Nearly £500,000 price tag for parking enforcement switch

East Riding Council is taking on the role following Humberside Police's decision to withdraw its traffic wardens.

Neighbouring authority Hull Council contracted out its parking enforcement three years ago and has had a litany of complaints from motorists.

However East Riding Council says it will operate the service in-house to ensure it is "properly managed and controlled."

A report to tomorrow's meeting of the council's Cabinet says civil parking enforcement has been a success in other parts of the country – having met "some initial resistance from the public owing to improved regulation."

It suggests that wardens are given a uniform distinguishable from the police, which is "distinctive and readily visible yet giving a 'softer' approachable appearance."

A breakdown of the 488,500 costs includes a review of signs and lines costing 60,000, remedial work to the same costing 80,000. Another 10,000 would be spent on public relations information and another 25,000 on publicity material.

Office accommodation alone could cost up to 100,000 – although savings may be found. Set up costs will be recouped from income over five years.

East Riding Council is training up existing parking attendants to carry out traffic wardens' roles, on top of 10 new posts being created.

The council will be taking on the same number of staff the police had, but will be training their existing parking attendants to enable them to do the job.

Coun Matthew Grove said officers would not be heavy-handed and "their priority will not be issuing tickets or raising income for the council".

Police were looking to withdraw the service from April but are continuing until October 2011 to give the council time to apply for the new powers.

Humberside Police's Human Resources Manager, Tammy Naylor said: "The police in the East Riding are one of the few remaining to transfer the responsibility for parking enforcement to the local council. During the transition period Humberside Police will continue to ensure parking concerns are dealt with appropriately until the transition is complete."