Durham County Council is hoping to take over responsibility for enforcing parking restrictions in Newton Aycliffe later this year.
Members of the authority’s Cabinet will be asked to approve a business case for civil parking enforcement in the Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Bishop Auckland, Shildon and Barnard Castle areas when they meet next week.
The council is already responsible for on-street parking enforcement in the rest of the county and wants to ensure consistent arrangements across its area.
If approved by Cabinet, the business case will then be submitted to the Secretary of State for Transport for final approval.
Cllr Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “The business case demonstrates how we can afford to take on this additional responsibility without incurring any financial burden.
“It also shows how introducing civil parking enforcement should not only improve compliance with parking regulations and vastly reduce inconsiderate parking but also bring in money which the authority will be able to use on other transport-related projects.”
As part of its work to prepare for the proposed change to civil enforcement in the south of the county, the council has been consulting with residents, businesses and other authorities.
It has also been working to bring all signs and lines up to an acceptable standard.
The council’s commitment to civil parking enforcement was outlined in the Local Transport Plan 2, with Cabinet approving a three stage approach to its introduction in November 2007.
The first stage saw Durham City switch over in October 2008, with Consett, Stanley, Chester-le-Street, Easington, Peterlee and Seaham following as the second stage in November 2011.
The council already has responsibility for enforcing restrictions in off-street car parks in Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle.
