Road safety vehicle (CCTV enforcement)

Sunderland City Council uses a CCTV road safety and enforcement vehicle to carry out parking enforcement.

This forms part of a wider ranging programme of measures to improve road safety around schools, the reliability and punctuality of public transport, and reduce congestion.

The vehicle works in conjunction with the existing foot patrols carried out by the council's Civil Enforcement Officers to help improve road safety by ensuring parking restrictions are complied with. It is clearly liveried to indicate its intended use.

The council has a duty to tackle inconsiderate and dangerous parking and the Traffic Management Act 2004 allows councils to enforce parking contraventions by CCTV camera.

The primary purpose of any CCTV camera enforcement system is to ensure the safe and efficient movement of traffic through the detection of contraventions of traffic regulations thereby reducing delays on the highway network.

Sunderland City Council only use the Road Safety and Enforcement vehicle to enforce those restrictions where the stopping of a vehicle is not permitted and where abuse creates a significant safety concern for example:

• School keep clear zigzag markings (code 48)
• Bus stop clearways/stands (code 47)

If a penalty charge notice is issued the owner or keeper of the vehicle has the right to appeal. The document issued as a result of the contravention being recorded by the CCTV vehicle will include full details of the appeals process and will also include photographs of the vehicle parked in contravention of the restrictions.

In order to enforce with the road safety vehicle the Council have to be authorised to do so by the Secretary of State and hold certification.