Drivers in South Holland who leave their cars in the wrong place could return to it to find a blue warning notice plastered to their windscreen over the next two weeks.
Lincolnshire County Council takes over on-street parking enforcement from December 3 and to prepare everyone for the move the warning notices will be handed out to alert drivers that restrictions exist where they are parked, which could mean a fine if they continue to park there after the fortnight period of grace which started yesterday.
Illegal parking has not been regularly enforced in recent years, but motorists are being warned that will change with the introduction of a team of 20 officers who will be deployed across the county.
The grace period has been welcomed by councillors and business leaders, who say it will ease shoppers in gently.
President of Spalding and District Area Chamber of Trade Phil Scarlett said: “People do need to be warned as they have been able to park where they like when they like for ten years without recrimination. Ultimately the enforcement will free up spaces and encourage people to come into town, confident they will get a parking space.”
And town centre ward councillor Gary Taylor said: “The grace period is a sensible approach because then if people continue to park dangerously they cannot say they have not been warned.”