Baldock Parking Review
THE NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL
(VARIOUS ROADS IN BALDOCK – ZONE B) (CONTROL OF PARKING) ORDER 2013
THE NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL
(VARIOUS ROADS IN BALDOCK) (RESTRICTION OF WAITING) ORDER 2013
NOTICE IS GIVEN that the North Hertfordshire District Council (pursuant to arrangement made with Hertfordshire County Council) proposes to make the above Orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The general effect of the Orders will be to provide residents with priority for parking in the streets where they live via a permit parking scheme with some shared use permit and free limited waiting parking in Church Street. In addition the proposals promote road safety and accessibility specifically at junctions and minimise congestion on some straight sections of road by introducing no waiting at any time restrictions. All proposals are as specified in the Schedules to this Notice.
The proposals supersede previous permit parking and waiting restrictions published by the Council in 2011 which are abandoned insofar as they are affected by the proposals specified in the above named draft Orders. Full details of the proposals are contained in the draft Orders, the plans and the statement of reasons which may be inspected during normal office hours at the offices of North Hertfordshire District Council, Gernon Road, Letchworth ref: NHDC/BAL/2013/01 and NHDC/BAL/2013/02 from Thursday 9th May 2013 and in Baldock Library.
General enquiries relating to the proposal should be referred to Louise Symes or Christine Phillipps on 01462 474000.
Objections to the proposal stating the grounds on which they are made should be sent in writing to Louise Symes, Planning Services, North Hertfordshire District Council, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City, Herts, SG6 3JF or email to transport@north-herts.gov.uk 
by 5pm on Friday 7th June 2013.
Deposited Documents
Draft Control of Parking Order 2013 (64kb) 
Draft Restriction of Waiting Order 2013 (32kb)
Zone B Plan - Church Road area (197kb)
Plan 1 The Gardens and Norton Road (139kb)
Plan 3 Bygrave Road & Larkins Close area (114kb)
Permit Parking – Frequently Asked Questions
The following ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ with answers are provided to help inform residents and businesses about how permit schemes work.
Please contact the Council on 01462 474000 and ask for ‘Baldock Consultation’ if you have any further queries.
Q – What does a permit entitle me to do?
A – By purchasing and displaying a valid permit in a vehicle it will be allowed to park in ‘Permit Holder Only’ parking areas or marked bays. Permit holder bays will normally be marked by dashed white lines and will have permit holder signs (with a zone letter or number corresponding to the zone letter or number on permits).
A permit does not entitle you to park on yellow lines during their hours of restriction or in parking bays meant for specific users (such as disabled badge holders or loading).
A permit does not exempt you from observing the Highway Code – e.g. you should not park across a dropped kerb, on a footway or at a junction.
Q – When does a permit zone operate?
A – Each zone can have different days and times of operation. Permit days and hours of operation will always be displayed on signs at the entrance to zones, or on signs alongside permit parking bays or at both zone entry and parking bays. Outside these hours anybody can park except on any yellow lines that may be in operation.
Q – Who is entitled to buy permits?
A –Generally residents who live within the boundary of a permit zone or streets to be permit controlled are entitled to apply for permits.
In some cases residents whose properties are near to but not actually in the permit zone may be eligible for permits if the Council considers that they do not have a realistic parking option.
Businesses located within permit controlled areas may also be entitled to apply for permits for their operational vehicles. Employees or customers of businesses within permit areas are not currently eligible for permits.
Q – How many permits can residents buy? How many can businesses buy?
A – Generally you can buy as many permits for the number of residents’ vehicles registered to you. These are called Residents Permits and are vehicle specific.
For businesses the Council limits permits to one permit for up to two operational vehicles.
Q – What about visitors?
A – Eligible residents within permit controlled areas are entitled to apply for one Visitor permit per address. Visitor permits can be used in any vehicle that is visiting your address.
As an alternative to a Visitor Permit, residents within permit areas may apply to purchase Visitor Ticket books. Visitor Ticket books contain 10 tickets. Each ticket is valid for one time use for one calendar day. Residents may purchase as many ticket books as they wish to use.
Q – Can people who work within permit areas, work nearby or wish to park near a train station buy permits?
A – At the moment no, but the Council has a policy that may allow strictly limited sale of permits to non-residents where circumstances suggest that this will not undermine the needs of residents. Any new permit parking scheme will need to be in place for at least 12 months before the Council can review and consider whether any changes should be made.
Q – Do some permit controlled areas allow short stay parking without the need to display permits?
A – None of the proposals for Baldock include short stay parking for non-residents during permit controlled hours.
In some areas permit schemes are designed to allow short stay parking (e.g. up to 1 or 2 hours) without the need to display permits. Signs within the permit zone will identify where any limited waiting parking is allowed alongside permit parking.
Q – Do I have to buy a permit if I live in a permit controlled area?
A – No. If you use off-road parking you do not need to buy a permit. If you only park on street during times when permit hours are not operational you do not need to buy a permit (you should check the signs for the operational hours). You should consider whether a Visitor Permit or Visitor Ticket book may be useful if visitors to your property cannot park off-street during permit hours.
Q – How much do permits cost?
A – Currently Resident and Visitor permits are £84 each for one year. Visitor Ticket books of ten daily tickets cost £12.00 per book. Permits for motorcycles are currently free. We charge these prices in order to try and cover the cost of running permit schemes, including the costs of enforcement. Permit and Visitor Ticket book prices may increase in the future.
Q – What about disabled badge holders?
A – Vehicles displaying blue badges are exempt from the “permit holders only” restriction and therefore are able to park without time limit and without displaying a permit.
Q – What about tradesmen or contractors carrying out work on my property during permit hours?
A – Tradesmen or contractors will normally be classed as visitors and will be required to display a visitor permit or ticket supplied to them by the resident.
Q – I have a carer who visits me; do I need to buy a permit for them?
A – Check with your carer that they do not already have a permit that they can use. If they do not have a permit they will be required to display a Visitor Permit or Visitor Ticket that you should supply them with.
Q – Do the emergency services or utility companies need to display permits?
A – No. Emergency service vehicles and utility company vehicles (whilst working on the highway), refuse collection vehicles and highway maintenance vehicles are exempt from permit controls.
Q – The permit bays are worn out and/or the permit signs are missing or damaged, can someone sort this out please?
A – Please ring Planning Services on 01462 474000 to report sign and line problems. Replacement lining and signing is normally done on an area wide basis unless it is an emergency/safety issue. The Council relies on local knowledge to report these issues.
Q – What if I lose or damage my permit? What if it’s stolen?
A – Please contact Parking Services on 01462 474631 to discuss the circumstances around a lost, damaged or stolen permit. You will be asked to confirm the circumstances in writing.
Q – I’ve noticed a lot of non-permit holders parking during permit hours, what can the Council do about it?
A – Please contact Parking Services with your concerns via email to parking.services@north-herts.gov.uk
Q – What do I do if I want to discuss a permit parking issue not covered above?
A – If you live in an existing permit controlled area please contact Parking Services on 01462 474631.
