Frequently Asked Questions About Prefential Parking

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What is a Preferential Parking Scheme? What does a Permit Allow? Who can apply for a Permit? How much does a Permit cost? Do I live in a Preferential Parking zone? Which roads / streets does each zone cover? Why do I have to pay to park on the street where I live? How do I apply for a Residents Preferential Parking Permit? How are Preferential Parking Permits issued? How long are Preferential Parking Permits valid for?

What if the vehicle is not registered in my name? What if I change my vehicle? Who qualifies for Visitors Parking Permits? How can I purchase Visitors Parking Permits? Do you provide Parking Permits for Carers or Essential Visitors? Can I purchase Trade Vehicle Permits? Can I transfer my Permit to someone else? How do I renew my Permit? How do I complain about people parking on my street without a Permit? Application forms Contact details

WHAT IS A PREFERENTIAL PARKING SCHEME?

Residents Preferential Parking Schemes are designed to help residents and permit holders within the scheme areas (zones) to park close to their homes or premises (within the appropriate on-street parking bays) without restriction. The schemes are provided to deter vehicles from outside the zone from parking and causing congestion. These schemes do not reserve places exclusively for each permit holder, but permit holders can park in any of the streets within their designated zone in the residents parking bays provided.

Leicestershire County Council is responsible for the implementation of all residents parking schemes. The Residents Preferential Parking schemes in Loughborough are administered by Charnwood Borough Council on behalf of Leicestershire County Council.

WHAT DOES A PERMIT ALLOW?

A permit allows you to park a specific vehicle without time restriction in any of the streets within a designated zone between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday. However the scheme does not reserve places exclusively for each permit holder. Permits for each zone are not transferable and cannot be used in any other Preferential Parking zone in the town.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR A PERMIT?

Both Permanent or Temporary Residents (those renting a property for 12 months or less) with a postal address within the relevant zones are entitled to apply for permits. Please note a maximum of 2 permits per postal address is permitted at any one time.

HOW MUCH DOES A PERMIT COST?

For 2008/09 both the first and second Preferential Parking Permit for each postal address will each cost £20 per annum. Please note a maximum of 2 permits per postal address is permitted at any one time. (N.B. Revised Zone 6 permit fees will take effect from October 2008)- See notice on revised fees for 2009

Payments for permits purchased in person at the Council offices can now be made by cash, cheque, debit or credit card (chip and pin). Postal applications should be by cheque only please.

DO I LIVE IN A PREFERENTIAL PARKING ZONE?

Check the map below.

PLEASE NOTE: Issue of full yearly permits for Zones 1, 2, 4 & 5 for 2009 will commence on 21st July 2008.

WHICH ROADS/STREETS DOES EACH ZONE COVER?

Please refer to the list below :-

ZONE 1 - Frederick Street area

The Frederick Street area includes: Arthur Street, Ashby Road( Ashby Square to Radmoor Road even No’s 12 to 156, odd No’s 31 to 59 and No 91), Broad Street (No’s 1 to 23 and 54 to 59), Burfield Avenue, Burleigh Road,Caldwell Street, Chestnut Street, Chester Close, Curzon Street, Frederick Street, Granville Street, Grove Road, Heathcoat Street, Market Street (No’s19, 19A, 41A, 44A, 45A, 47A, 51, 55A and flats 1, 2 and 3 of 56-57), Radmoor Road, Seward Street, Westfield Drive, William Street and York Road.

ZONE 2 - Victoria Street area

The Victoria Street area includes: Albert Street, Albert Place, Bampton Street, Beacon Road (No’s 1 to 111 including Beacon Road Cul De Sac), Bedford Street (No’s 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 23), Browns Lane (No 2 only), Burton Street, Colgrove Road, Forest Road (south side only No’s 12A to 146 and North side No’s 9 and 11), Garton Road, Gray Street, Princess Street, Park Street, Park Road (No’s 1 to 66 except convent school) , Mayfield Drive, Royland Road (No’s 8 to 42), Stanley Street, Wallace Road, Victoria Street (except Sovereign Court), Wards End (No's 11A and 12B) and Woodgate (No’s 32 and 42). Occupants of Lanesborough Court are also entitled to register for the scheme.

ZONE 4 - Lisle Street area

The Lisle Street area includes: Derby Road (odd No’s only 107 to 151), Edward Street, Grange Street and Lisle Street.

(Please note no provision for preferential parking bays is provided on Derby Road).

