Street Trading: Westminster Bridge

Decriminalised parking enforcement, rests with local authorities, who are best placed to manage local road networks and issue penalty charge notices. This is set out in statutory guidance for local authorities in England on civil enforcement of parking contraventions issued by Department for Transport. This approach removes a burden from the police, allowing them to focus on criminal activity.

However, the police retain powers to act where vehicles are dangerously or obstructively parked, including powers to remove those vehicles where necessary.

Operational decisions about enforcement activity, including on red lines and areas of decriminalised parking enforcement such as Westminster Bridge, are primarily for Transport for London, the relevant local authorities and on some occasions police, to decide, according to the specific circumstances.

The Home Office has not issued specific guidance to police forces on enforcing dangerous parking in areas subject to decriminalised parking enforcement. The police decide operational responses, based on specific circumstances, according to threat and risk assessments.

The Home Office has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of enforcement activity in relation to ice cream vans or pedicabs parked on red lines on Westminster Bridge. Enforcement in this case is primarily a matter for Transport for London and the local authority responsible for red routes and street trading,