AQW 10447/22-27


Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim


Tabled Date: 19/04/2024
Answered On Date: 07/05/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the number of Parking Charge Notices issued for pavement parking in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area in the last five years.


Answer:
The Footways (Prohibition of Waiting) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 came into operation on the 3rd November 2023. To enable the enforcement of these new restrictions, several new contravention codes were created as follows:
Code 34P - Parked on a footway adjacent to a Bus Lane.
Code 47F - Parked on a footway adjacent to a Bus Stop / Stand.
Code 48F - Parked on a footway adjacent to a Mandatory School Keep Clear.
Code 49F - Parked on a footway adjacent to a Mandatory Cycle Lane
The number of PCNs issued in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council against these new contraventions since they were introduced in November 2023 are detailed in the table below.
Contravention Code
Total number of PCNs
(3rd Nov. 23 - 18th Apr. 24)
Code 34P
121
Code 47F
54
Code 48F
0
Code 49F
4
However, there are other contravention codes that have existed prior to November 2023 that relate to footway parking and the number of PCNs issued for these contraventions in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council between 19th April 2021 and 18th April 2024 are shown in the table below. Please note, as per the Department’s Retention and Disposal schedule, older PCN data is not retained.
Contravention Code
Total number of PCNs
46F - Parked on a footway adjacent to a clearway
2492
99F - Parked on a footway adjacent to a controlled area at Zebra, Pelican, and Puffin crossings.
398
Finally, it is not possible to detail the total number of PCNs issued to vehicles parked on a footway as parking restrictions marked on the road, for example yellow lines, also apply to the footway or verge. As PCNs do not record the location of the vehicle, it is not possible to distinguish between those PCNs issued to vehicles parked on the footway and those parked on the road.
Parking on a footway causing an obstruction is not a decriminalised offence and responsibility for this remains with the PSNI.