ZONE 5 - Storer Road area

The Storer Road area includes: Armitage Close, Ashby Road (odd No’s 93 and 99 to 151,even No‘s 158 to 182) Cumberland Road, Derby Road (even No’s 26 to 46 and 64 to106), Fearon Street, George Street, Hastings Street, Havelock Street (odd No’s 33 to 49 and 73 to 79, even No’s 8 to 72), Leopold Street, Oxford Street, Paget Street, Pleasant Close, Regent Street (north west side only), Rosebery Street, Speeds Pingle, Station Street, Storer Road, and St Mary’s Close.

ZONE 6 - Limehurst Avenue area

The Limehurst Avenue area includes: Alfred Street, Bridge Street, Cambridge Street, Charles Street, Gladstone Street, Gladstone Avenue (Private Street), Herbert Street, Howard Street, Limehurst Avenue (excluding William Lyon Court and the Canal Bank Development), Linden Road, Lower Cambridge Street (from Toothill Road to Hanford Way), Lower Gladstone Street (Private Street), Meadow Lane (even No’s 30 to 82, odd No’s 69 to 99), Rectory Road, Rendell Street, The Tatmarsh, Toothill Road (excluding No’s 68 to 138), and Steeple Court.

(Please note Permits for the Zone 6 Limehurst Avenue area cannot be used in the Zone 6 Shakespeare Street area)

ZONE 6 - Shakespeare Street area

The Zone 6 (Shakespeare Street Area) scheme includes Shakespeare Street.

(Please note Permits for the Zone 6 Shakespeare Street area can be used within the Limehurst Avenue Zone 6 area but cannot be used in any of the other Preferential Parking areas in the town.)

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY TO PARK ON THE STREET WHERE I LIVE?

From July 2007 the County, District and Borough Councils took over from the Police in enforcing parking restrictions. With improved and more effective enforcement now in place Leicestershire County Council have reviewed the level of charges for Preferential Parking Permits and announced that for 2008/09 both the first and second permit for each postal address will each cost £20 per annum.

The charges cover the cost of administering the residents parking schemes and contribute to the cost of enforcing them. Leicestershire County Council's charges for this service are still amongst the lowest in the country, with other councils often charging between £25 and £50 per permit.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A RESIDENTS PREFERENTIAL PARKING PERMIT?

For each permit you need to complete the relevant application form for that zone and return it with:

• the vehicle registration document V5 confirming the registered owner (photocopies are accepted, as are clear faxed or scanned copies) AND
• proof of residency e.g. top part of bank statement, Gas or Electricity bill, Tenancy Agreement or a letter from your solicitor (all proof of residency must be dated within the last three months) AND
• a cheque for £20 per permit, made payable to Charnwood Borough Council, for all postal applications. (Customers purchasing permits in person at the Council offices can now pay by cash, cheque, debit or credit card, again at £20 per permit).

Application forms are available to print from this website but on-line applications are not currently available.

Occupiers of flats and shared accommodation may have to check to establish whether or not they have an official and separate postal address prior to application. Please note a maximum of 2 permits per postal address can be in issue at any one time.

HOW ARE PREFERENTIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED?

Upon receipt of an application (with accompanying documents and fee) your Residents Preferential Parking Permit will be posted to you. Your vehicle registration and proof of residency documents will also be returned at this time.

Alternatively you may submit your application in person at Charnwood Borough Council’s Customer Service Centre at Southfields, Loughborough during normal office hours, which are 8.30am to 4.45pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8.30am to 4.15pm on Fridays.

Please note that the period August to October is a particularly busy one for both renewals and new issues of Preferential Parking permits. Customers visiting the Council offices during this period may experience long queues and are therefore advised to use the postal service where possible.

HOW LONG ARE PREFERENTIAL PARKING PERMITS VALID FOR?

All Permanent Residents and Business Permits in Zones 1 to 5 are valid until 31st August 2009 (Zone 6 until 31st October 2008). All Temporary Residents Permits are valid for a maximum of 12 months or until 31st August 31st 2009, whichever is sooner.

No refunds are available on these permits.

All permits MUST be returned to Charnwood Borough Council if you vacate your premises before 31st August 2009.

WHAT IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT REGISTERED IN MY NAME?

No additional documentation is required so long as your surname is the same as the registered owner. If the surname is different we will need proof of residency at the same address as the registered owner (i.e. for students using parents’ cars this will usually be the home / non-term time address).

WHAT IF I CHANGE MY VEHICLE?

