your location code (you’ll find it on the sign) and confirm the location when prompted...

123 …when asked, enter your three digit security code to confirm your choices.

ParkRight 2011/12 9

How to Park – Cashless Parking

Skin

Hair

Lips

Parking Cards can be bought at Westminster Libraries and Post Office branches.

Pay & Display

Parking Cards

28 01 102288

10

3220207

00500550207

0050055

1

How to use Parking Cards1. Parking Cards can be purchased from Westminster City Council’s libraries and are available in £2 and £4 denominations.2. Each card can only be used once for either £2 or £4 worth of parking time from the arrival date, month and time you indicate by scratching off the relevant silver squares. You should indicate your arrival time to the end of the next 5 minute period e.g. if you arrive at 9:02 you scratch off 9am and 05.

3. Parking Cards can be used in pay & display bays, pay by phone bays, meter bays and shared use bays. They cannot be used in other bays.4. Westminster’s on-street parking charges vary, so check the signs at your parking bay to confirm the hourly rate and work out how long you can park for, considering the parking time you are paying for and the stated maximum stay allowed.

ZoneCharge/Hour£2.00 Card£4.00 Card C£1.002 hours4 hours B and D£2.001 hour2 hours A, F and H£3.0040 minutes1 hour 20 minutes E and G£4.0030 minutes1 hour5. You can use more than one card at a time to pay for a longer parking period, up to the maximum period of stay so long as each card has the same arrival date, month and time scratched off.

Terms and Conditions• You must clearly display your Parking Card(s) on the dashboard of your vehicle so that all details can be observed from the outside. • Parking Cards remain the property of Westminster City Council and must be available for inspection by Westminster City Council parking staff on request.

• Parking Cards are not refundable and are not for resale. Westminster City Council reserves the right to withdraw the scheme at its discretion. • It is your responsibility to display an appropriate and valid Parking Card(s) to cover your parking time.You are liable to receive a Penalty Charge Notice if you: • are still parked after the period you have paid for has expired or if you park for longer than the maximum stay. • do not clearly display a valid Parking Card when parked during controlled hours

•park in a suspended bay or space or part of a bay or space. • indicate that you have parked at a later start time and date than you arrived or if you scratch off more than one date or time. • park in bays other than pay & display, pay by phone, meter and shared use bays or fail to park correctly within the markings of the bay or space. If you have any queries please contact Westminster City Council at www.westminster.gov.uk/parking or 020 7823 4567

28 01 102288

10

28 01 102288

10

The machines are very easy to use – simply follow the instructions.

Insert your credit or debit card…

…enter the amount of time you would like to park, using the ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ buttons…

Westminster’s Pay & Display machines now take only credit or debit cards.

…confirm the amount of time you have entered using the green ‘Confirm’ button…

…enter your card PIN using the keypad…

…take your card, ticket and receipt out of the machine…

…place the ticket where it can be easily seen…

To use the cards, simply check your arrival date and time…

…make sure you know how much time your card will buy you…

…scratch off the silver panels to indicate the date and time you arrived...

…place the card on the dashboard where it can be easily seen.

Remember, you can use more than one card (up to the maximum stay), if you’re going to need the space for a while. Make sure you scratch off the same panels on all the cards you use.

Pay & Display

The machines are

2

Parking Cards3

…confirm your PIN and validate your ticket by pressing the ‘validate’ button…

10 ParkRight 2011/12

Headed up by Jonathan Reed, the team’s role is to look for issues affecting people driving and parking in Westminster, and work out how to improve the way the parking service helps them. Jonathan’s team works hard to help you drive safely, legally and conveniently in the city – making sure you know how, when and where to park. To do this the team reguarly meets with customers and stakeholders such as residents groups and local businesses.

“There has never been a job like this in the private parking sector before,” said Jonathan. “The very idea that we might go and talk to people who get a lot of parking tickets, such as delivery drivers, and help them reduce that, is seen as quite radical in some areas.

