Leicester City Council is set to roll out a new CCTV enforcement vehicle in a bid to clamp down on dangerous and illegal parking across the city.
The camera-equipped car will begin patrolling streets from tomorrow (Wednesday, April 1), targeting drivers who ignore existing parking restrictions. Offenders caught on camera face a £70 fixed penalty notice, although warning notices may be issued in areas where restrictions have only recently been introduced.
Picture credit: Leicester City Council
The move follows ongoing complaints from residents about inconsiderate and hazardous parking, particularly outside schools, in bus lanes and at bus stops—areas where poor parking can pose serious safety risks and disrupt traffic flow.
Assistant city mayor for Environment and Transport, Geoff Whittle, said the initiative is designed to address persistent problem areas where fixed cameras are not in place.
He said: “Councils have a duty to tackle dangerous parking and are given powers to enforce parking restrictions by CCTV in areas where there are ongoing problems.
“As part of this, we are introducing a new CCTV-equipped car to penalise and help address illegal parking in areas where there are persistent issues but no fixed camera enforcement.
“We know that camera enforcement can be a very effective deterrent. We want to get the message across that parking without consideration for others, especially in areas where there are lots of children and busy traffic, will not be tolerated.”
The vehicle will focus on enforcing rules around school zigzag markings, red routes and bus stop clearways—locations where illegal parking can endanger pedestrians and cause unnecessary congestion.
Costing £57,000 to purchase and equip, the car will be funded through income generated from parking fines, with ongoing maintenance also covered by enforcement revenue.
City officials hope the introduction of the mobile CCTV unit will act as both a deterrent and a practical solution to improve safety on Leicester’s roads.