Parking permits are only valid for the specific vehicle they were issued for. There is an administration charge of £5 for any changes to existing permit details, such as a change of vehicle. A £20 charge is made for replacing lost, stolen or spoilt permits (this includes change of vehicle details where the old permit is not returned).

Please complete the relevant application form for that zone and return it with the new vehicle registration document V5 confirming the registered owner (photocopies are accepted, as are clear faxed or scanned copies) and a cheque for the appropriate fee made payable to Charnwood Borough Council.

WHO QUALIFIES FOR VISITORS PARKING PERMITS?

Permit holders and registered residents within a zone are entitled to apply for visitors permits for that zone. These enable bona fide visitors to park within that zone’s parking bays for one day only. Visitor permits are available in books of ten at a cost of £5 per book. Usually only two books can be purchased per month.
For short visits of 1 hour or less visitors may park within the majority of preferential parking bays without a permit. Please note this does not apply in Broad Street where it is permit-only parking.

HOW CAN I PURCHASE VISITORS PARKING PERMITS?

Visitors permits can only be purchased by those residents registered at a property. Preferential Parking Permit holders are automatically registered as eligible to purchase visitors permits.

If no Permits are issued to the address you must first register as resident before we can issue you with permits for your visitors. You will need to complete an application form which should then be returned with proof of residency e.g. top part of bank statement, Gas or Electricity bill, tenancy agreement or a letter from your solicitor (all proof of residency must be dated within the last three months). Please note that should other occupants subsequently apply for the two permits available at the address you will no longer be eligible to purchase visitors permits.

Visitors permits are available from Charnwood Borough Council Offices at Southfields, Loughborough. These are available in books of ten at a cost of £5 per book. Usually only two books can be purchased per month.

Please note if you are not registered as a resident within the scheme you will not be issued with visitors permits.

DO YOU PROVIDE PARKING PERMITS FOR CARERS OR ESSENTIAL VISITORS?

Leicestershire County Council's Preferential Parking scheme no longer provides permits for use by Carers, and permits for Essential Visitors are only available under special circumstances (for example a family member or relative who attends to a resident on a daily basis).

All applications for Essential Visitor permits should be made in writing to Leicestershire County Council at the address below, outlining the circumstances why a permit is required. Further documentary evidence may be required. Each case will be assessed on its individual merits and any permits issued will be at the discretion of the Director of Highways, Transportation and Waste Management at Leicestershire County Council.

Residents Preferential Parking
Highways, Transport and Waste Management
Leicestershire County Council
County Hall
Glenfield
Leicestershire
LE3 8RJ
E-mail: residentparking@leics.gov.uk

CAN I PURCHASE TRADE VEHICLE PERMITS?

Leicestershire County Council’s Preferential Parking scheme no longer provides for the issuing of temporary trade permits. Where contractors will be carrying out work at a property the owner of the property should register for and purchase Visitors Parking Permits (as above) for their contractor to use.

Visitors Parking Permits are available to registered residents in books of ten at a cost of £5 per book. Usually only two books can be purchased per month.

CAN I TRANSFER MY PERMIT TO SOMEONE ELSE?

Parking permits are only valid for the specific vehicle they were issued for. They are not transferable. If you are moving out or no longer require your permit please return it to Charnwood Borough Council so that it may be cancelled. A new applicant can then apply for a permit for this property subject to meeting the usual requirements.

HOW DO I RENEW MY PERMIT?

Renewal invitations from Leicestershire County Council are sent to Permanent Resident Permit holders shortly before the permits expire. If you have not received anything at least 2 weeks before your permit expiry date please contact Charnwood Borough Council direct.

Temporary Permit holders (those renting a property for 12 months or less) will not receive an automatic renewal invitation from Leicestershire County Council. If renewing your tenancy please contact Charnwood Borough Council direct with a copy of your new Tenancy Agreement. Permits will be issued on a first come basis.

HOW DO I COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLE PARKING ON MY STREET WITHOUT A PERMIT?

Since July 2007 the County, District and Borough Councils have taken over from the Police in enforcing parking restrictions. Leicestershire County Council have established a central Notice Processing Unit who can offer comprehensive advice and information on all parking related matters as well as handling payments and appeals of Penalty Charge Notices. The Central Notice Processing Unit can be contacted by telephone on 08458 450 450, by e-mail to parkingmatters@leics.gov.uk or alternatively you may write to:

LCC Notice Processing Centre
PO Box 8633
Leicester
LE19 9AZ

Application Forms

PLEASE NOTE: Issue of full yearly permits for Zones 1,2,4 & 5 for 2009 will commence on 21st July 2008.

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