People living within the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) will be able to use a new electronic service where they can apply for, purchase and manage their parking permit online.
Durham County Council said it will reduce the need to display a paper permit in each vehicle in the zone, with permit details being held electronically and shared with civil enforcement officers patrolling the permit areas.
Residents will receive information about how to purchase their next permit when their current permit is due for renewal.
Councillor Elizabeth Scott, cabinet member for economy and partnerships, praised the benefits the new system will bring.
She said: “The move to virtual parking permits will provide a much more efficient experience for residents. It takes away their need to visit The Parking Shop to obtain a permit and allows them to manage it from the comfort of their own home.
“The electronic system will reduce the number of permits being lost and lead to fewer Penalty Charge Notices being issued to residents who have forgotten to display, or incorrectly displayed, their permits.
“This will also make the enforcement of permit areas more efficient as it will be easier for officers to identify any vehicles parked without a valid permit, or vehicles using a cancelled parking permit.”
Virtual parking vouchers will also be used instead of paper scratch cards for visitors, which can be obtained online in advance or when the visitor arrives. Households can choose to purchase paper scratch cards instead of virtual vouchers should they prefer.
The change comes as residents urged the council to “go further and faster” in its proposed crackdown on unlawful parking in the city.
Locals say current nighttime parking issues are blighting the historic city and threatening public safety.
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Durham County Council has proposed new measures including parking charges in a bid to prevent displaced and unlawful car parking in the city’s medieval peninsula.
The new proposals involve extending the road user charge to include Sundays and bank holidays, increasing the charging period from 10am-4pm to 2am daily, and increasing the charge to enter the city’s historic area from £2 to £5 per vehicle.
New number plate recognition cameras are set to be introduced as part of the regulations.
More information can be found here.