“But Westminster rates the NSL operation on compliance – our job is to minimise illegal parking, so the better we get at that, the better it is for everybody. If we can help more people park legally through education, we will.”

Talking to motorists in Westminster: The NSL on-street team

NSL has run on-street parking for the City of Westminster for seven years, during which time parking and driving in the city has changed – so our job has too. One of the most important changes is the creation of a new Customer and Stakeholder Team – a UK first for a private company working in parking.

ParkRight 2011/12 11

Loveleen‘s main role is to deal with feedback from residents and those affected by parking in Westminster such as the council’s other contractors.

“Dealing with residents is very interesting,” she says. “One of the things we have discovered is that the main thing local residents are concerned about is incorrectly parked cars in residents’ spaces. We pass that information on to our enforcement teams so they can take action – and we also reassure residents that we are working to keep their spaces free. We also know how important it is to make sure that everyone parks considerately and responsibly, to make sure that we can make as much use as possible of the available parking bay space.”

Cherelle Lander visits organisations in the city affected by parking – including schools, where she helps teachers and parents deal with the problems of incorrect parking at the start and end of the school day.

“There can be some real pressure points, and we have come across a lot of areas where parents and teachers are worried about accidents. For example, double parking, even briefly, causes a visual impediment during a busy part of the day. When there are young children crossing the road at the same time it is very dangerous.” To contact the Customer Team, email parkingstakeholders@nsl.co.uk

Talking to motorists in Westminster: The NSL on-street team

There are three people on the team: Jonathan, and Customer Coordinators Loveleen Anatogu and Cherelle Lander.

12 ParkRight 2011/12

The policies are:

