FROM today Parking wardens in Dorset will have new enforcement powers to tackle ‘inconsiderate and selfish’ parking.

The changes come as part of an initiative by Dorset County Council to improve the current system.

It means that penalty charge notices can be sent by post if the civil enforcement officer – formally known as a parking warden - is prevented from issuing a notice because of a threat of physical violence or extreme verbal abuse.

If the motorist returns and drives off before the officer has had a chance to attach the notice to the windscreen, the notice is also allowed to be sent through the post.

Officers will also be able give notices for double parking or parking more than 50cm from the kerb.

The aim is that by targeting this kind of parking the officers will be able to deal with inconsiderate parking causing congestion and road safety problems.

A spokesperson for the county council said: “Civil enforcement officers already work in partnership with the police where there are safety and congestion issues.

“The Safer Neighbourhood Teams can issue fixed penalty notices to drivers causing an obstruction but are not always available.

“New powers of enforcement will help deal inconsiderate and selfish parking at pedestrian dropped kerbs and dropped kerbs outside someone’s property.”

He added: “Residents will still be able to park their own or their visitors’ vehicles outside their house.

“Where residents parking schemes operate, this will be subject to the vehicle displaying a valid resident’s permit or visitors voucher.

“The county council will take a sensitive approach to the enforcement of double parking and parking at dropped kerbs.

“Generally, enforcement of dropped kerbs will not be targeted but reactive to meet the demands of householders.”

The council say it has no way of knowing whether or not a vehicle parked on a dropped kerb belongs to the householder or has the householder’s permission to park there. In view of this, the council can only enforce if a complaint is received from the householder.

Officers will only issue PCNs if vehicles are blocking access or exit, not if they are restricting access or making it difficult to manoeuvre.

For the first time householders will be able to report problematic parkers with the council’s parking services team. If the complaint is upheld an officer will be sent to the location to issue a notice, but the complainant will need to also be present at the scene.

The introduction of these new powers were approved by the county council’s committee overview committee on 4 October 2010 and ratified by the council’s Cabinet on 3 November 2010.

For more information about these new powers, residents can contact the county council’s parking office on 01258 450447.

When penalty notices can now be issued: l Double parking l Parking more than 50cm from the kerb l Inconsiderate and selfish parking at pedestrian dropped kerbs and dropped kerbs outside someone’s property l If the driver returns and leaves the scene before officers get a chance to issue a notice l If the parking officer is threatened or verbally abused