Contact Us, Parking FAQs and Verge and Footway Information

Contact us online

Contact us using the parking enquiry form

Contact us by phone

PayByPhone: To pay for parking at any of our car parks via our pay by phone service call 01727 575100 or text 65565. You can also visit their website at paybyphone.co.uk or download the app via your mobile app store. Remember, you will need the relevant location code.

For all other contact: If you haven't found what you need online, call 01727 866100.

Please note, we cannot take PCN challenges over the phone. Instead, see parking fines for more information.

Parking on verges and footpaths

It is not an offence in law to park a vehicle, other than an HGV, on a grass verge or footway. Unless it causes an obstruction or a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) or byelaw is in force prohibiting it.

Parking by HGVs

Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 prohibits parking by HGV's. A HGV means any goods vehicle, over 7.5 tonnes. 
In areas where a Special Parking Area (SPA) is in force, the offence can be enforced by St Albans City and district Council across most of our district area.

Driving offences on verges and footways

It may be a criminal offence for causing an obstruction or damage and would be a matter for the police (obstruction or driving) or the highways authority, Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) (damage) to consider.

• Section 28 Town Police Clauses Act 1847 - wilfully causing an obstruction to any public footpath or public thoroughfare.
• Regulation 103 Road Vehicles - Regulations 1986 - vehicles causing unnecessary obstruction of the road (including verge).
• Section 22 Road Traffic Act 1988 - leaving vehicles in a dangerous position on the road (including verge).
• Section 137 Highways Act 1980 wilful obstruction of the free passage along a highway. 
• Section 72 Highways Act 1835 - driving on any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers.
• Section 131(1)(c) Highways Act 1980 - deposits anything whatsoever on a highway so it would damage the highway

Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs)

Where there is a waiting restriction in the form of a single or double yellow lines, by virtue of a TRO with signs and lines in place to give lawful effect to the restrictions, these apply to any part of the width of a road. Unless otherwise stated in the TRO, the restrictions shown by the kerbside lines and signs apply to the whole width of the road up to the boundary of the adjacent properties, so this would include the verge and footway. This is a contravention which St Albans City and District Council can enforce.

If parking on the verge is deemed acceptable, but needs to be restricted on the road, a TRO can be drafted to exclude the verge.

A TRO to prohibit verge and footway parking may also be considered if it is deemed appropriate. However, this is normally only considered where the issue is ongoing and causes significant damage or road safety concerns. 

The whole TRO process can take between 26 and 104 weeks and likely to cost between £3,000 - £10,000+ depending on the extent of the scheme or area concerned.

If you are experiencing problems with verge and footway parking in an area where there are no current restrictions, please contact your local Ward or County Councillors, they can in turn contact the relevant parking officers to discuss possible solutions. However, due to the legal processes explained above, there are unfortunately no quick solutions.

If you are unsure, please contact our enforcement team who will be able to advise if any enforcement is currently possible. 

Contact 

By phone: 01727 866100

Email:  illegalparking@stalbans.gov.uk

A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), will be issued to vehicles found to be parked illegally and you can help by reporting those vehicles to us.

If a vehicle is parked on yellow lines illegally then you can report it to us using the details below.

If you have a dropped kerb (crossover) and a vehicle is blocking it (even partially) then you can report it to us using the details below.

Please note that we are only able to investigate vehicles blocking a driveway with a dropped kerb (crossover) if it is your own driveway that you are reporting.

If you think a vehicle doesn’t have a permit to park in a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) then you can report it to us using the details below.

Our parking enforcement officers usually operate between 7am and 8pm Monday to Saturday, and between 9am and 5pm on Sundays. However we have the authority to enforce 24 hours per day if and when required.

An officer may not be available to attend your request immediately as they may be patrolling different locations but an officer will attend as soon as one becomes available.

Please note you won't get a reply about the outcome of an enforcement officer visit.

To report an illegally parked vehicle please email details of the location and vehicle to  illegalparking@stalbans.gov.uk or alternatively call the parking hotline on 01727 751815.

You can find information about car parks and on-street parking on our Where to Park page

You can either pay the charge and bring the case to a close or challenge the parking ticket. You cannot do both - it must be one or the other. Further information can be found on our Parking Fines page

You can write in telling us why you feel you should not have been given a ticket. After investigation a full response will be sent out to you within 10 working days. We will explain in all cases why a parking ticket was issued and fully explain your options. For further information on how to challenge a parking ticket visit our Parking Fines page

There is a legal right of appeal for raising parking ticket issues, which can lead to independent adjudication.  As there is a separate process, we cannot handle this through the council’s as a complaint. For further information about how to appeal against a parking ticket visit our Parking Fines page

We take photographs to provide evidence that the vehicle is parked in breach of the regulations. It protects the driver from any incorrect parking tickets and allows the investigating officer to understand the circumstances better. 

