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Changes to parking enforcement and verge cutting

Please note the following changes regarding parking enforcement and environmental management:

Following Cabinet approval in December, changes are planned to the on street parking management and enforcement service across Surrey from this April. The agency agreements we have with the District and Borough Councils are ending in March, so from April, Surrey Highways will manage on street parking in conjunction with Marstons Holdings Ltd. (Also known as NSL). NSL have experience in Surrey, working for Elmbridge and Waverley Borough Councils for the last 10 years as well as for Hampshire and East Sussex County Councils.

The following activities will be carried out by NSL:

  • Parking Enforcement and day to day operations
  • Processing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) and dealing with enquiries about them
  • Managing resident parking permits and dealing with enquiries about them
  • Arranging parking suspensions and waivers
  • Taking payments for PCN’s, permits and other services
  • Operation of pay and display machines
  • Operation of traffic enforcement cameras

The mobilisation process for the new contract has already started and by April NSL will set up 3 operating bases for their enforcement team around the county.

A new SCC team (The Parking Enforcement Team) will be set up in The Parking and Traffic Enforcement Team to work with NSL and do the following:

  • Deal with enquiries about parking enforcement
  • Financial control and contract monitoring
  • Formal appeals against PCNs
  • Parking enforcement policy

 

Information about the new service will be made available over the next two months, including:

  • How to report and apply for parking related services
  • Where to send enquiries
  • Team contacts
  • Where to find information

Environmental Maintenance Changes

On April 1st 2023, Surrey County Council (SCC) will also take over responsibility for Environmental Maintenance (grass cutting, weed spraying and treatment of noxious weeds) across the whole of the County. Whist we currently already cut grass in Elmbridge, Mole Valley and Tandridge, the other areas have historically been managed by Districts and Boroughs (D&Bs) to differing specifications. The level of service residents received depended on where they lived in the County with no consistent approach. The County Council funded 4 urban cuts, 2 rural cuts and 1 weed spray treatment per annum but some D&Bs provided funding to top this up.  In some areas, there was further devolution to Parishes.

By bringing the service back in house, a consistent approach across all areas will be achieved. We can also ensure highway verge maintenance contributes to our greener futures objectives and provide a greater ability to support the national “blue campaign” to reduce cuts and increase biodiversity.​ Finally, it will enable the service to promote innovation, actively trial and switch to alternatives to conventional weed spraying as technology develops.

 

Regular meetings have been held with all Ds & Bs to ensure as smooth a transfer as possible. This includes ensuring comprehensive mapping, liaison on future litter picking and street cleansing services, consistent communications and understanding the level of enquiries of complaints we can expect. Contractors from our Countryside framework will carry out grass cutting and weed spraying for the next two years and during this period we will be going out to market to tender for a longer term contract to start in April 2025.

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