THE timescale for giving Welsh councils the power to fine people for parking on pavements is “ambitious”, a Torfaen council committee has been told.

The council’s assistant chief officer for neighbourhoods planning and public protection, Stephen Jarrett, used the term to describe a Welsh Government plan to hand over enforcement powers on the issue in July 2022.

But, at a scrutiny meeting, Mr Jarrett added that it depends on operational guidance the council is yet to receive.

He said: “It seems like we are kicking it into the long grass. We’re not. We need to understand the guidance.”

This view was echoed by Craig Williams, council team leader for highways, traffic and enforcement. He said: “It’s a very ambitious timescale.

“Even if we would be able to act on the powers July next year, they’re (Welsh Government) sort of suggesting an implementation phase.”

He said this phase could last six-12 months, during which enforcement would take place via warnings. After that, fines could be issued to those found parking on pavements in the county borough.

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Mr Jarrett said it would be “quite an implementation”, though already having civil parking enforcement means a team is in place.

He said: “Some of the stuff should be easier this time because we’re not setting things up from scratch.”

In 2019, all Gwent councils assumed responsibility for civil parking enforcement from Gwent Police. They have the power to issue tickets for offences such as parking on double yellow lines, over dropped curbs, and for overstaying time limits in parking bays.

The plan to also hand over powers for pavement parking was recommended by the Welsh Pavement Parking Taskforce, set up in 2019.

It is expected that legislation will be in place from October this year, leaving a nine-month period until July 2022 for councils to prepare for the enforcement powers. This will also allow for public engagement and to gather the necessary resources.

It is not yet clear how much this will cost Torfaen council, but Mr Jarrett hopes in future years the Welsh Government would take into account the extra responsibilities councils are taking on.”