Parking Strategy

The implementation of a parking strategy for Cheshire East is a critical element in the broader transport strategy. The Cabinet approved the new Parking Strategy (PDF, 202KB) on April 21st 2009 and was updated in 2010. The key objectives are:

Strategy Objectives

The Council’s parking objectives set out to be consistent with and contribute to the overall aims of the National and Regional transport strategies which seek to:

Achieve a reduction in overall traffic
To increase use of more sustainable and healthy forms of travel
To achieve a more effective and efficient transport system, whilst taking into account:
- The economic vitality of Parking Strategy for Cheshire East the town centre
- The parking needs of people with disabilities
- The parking needs of local residents, shops and businesses

Public Car Parking and Charging

The availability and cost of parking are important influences on the number of journeys made and the means used to make them. Parking management will play an increasingly important role in controlling car travel in urban areas.

Car parks are fixed assets owned and run by the Council at a cost. The Council has decided in principle that the burden of this cost should be shared by the car park customers rather than by all Council tax payers as a whole.

The Strategy addresses charging for parking as follows:

Local Parking Charging Policy

Cheshire East Council will in principle impose charges for parking at levels reflecting local pressures and needs. These may vary:

as between the different towns and smaller centres
as between zones within the larger towns

Cheshire East Council will also continue to work to ensure adequate parking for cycles and motorcycles, and that the special needs of disabled people are met. This will include:

ensuring that an adequate number and location of wider disabled bays is located in town centre car parks
continuing the policy that vehicles displaying valid blue badges may be parked anywhere in marked bays in our car parks without charge.

Parking Enforcement

Cheshire East Council is responsible for enforcing parking, loading and waiting restrictions on the streets throughout Cheshire East, with the exception of most major trunk roads. This is carried out under the terms of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and is a civil enforcement policy rather than criminal. Civil Enforcement Officers (Parking Attendants) will issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to any vehicle parking in contravention, and will enforce on-street parking contraventions as well as in car parks.

Note that the Police still have enforcement powers against obstruction on any street or highway. Council Civil Enforcement Officers do NOT have the power to enforce where parking, loading or waiting restrictions are not in place.

By law, all money paid for penalty charges MUST first be used to pay for the enforcement service, and any surplus spent on improvements to parking, or transportation infrastructure. The Council’s Civil Enforcement Officers are paid an annual salary only and there is no bonus or incentive scheme.

For further detailed information about Civil Parking Enforcement in your area please contact Cheshire East Council.

Parking Quality and Safety

Our car parks are regularly inspected and maintained to achieve high standards of safety and security.