Changes to Parking Permits

Following a review of the Council’s policy on Residents Parking, the Council’s Cabinet Committee agreed a new policy in December 2020 which included a number of proposals to improve the system for residents, businesses and commuters whilst continuing to support DCC’s work to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and reduce the county’s impact on climate change.

Following a consultation in June 2022, the Cabinet has considered the comments submitted and resolved to introduce the proposals with a few minor changes detailed below and within the Cabinet committee report from 26th September 2022 (item 211 refers).

What Changes Are Proposed?

Residents Parking Permits
- All future permits will be issued virtually**
- Prices increased and variable depending on vehicle emissions
  - Tier 1 vehicles – Band A (less than 100g/km) (first permit £35, 2nd permit £35, extra permits* £35)
  - Tier 2 vehicles – Bands B – K (101-225g/km) (first permit £35, 2nd permit £55, extra permits* £65)
  - Tier 3 vehicles – Bands L – M (226+ g/km) (first permit £35, 2nd permit £65, extra permits* £65)
- Permits will be required for Motorcycles (first permit £35, 2nd permit £35, extra permits* £35) but these will be in addition to the resident permit allocation
- Refunds will be issued for part used virtual permits
- All residents permits in Salcombe will apply all year
* where applicable
**Zones Exeter S1 or Sidmouth A will still be issued physical permits
Business Parking Permits
- All future permits will be issued virtually**
- Price for first permit increased to £35
- Price for Exmouth (A Langerwehe Way) business occupier permits and charity business permits increased to £35 for each permit
- Supported living and school business permits introduced at charity business permit rate
- Refunds will be issued for part-used virtual permits
**Zone Exeter S1 will still be issued physical permits
Visitor Parking Permits
- Introduction of virtual visitor permits which will be available as an alternative to the physical permits**
  - £30 per batch of 350 hours (allocated in 1 hour sessions) for schemes operating at all times (24hr/7days)
  - £30 per batch of 200 hours (allocated in 1 hour sessions) for schemes not operating at all times
- Virtual visitor permits will be required for Motorcycles**
- Refunds will be issued for part used batches of virtual visitor permits**
**does not apply to Zone Exeter S1
Essential Visitor Parking Permits
- Introduction of charge (£10)**
**following consultation price amended from £35 to £10
Guest House or Hotel Parking Permits
- All future permits will be issued virtually
- Permits to be changed to apply for 24 hours from the point of activation
- Refunds will be issued for part used batches of virtual guest house/hotel permit
Documentation Requirements
- Proof or documentation will be required to be uploaded or supplied for all applications
Other Changes
- Exemption for Car Club vehicles from Residents Parking restrictions (including limited waiting and pay & display with exemptions for residents permit holders)
- Minor article changes to provide clarification to aid enforcement and the issuing of permits

Why Digital/Virtual?

Changing to a digital or virtual permit system will be greener and more sustainable in the long term.

The immediate benefits to permit holders will be that:

permits will no longer need to be sent through the post
most new applications are live within 24 hours of application
changes of car registration numbers or renewals can be managed by the permit holder in real time
greater flexibility in the use of visitor time as you will be able to use the allocation in hours rather than days,
management of a MiPermit account can be done online or via their free App, and
refunds will now be available to digital permit holders for unused full calendar months and unused visitor permit hours should you move address and no longer need a digital permit.

The Impact of Digital Permits

For those residents who are concerned about permit fraud and misuse, the digital system will require any new or first application, to upload supporting documents e.g. proof of residency and vehicle ownership.

As vehicle details will be held electronically, should a permit be cancelled then those details will be available to our enforcement officers in real time, who will be able to enforce against anyone obtaining a permit under false pretences.

For those customers who may find it difficult to manage a digital permit account for Visitor Permits, the option to have a paper permit and books of scratch cards will be retained, and our contact centre team will be able to assist customers with no internet access of their own to either buy paper permits or process digital applications if required.

The essential visitor permit and annual trade/contractor permit variants will remain as paper permits at this time.

For those customers who currently have use of a POOL permit, you should be contacted ahead of any current paper permits expiring, and an account will be created for you to manage registration number changes without the need to cancel a permit each time.

Also, as part of this digital change, motorcycles and visitors arriving on motorcycles will now be required to have a digital permit to park on street in the resident permit holder only areas.

Permit Costs

As does happen from time to time the Council has reviewed its annual charges for residential permits and there will be a slight increase in permit charges in 2022. In line with the climate emergency and the Council’s carbon reduction targets, we are proposing a differential charging on additional permits based on the CO2 emissions and DVLA car tax bands.

The proposed fees and charges for permits are set out in the summaries above and in the documents linked below.

Consultation

The consultation took place from 1st June until 1st July 2022 and is now closed.

What happens next?

All of the comments received during the consultation were considered by the County Council’s Cabinet on 26 September 2022 when they made the decision to proceed with the changes listed above.

The traffic order has now been made and sealed, and the changes are now in operation.

Reminder letters will be sent 30 days before any existing permits expire and will contain information the change to a digital permit. This should ensure that customers have adequate time to apply and upload their proofs and be authorised ahead of their start date. New permits will then run concurrent to the paper permit as it expires.