Bracknell

Council wardens will take over the issuing of tickets to illegally-parked drivers in Bracknell Forest from April.

Bracknell borough will have three uniformed attendants to enforce parking and loading restrictions, a job now done by the police.

In a bid to head off its critics, the council pledges there will be no link between the number of tickets issued and pay or incentives for the attendants. And there will be no targets for the number of notices to be issued.

The council claimed this week that the scheme will be self-funding. Parking fines will stay the same, at £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days. There will also be an appeals process.

The move from police to local government enforcement is happening across the country in response to parking offences being decriminalised by the Government.

In Bracknell Forest an awareness campaign called Park Right will publicise the changes through leaflets, posters and letters to businesses and community groups.

Assistant director for environment and leisure John Freer said the police enforcement was run from Windsor and there had not been the resources for full coverage of the borough.

The new scheme would also take pressure off neighbourhood police teams, which would be able to focus on community safety and anti-social behaviour issues.

Mr Freer said: "Illegal, inconsiderate and dangerous parking has been raised as a great concern by residents across the borough, in particular in many of the recent neighbourhood forums.

"A more effective scheme will improve road safety and traffic flow, give a fairer distribution of available parking spaces and will also provide a more pleasant environment for all."

"The scheme aims to be fair and reasonable to everyone and we also expect that it will help prepare the council for some of the challenges associated with the town centre redevelopment."

ic Berkshire ~ Bracknell