Sometimes people feel this is an invasion of my privacy. However, it is not against the law to take these photographs and any image captured is only what a driver leaves on display in a public place.

A Notice to Owner letter is the first formal stage of the appeals process and is sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle (recorded at the DVLA). Once a Notice to Owner is served, we can only deal with the registered keeper unless they have provided written permission that we can deal with a third party.

At this stage you can either pay the charge and bring the case to a close or make a written challenge against the parking ticket. 

You must not ignore a Notice to Owner even if you were not driving at the time when the parking ticket was served. If you ignore it the case will still continue to progress with the possibility of increased charges and the loss of the right of appeal.

For further information on how to challenge a Notice to Owner visit our Parking Fines page

You must put any concerns in writing and outline everything you want us to consider.  We will then investigate your case. For further information on how to challenge a Notice to Owner visit our Parking Fines page

You should read the Charge Certificate and follow the advice in it as it is a legal document. If you want the case to be looked at you should outline your reasons why in writing and send it to us. For further information on how to challenge a Charge Certificate visit our Parking Fines page

Receiving an Order for Recovery form means that the case is now being dealt with by the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC) in Northampton. You should read the Order for Recovery document carefully and then decide whether you want to pay the charge or make a statement to the court in Northampton. 

If you are unsure, we advise you to seek qualified independent legal advice. We do not provide any legal advice about the Penalty Charge Notice recovery process. 

You may also contact TEC in Northampton:
Traffic Enforcement Centre 
5th Floor St Katherine’s House 
21-27 St Katherine’s Street 
Northampton 
Northamptonshire NN1 2LH 

Or email tec@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk 
Or telephone 0300 123 1059/ 01604 619 450 

Once an Enforcement Agent has become involved it means that a warrant has been issued by the Court. A warrant gives the Enforcement Agent the legal right to recover any outstanding debt from the named person on the warrant.  You must therefore deal with them directly. They will leave full contact details at your residence if you were not at home when they called. 

An Enforcement Agent can legally add further fees to the outstanding debt. 

All Enforcement Agents who enforce Traffic Enforcement Centre warrants for St Albans City and District Council are certified by the courts.

For the process for making a complaint about an Enforcement Agent visit the ‘What happens if I don’t pay my parking fine?’ section of our Parking Fines page

You must prove this information to the Enforcement Agent so that they are satisfied. The Enforcement Agent will tell you what they will accept as evidence to prove this. If you have a forwarding address for the person named on the warrant, you should give this to the Enforcement Agent. 

Enforcement Agents are legally allowed to take your vehicle or goods if you have not paid what is set out in the warrant. To avoid your vehicle or goods being taken and sold you must make payment to the Enforcement Agent or come to some type of payment arrangement.

Enforcement Agents are under no obligation to accept any payment arrangement, but they will not refuse any reasonable period and amounts. They will explain how long they are prepared to allow for any arrangement and what amounts will need to be paid.

By law Enforcement Agents will add fees for letters, visits and any other action that they need to take as part of recovering the outstanding amount. For example, if an Enforcement Agent requires a trailer to take someone’s vehicle away then the cost of this may be added to any outstanding amounts. The earlier you make payment on a case the lesser the charges will be.

For further information on the Enforcement Agent charges visit the ‘What happens if I don’t pay my parking fine?’ section of our Parking Fines page

You will have to prove your circumstances to the Enforcement Agent. Once they are satisfied, they will refer your case for further consideration. The Enforcement Agent will explain what it is they will accept as proof.

Enforcement Agents do sometimes wear what is called a “body cam” when attending to enforce a Court Warrant. They do this to:
    a) Protect you from unfounded claims – such as an Enforcement Agent claiming to have been assaulted 
    b) To protect themselves from unfounded claims – such as claims of assault and intimidation against you 
    c) To allow evidence of the visit to be used in the event of a complaint or if a case is taken to Court 

Once a court Warrant of Control has been issued to the Enforcement Agent, you must deal with them as their role is to recover any outstanding amounts. We will only revisit a case at the warrant stage if there is evidence that a customer is vulnerable. The Enforcement Agent will refer such cases back to us once the situation has been verified.

For further information on Enforcement Agent charges visit the ‘What happens if I don’t pay my parking fine?’ section of our Parking Fines page

Computers for use by everyone can be found at:

• St Albans Civic Centre (Council offices) 
• Harpenden Library 
• London Colney Library 
• Redbourn Library 
• St Albans Central Library 
• Marshalswick Library 
• Wheathampstead Library 

There is no charge for using the computers at these locations and staff will be happy to help. If your mobile phone is internet enabled, you can use that too. 

