BCP Council is proposing to submit an application to the Secretary of State for Transport to obtain a Designation Order, which if approved, would give the council new powers to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to vehicles that fail to obey Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs).

A six-week consultation is now live and interested parties, including residents, organisations and businesses, are encouraged to comment and give their view prior to the consultation closing on 27 January 2023.

Initially, this application will be targeted to enforce the current TRO near the southern end of Horseshoe Common in Bournemouth, where non-compliance is a particular problem.

If approved, the existing restrictions would remain the same, but the means of enforcement would change. Currently BCP Council can only enforce parking contraventions in this area, while Dorset Police has powers to enforce unlawful vehicle access.

The new powers would mean that BCP Council would be able to issue PCNs to vehicles which don’t comply by using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.

The TRO in the Horseshoe Common area was put in place due to the increased pedestrian footfall associated with the night-time economy.

Councillor Mike Greene, portfolio holder for Sustainability and Transport, said: “This is a positive opportunity for us to take stronger action against drivers who are accessing this area in Bournemouth town centre during the restricted hours of 10pm–5am.

“We’ve heard the concerns of businesses, including the taxi community, who regularly see drivers unlawfully accessing this area. This is now the opportunity for the community to have their say on proposed enforcement, along with any further suggestions or ideas.”

If BCP Council’s application is successful, enforcement could commence in summer 2023. At this point, enforcement would only be for the TRO near Horseshoe Common. However, going forward, the council would then be able to consider additional enforcement locations, subject to further consultation.

For further information visit https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/movingtrafficcontraventions