Operational/Carer/Clergy/Teacher parking permit guidance notes

1. Types of permit

Three types of permit are available

Carer/Clergy permits

For those caring for sick or elderly residents, including but not limited to district nurses, health visitors, Council social workers, and classroom assistants carrying out caring duties.

Teacher's permits

For teachers and classroom assistants at schools or colleges, where the school has an Approved Travel Plan. Also for peripatetic (mobile) music teachers.

Non-carer's permits

All other cases, including but not limited to nannies and child minders. Other categories of applicant are considered on their merits.

2. Eligibility

The Council recognises the need for parking permits for special categories of motorists whose needs cannot adequately be met by the normal facilities provided in community parking zones (legally known as Community parking zones).

Only persons whose operations require them to park within community parking zones may apply for operational parking permits.

The provision of permits is tightly controlled by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Each application is considered on its merits. For specific eligibility queries, please contact the Council using the details in 17. More information.

Period

Operational permits are issued for durations of 1 year only.

Where an application for an operational parking permit is received by the Council on or before the 17th of the month, the permit will be back-dated to the beginning of the current month. Permits applied for on or after 18th will be forward-dated to the beginning of the following month.

Number of permits

Although there is no set limit on the number of operational permits a single organisation may apply for, the Council reserves the right to refuse an application or offer alternative parking arrangements.

Permit holder's vehicle

Must be a passenger vehicle or a goods carrying vehicle the overall height of which does not exceed 2.28 metres and the overall length of which does not exceed 5.25 metres, or a mechanically propelled invalid carriage.

Transferable or vehicle specific permits

Applicants may opt for either transferable permits or vehicle specific permits. Transferable permits may be used on any vehicle, other than free Band A vehicle permits which may only be used on vehicles registered on or after 01/03/2001 with engine CO2 emissions of 100g/Km or less. Vehicle specific permits may only be used on the vehicle whose registration is that printed on the permit.

3. How to apply

All applications must be completed and signed, and submitted with copies of your proofs and payment (where required). Unsigned forms or those without proofs and payment (where required) will not be processed.

Via email: Download the form(pdf, 88KB), scan it and send it to parkingpermits@richmond.gov.uk
By fax: 020 8891 7798
By post: Parking Permits, PO Box 466, Twickenham TW1 9JT.

4. Proofs

The Council must be satisfied when you apply for or hold operational parking permits, that you are entitled to them, i.e.

  • That the holder has a bona fide operational reason for parking up to 3 hours within a community parking zone during controlled hours, at a location other than their business or home address.

And in the case of vehicle specific permits

  • That the holder owns or is authorised to drive the vehicles for which the permits have been issued
  • That for free Band A vehicle permits that the vehicle was first registered on or after 01/03/2001 and has engine CO2 emissions of 100g/Km or less

Although the Council may not ask for proofs on renewal, proofs may be requested at any time. If you cannot prove continued eligibility then the Council will invalidate your permits and a vehicle may be liable for a Penalty Charge Notice if found to be displaying any of the permits for parking.

5. Permit cost

The cost of permits is based on the type of permit, i.e.

  • Clergy permits are issued free of charge.
  • Carer's permits are priced at a cost equivalent to the residents' permit price for the zone of main use.
  • Teachers and Non-carer's permits are priced at a cost equivalent to three times the resident permit price for the zone of main use (except for zones operating for either 2 or 4 hours where the price is twice the cost of the resident permits, and at the higher rated Hampton Court where the price is in line with most all day zones).

The cost of chargeable permits is also based on

  • The duration of the permit
  • Whether the permit is the first current permit or a subsequent permit issued to the organisation
  • Whether the vehicle is Band A (first registered on or after 01/03/2001 with engine CO2 emissions of 100g/Km or less) and so eligible for free permits.

See the Operational parking permit prices page for pricing, or 15. Refunds for details on applying for a refund.

6. Payment and receipts

Paying by cheque or postal order

Please make cheques or postal orders payable to ‘LBRuT’

Paying by BACS

Make payment with reference 'Operational Parking' and your postcode to

  • The Co-operative Bank
  • Sort Code 08-90-34
  • Account 61683631

Receipts

Your permit letter will include a printed tear-off receipt to the bottom-left.

Failed payments

Bounced cheques will invalidate any permit(s) issued and will incur a £10 administration fee.

7. How to use your operational parking permit

Each new permit will be issued together with a protective cover which should be affixed to the inside of the vehicle’s windscreen on the nearside. The permit must be displayed on the vehicle in such a way that the particulars are readily visible from the front or nearside of the vehicle.

8. Where to park

A permit will not reserve the holder a right to park in a specific parking bay.

A permit will enable the holder to park in any vacant on-street resident parking permit holder’s space, or if applicable, shared use space within the zone(s) of issue between the hours displayed on signs at the entry points to the zone, and in some cases, on signs adjacent to the parking bays, subject to any parking suspension that may occur. Parking places are not controlled outside of the zones restricted hours.

Teachers' permits are not valid on Saturdays or Sundays.

Permits are only valid in the zone of issue as shown on the permit by a letter(s) in the bottom right hand corner and on-street by the same letter(s) on sign plates.

Operational parking permits are not valid in off-street car parks, pay and display bays, or in other zones except where otherwise stated by signs at the locations or on the Where to park page.

Operational permits are not valid for parking at an applicant's/holder’s base nor are they valid for long stay parking (over 3 hours). Regular enforcement by the Council’s parking contractor seeks to ensure that the use of these permits is in accordance with these guidelines. Any vehicles found to be in contravention of these guidelines will result in the permit being withdrawn. If all day parking is required for an address within a community parking zone, then alternative parking facilities should be sought. Enquiries can be made to the Council using the details in 17. More information.

