Annual Parking Report 2021 to 2022

This Annual Car Parking report summarises the parking and traffic enforcement activities conducted by the Council during the financial year 2021 to 2022. The Council continues to operate parking enforcement under the Traffic Management Act 2004, ensuring parking services operates to support businesses, shoppers, residents and visitors to the Borough in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Parking facilities are vital for people coming to Stockton to work, study, visit and support economic growth. Parking controls assist in making our roads safe, minimising congestion and ensuring free-flowing traffic conditions without impacting on sustainable travel choices. All of which encourage people to visit Stockton more regularly whilst balancing the needs of businesses, residents, visitors and blue badge holders post the Covid pandemic.
The visible presence of Civic Enforcement Officers (CEO's) is the primary means of achieving compliance with parking regulations. This report provides an overview of what, why and how parking services are undertaken in Stockton.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on our town centre and high street parking with Government guidance to work from home and many businesses closed. This has still impacted during the last financial year with changed behaviour and trips into the town centres reducing.

Through Tees Valley Combined Authority funding, 3 hours free parking was introduced in short stay car parks in Stockton and Yarm in January 2021 and is due to end January 2023. This is to make it easier, cheaper and more convenient for people to support their town centres and high streets.

If you have any questions or comments about the Annual Report or the Car Parking service in general please let us know by contacting us at carparking@stockton.gov.uk or visit our Car parking webpage.

Councillor Mike Smith

Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport