The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed to commission a joint study into the potential effects of introducing a Civil Parking Enforcement service.
It follows proposals by South Wales Police to withdraw traffic wardens from the force area.
The South Wales Police currently undertakes enforcement action for on-street traffic orders such as parking and waiting regulations, but they have announced that they will no longer do this after 31 December 2010.
Illegally parked vehicles can pose serious road safety problems, interfere with the flow of traffic, cause public transport delays and prevent emergency services from attending incidents.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1991 and the Traffic Management Act 2004, the council would be able to undertake parking management schemes and apply to the Welsh Assembly Government for powers to carry out civil parking enforcement activities.
However, transferring the service to local authorities throughout the force area would require significant set-up and ongoing operational costs
Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil and the Vale of Glamorgan county borough councils have agreed to work together on the study and a report will be delivered to Cabinet where its findings will be discussed in further detail.