9. Suspensions

The Council regularly suspends bays from normal use for various reasons, e.g. house moves. Any unauthorised vehicles found parked in a suspended bay may be liable for a Penalty Charge Notice. Operational permit holders must check for bay suspensions when parking.

10. Change of vehicle - Transferable permits

These need to be updated only if they are to be used on a vehicle which is of a higher band than that shown on the permit.

You need to surrender and replace your permit if

  • Pre-February 2011 permits - the new vehicle is of a higher band than the permit
  • Post-February 2011 permits - the permit was issued to a Band A vehicle, but the new vehicle is a higher band.

Return the existing permit for a refund using the Permit Change or Return(pdf, 33KB) form (if applicable) and apply for a new permit using the Operational/Carer/Clergy/Teacher Parking Permit Application Form(pdf, 88KB).

You can use the tear-off slip on the permit letter to park for 7 days whilst your permit is updated.

If the permit is not returned it will be treated as lost and you may be charged a £10 administration fee, see 13. Lost, stolen or damaged permits. A vehicle displaying a permit declared lost will be liable for a Penalty Charge Notice if found to be using it.

Forms are available from the Council using the details in 17. More information. There is no charge for the first reissue of a permit due to a change of vehicle within any 12 month period; however, subsequent reissues will incur a £10 administration fee.

11. Change of vehicle - Vehicle specific permits

A new permit must always be obtained in the event of a change of vehicle due to the change in registration number. The permit must be updated if the vehicle bands are the same, or surrendered and replaced if different.

Your existing permit can be updated if

  • Pre-February 2011 permits - the new vehicle is of the same or lower band than the old vehicle
  • Post-February 2011 permits - the new and old vehicles are both Band A; or neither the new and old vehicles are Band A

Complete a Permit Change or Return(pdf, 33KB) form and return with your permit to the Council. You can use the tear-off slip on the permit letter to park for 7 days whilst your permit is updated. If the permit is not returned it will be treated as lost and you may be charged a £10 administration fee, see 13. Lost, stolen or damaged permits. A vehicle displaying a permit declared lost will be liable for a Penalty Charge Notice if found to be using it.

Forms are available from the Council using the details in 17. More information. There is no charge for the first reissue of a permit due to a change of vehicle within any 12 month period; however, subsequent reissues will incur a £10 administration fee.

12. Change of address

If you change address you must notify the Council using a Permit Change or Return(pdf, 33KB) form, available from the Council using the details in 17. More information.

13. Lost, stolen or damaged permits

If a permit is lost, stolen or damaged, the permit holder must notify the Council immediately using a Permit Change or Return(pdf, 33KB) form and the permit shall cease to be valid. If requested, a new permit will be issued for the unexpired period of the original permit.

A charge of £10 will be made for the issue of a replacement permit except when the permit was stolen and a police crime reference number is provided.

14. Renewing

The Council will not normally send reminder letters for operational permits and the onus to renew the permit on its expiry rests with the permit holder.

15. Refunds

Permits issued before 1 February 2011 cannot be exchanged for post 1 February 2011 permits, unless due to a change of vehicle or change of first/subsequent status.

To apply for a refund, complete the Permit Change or Return(pdf, 33KB) form and return to the Council using the details under 17. More information.

Refunds are available on permits with one or more full months remaining before the expiry date, at the time when the completed Permit Change or Return(pdf, 33KB) form and the permit are received by the Council. Permits must be returned to the Council when applying for a refund, otherwise they will be treated as lost and you will be charged a £10 administration fee. See 13. Lost, stolen or damaged permits.

Refunds are calculated as the amount originally paid, divided by the duration in months of the permit, and multiplied by the number of full remaining months on the permit. A £10 administration fee is then deducted. Note that this calculation is made irrespective of whether the permit has yet started.

Refund amounts are shown on the Operational, carer, teacher, clergyl parking permit prices page.

Refunds are issued in one of three ways

  • If bank details are given, by BACS payment direct to your bank account, or
  • By cheque within 28 days.A permit holder who surrenders a permit to the Council

16. Offences

The following are offences and the Council may take further action if you are found to be committing one.

False statements

It is an offence to make a false statement in order to procure the issue of a permit to oneself or any other person, and the Council may prosecute under either the Theft Acts or other relevant criminal legislation.

The maximum penalty on conviction or indictment is five years imprisonment and/or a fine on summary conviction, six months imprisonment or a fine of up to £5,000.

Mishandling and forging documents

It is an offence to:

  • Use or lend to another person any permit or other authorisation with intent to deceive and
  • Make or have in one's possession anything so closely resembling a permit or other authorisation as to be calculated to deceive.

The maximum penalty on conviction is two years' imprisonment or a fine of up to £5,000.

Parking in a permit bay without a valid permit

It is an offence to park in a resident’s bay without having a valid permit even if an application for a permit has been sent to the Council.

Vehicle must be licensed

It is an offence under the Vehicle Registration and Excise Act 1994 (Section 29) to use or keep a mechanically propelled vehicle on a public road if the vehicle is unlicensed, and it is also an offence to use or keep such a vehicle on a public road if the license is not displayed on the vehicle.

17. More information

You can find more information or get copies of forms

  • By phone by calling 020 8891 7544 (9am to 5:15pm, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm Friday, excluding Bank and Public holidays)
  • By email to parkingpermits@richmond.gov.uk
  • By post to Parking Permits, PO Box 466, Twickenham TW1 9JT.

These guidance notes were last updated 21/10/2011.

Download a printable copy of this guidance.(pdf, 46KB)