Parking zone map

Vic

toria

Em

bank

men

t

Page St

Warwick Avenue

South Carriage Dr

Picc

adilly

P

iccadilly

Shaftesb

ury Av

Queen’s G

ate

Kilburn Ln

Carlton Vale

Carl

ton Hill

Fern

head

Rd

Regent St

Bre

wer S

t

Charring C

ross Rd

St James’s St

Pall Mall

Northumberland Av

Haymarket

Regent St

John

Islip

St

Hor

se G

ua

rds

Rd

Regency S

t

Horseferry Rd

Vauxhall Bridge RdPimlico Rd Warwick Way

Roc

hest

er R

ow

Wilton R

o

ad

Tachbrook

St

Lupus St

Claverton S

t

L

ong A

cre

Wardour St

Grosven or Rd

Mill

Ban

k

Buc

king

ham

Pal

ace

Rd

Victoria St

Birdcage Walk Bridge St

Inne

r Circl

e

Constitution Hill

Buckingham Gate

Great Peter St

The Mall

Strand

Grosvenor Pl

Maryle

bone Hig

h S

t

Cleveland St Newm

an St

Portland Pl

Great Portand S

t

New

Bond St

Brom

pton

R

Knightsbridge

Chelsea Bridge Rd

St M

artin’s Ln Whitehall

Conaught St

Davies S

t

Curzon St

Grosvenor St

George St

Seymour St W

igmore St

Mortim

er StNew Cavendish St

Baker S

t

Gloucester Terr

Porchester Gdns

Leinster Gdns

P

raed

St

S

ussex

Gdns

Stan

hope T

err

Outer Circle

O

uter Circle

Ros

smore Rd

St John’s Wood High St

Avenue Rd

Park LnEx

hibi

tion

Rd

Serpentine Rd

West Carriag

e Dr

Gloucester P

l

Aca cia R

d C

lifton G

dns

St J

ohn’s Wood Rd

Fram

pton

St

Finchley R

d W

ellington Rd

Park Rd Outer Cir cle

Prince

Albert Rd

Westway Westway Marylebo ne Road Marylebone Rd

Marylebone R d

Third

Ave

Sutherland Ave

Circ

us R

d

The Broad W

alk

Westbourne Gr

Bishop’s Bridge RdWestbourne Park Rd

Maida Vale Edgware Rd Edgware Rd

Randolph Ave Randolph Ave

Abbey Rd Lisson Grove S

eymour Pl

Harrow Rd Harrow Rd Harrow Rd

Elgin Ave

Great W

estern Rd

Chepstow

Rd

Bayswater Rd

Bayswater Rd

Oxford St

Oxford St

O

xford St

K

ilbur

n Pa

rk R

d

Bou

ndar

y R

d

Outer Circle

C1

E1G1

A2

A1

D4

C2

F3

B3

F2

B5

F1

B2

B10

D1

A3

B11

F5

B4C/B1

B/C1

A4

B6

B7

F4 F6

H1

G2

ParkRight 2011/12 13

• An extension of paid-for parking hours into weekday and Saturday evenings in the West End.

• An introduction of paid-for parking hours on Sundays between 1pm and 6pm in some central areas.

• The introduction of more taxi hubs and marshalled taxi ranks.

• Increasing the charge for a second and subsequent residents’ parking permit.

• Consideration of a way in which local people and businesses could request a review of parking boundaries and controls.

• A review of the current visitor parking scheme, to make it easier for visitors and carers to park.

• Improvement to waiting and loading in central Westminster for commercial vehicles.

• A review of the current ‘green’ driving measures in Westminster, including the Westminster Car Club and provision of on-street car charging points.

• A review of yellow lines across the city.

Most of the new measures will be introduced on an experimental basis for a period of up to 18 months to test their effectiveness.

Do it online

14 ParkRight 2011/12

THE WEST END

New controlled hours in the West End

Under this policy controlled parking hours would finish at midnight, Monday – Saturday, in Mayfair and the West End (Zones E & G). Controlled parking hours would also apply from 1pm – 6pm on Sundays in Mayfair and the West End and in the South of Marylebone and Fitzrovia (Zones E, G, F3 and F6). See map below.

We would offer half price parking (£2.40 per hour) from 6.30pm, Monday – Thursday in the affected areas.

Additional Provision for Waiting and Loading

For the economy to flourish it is vital that businesses can receive deliveries on time. We believe that additional hours of control will help to free up some kerbside space in the West End for deliveries. In addition to this we will seek to introduce more loading pads and more shared use loading bays so that delivery vehicles can operate in the city straightforwardly, and without obstructing traffic.

Renew your resident parking permit

You can now sign up, use and manage your Pay by Phone account on your smartphone, whilst you’re out and about. You can either download a FREE App for your Smartphone or use the PbP mobile web – m.paybyphone.co.uk. For more information go to paybyphone.co.uk/parking

Pay by phone, now even smarter

ParkRight 2011/12 15

RESIDENTS’ PARKING

Visitor permit scheme

We will trial a new visitor permit scheme which will make it easier for family, friends or carers of Westminster residents to park in the city. We want to make sure that any visitor scheme we introduce is easy for residents to take advantage of, whilst making sure parking spaces for residents are protected.

Charging for multiple residents’ permits

Pressure on resident parking in Westminster is particularly intense. Despite increases in the number of resident parking bays over the past few years, there remains a shortfall against demand, which we cannot meet. Therefore, to manage space as fairly as possible, we will introduce an additional charge for second, third and subsequent resident permits for each household.

Introducing a mechanism to allow local reviews of parking controls

Westminster is currently carrying out a Community Governance Review that will consider how local people can have more of a say in the day-to-day management of their local area. As part of this review we will consider how local residents and businesses could trigger a review of local parking controls.

Useful contacts

Get out and aboutwith a car from Westminster Car Club

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You need to be 19+ and meet safe driver standards to join. First year joining fee is £25. Offer not valid in conjunction with other offer or promotion and expires 31/08/2012. * Free parking subject to minimum parking charge and limited to 1 hour per stay. * *See website for details of mileage allowance.

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