Parking enforcement begins in Bognor

The civil enforcement officers began work at 8am. Motorists who park illegally were in their sights.

The officers, employed by Arun District Council, took over from the town's traffic wardens.

They carried on enforcing the controlled parking zone around the town centre to add to their traditional work in car parks such as Hothamton.

But the 8.5 full-time equivalent officers who will be on duty at any time are also turning their attention to village and outlying areas where parking rules have gone largely unenforced.

Paul Wotherspoon, in charge of the council's car parking policies, said: "Civil parking enforcement is all about the council enforcing parking regulations on the roads and in the council's car parks throughout the district.

"It is not about the council issuing as many penalty charge notices as possible and it's certainly not about making money.

"It's about letting people know where they can and can't park. It will also bring benefits in terms of improved parking for residents and businesses.

"The vast majority of motorists who abide by parking controls will not notice any change except, possibly, for less congestion on the streets."

The penalty charge notices will cost motorists 50 or 70, depending on the seriousness of the parking contravention.

Both penalties are halved if paid within 14 days.

Motorists caught parking illegally in outlying areas, on yellow lines or in loading bays, are being issued with warning penalty charge notices until July 19 to give them two weeks to adjust to the new regime.

That has not been the case in central Bognor where the enforcement has carried on from the traffic wardens.

Civil parking enforcement sees councils take over kerbside parking controls from the police.

The change means income from the penalty notices will pay the scheme's costs instead of the previous pattern of the fines being sent to central government.

Any surplus money will be kept within West Sussex for local transport, parking and other environmental-related improvements.