About parking services

Our aim is ensure that parking facilities and access to Lambeth's limited on-street parking is shared fairly amongst all road users, and that roads stay safe and clear.

Services we provide

We provide a wide range of parking services for residents, businesses and visitors, including motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users including:

• issuing permits for residents, visitors, doctors, teachers and traders
• arranging suspension of parking bays
• investigating fraudulent use of disabled badges.

We operate a face-to-face service through our Customer Service Centre for parking services which include:

• paying parking penalties
• renewing permits.

We will listen to your views and investigate complaints thoroughly.

What are we responsible for?

We are responsible for public roads and public car parks in the borough. We ensure that: 

• parking restrictions are enforced fairly and consistently
• all challenges against the issue of a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) are investigated thoroughly.

What parking restrictions do we enforce?

We enforce parking restrictions for:

• yellow lines
• double parking
• resident/pay and display/disabled/loading/doctors bays
• pavement and drop kerb parking
• bus stops and lanes
• school entrance markings
• pedestrian crossings
• zigzag markings
• moving traffic offences
• overnight lorry parking
• taxi ranks.

What are we not responsible for?

We are not responsible for:

• Red Routes - which are managed by Transport for London
• housing estates - which are managed by the Housing Department. For more information go to Council housing.
• private roads or land.

The police and Transport for London (TfL) are responsible for red lines, obstructions and some bus lanes (red routes).

What is the money from parking fines used for?

The money we receive from parking and traffic activities is spent on:

• improving parking facilities
• improving road safety, traffic management, condition of roads, footways and street lighting
• providing travel passes to older people and people with disabilities. The total spending by Lambeth on providing freedom passes for residents over 60 and residents with disabilities is over £5m.

Our priorities

Through effective parking enforcement we aim to:

• avoid obstruction and maintain safety - vehicles blocking entrances can deny access to emergency services endangering lives. Vehicles parked on or near pedestrian crossings and junctions are a source of danger, obstructing the vision of motorists, pedestrians and other road users.
• manage congestion - parking on bus lanes and double yellow lines can cause congestion, leading to delays. It is important that we keep traffic moving.
• manage parking for resident's benefit – providing resident permits, review parking facilities and prioritising the removal of vehicles from resident bays parked without valid permits.
• meet disabled resident's parking needs – to allow reasonable access to local amenities and services
• meet business, doctor and visitor parking needs - businesses and services within Lambeth require designated parking areas to provide access to their services.

Our service standards

We will be fair, consistent and reasonable by:

• adopting the correct procedures and gathering all the available evidence when issuing a PCN or removing a vehicle
• concentrating our efforts where irresponsible parking represents danger to road users and pedestrians
• monitoring all areas to maintain standards and prevent deterioration
• investigating any allegations of fraudulent use of permits including disabled permits
• checking the quality of the service we provide and the PCNs we issue, ensuring our contractors work in line with the council's quality standard. If the contractors do not achieve the quality standards expected, then the council promises to penalise them
• investigating the points raised in your letter/representation and make a decision as to whether or not the PCN must be paid
• ensuring if we receive your letter within the discounted period and the investigations made by us show we cannot cancel the ticket, depending on the type of PCN we normally allow you another 14 or 21 days to pay at the reduced rate
• respond to you within 56 days if you make a representation against a PCN.