If you prefer to use post then send your enquiry, parking ticket challenge, permit or suspension application to:

Parking Services 
St Albans City and District Council
St Peter's Street
St Albans
Herts
AL1 3JE

You can discuss your case with us, and we will provide you with advice on the process (not legal advice) for challenging a parking ticket. What we are unable to do is have a face to face or telephone discussion about the merits of the parking ticket.  This is because all challenges must be made in writing. We cannot act on verbal challenges. 

The reason that we are only able to deal with written challenges is so that there is a physical record of all action taken. This is in the event that the case ends up being considered by the independent adjudicator and or the Courts. A clear record should mean that any ambiguity or misunderstandings are kept to a minimum. 

For further information on making a challenge, please visit our Parking Fines page

Vehicle ownership has increased to high levels resulting in congestion, pollution, road safety issues and pressure on our finite kerb space. By issuing parking tickets we help to tackle some of these issues, encouraging people to park where it is safe and doesn’t cause hold ups. We also have a statutory duty to enforce the regulations and drivers have a duty to adhere to the regulations.

Some facts:

• Hertfordshire has the 4th highest car ownership in England 
• 82% of households have access to one or more cars 
• 41% of households have access to two or more cars 
• 9% have access to 3 or more cars 
• Within the St Albans District 44% of all travel journeys made are less than 3 miles 
• Less than a third of journeys are made by cycling or walking 
• Commuting to work by car accounts for some 60% of all journeys 
• Over 1.5 million vehicles use St Albans car parks each year 
• Traffic flow on our roads has grown by 64% since 1980 and is expected to grow by a further 33% by 2021 
• Vehicles on our roads account for the largest share of CO2, PM10 and NOx emissions produced in the UK

The easiest and quickest way to apply for a permit is online. For details on how to apply and the information you will need to provide, please see the full list on Parking, Roads and Transport.

For details on how to apply for a parking bay suspension and the information you will need to provide, please visit our Suspensions page

More details on how to apply for a disabled parking bay and the information you will need can be found on our website.

We cannot accept payment by cash. If you do not have a bank account or card payment facility you can visit the local post office to convert your cash into postal orders which we will accept. 

If technical issues with our website mean you are unable to complete your transaction and as a result your permit expires, we will take a common-sense approach. We will have a record of such incidents.

For details on how to report an Abandoned vehicle, please visit our Abandoned & Unwanted Vehicles page

In cases where there is settled snow, we will not take action if the lines cannot be seen. Likewise, we won't take action if the windscreen is covered in snow and we cannot see the parking permit.

We won’t take action if snow melts during the day and your vehicle is parked out of the bay. Only if it is obvious the vehicle parked after the snow had melted.

What is the purpose of deploying Body worn cameras?

St Albans City and District Council's Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) now use Body Worn Cameras (BWCs). These cameras are small, visible devices attached to the officer's uniform, typically on the chest. The purpose is to capture video and audio footage of incidents between officers and members of the public whilst they are undertaking enforcement operations within the district.

Sadly officers are often subject to physical and verbal abuse which we do not find acceptable and may also be a criminal offence. The use of BWCs will enhance officer safety, serving as a deterrent and discouraging potential confrontations or aggressive behaviour and provide an accurate, unbiased and clear record of events. This can be valuable in situations where there are disputes or differing accounts and for the more serious incidents assist the police in their investigations.

The presence of BWCs often leads to a decrease in unfounded complaints against the wearer, as there is tangible evidence to support or refute allegations.  The use of body-worn cameras can enhance trust between the wearer and the community, as the technology demonstrates a commitment to accountability and professionalism.

How do they work?

Officers activate the camera when they think it's necessary to record an interaction or if they anticipate a confrontational situation. The camera captures a continuous two-minute loop of video and audio.   However, this loop isn't saved until the officer activates the device, when this is done the preceding two minutes of footage are saved and along with the footage until the device is deactivated.  Once deactivated the next two minutes of video and audio are saved. This is to capture events just prior to and following activation. 

How will I know if I am being recorded?

When the camera is turned on, the officer will (where possible) make people aware that they are being recorded and a solid red light appears on the front of the camera to signal recording.

What happens to the recordings?

All recordings are encrypted, downloaded and securely stored on council approved devices. Only authorised personnel will have access to the recordings. Non-evidential data will be retained for a maximum of 60 days before deletion. Recordings required as evidence will be kept for a maximum of 6 months or until no longer needed, whichever is longer.