If the offence is decriminalised and enforced civilly by the DRD, then inevitably there would be a knock-on effect on the role of traffic wardens

Police spokesman

It has said this would bring Northern Ireland into line with other parts of the UK.

The police in Northern Ireland have been under pressure to process an increasing amount of paperwork relating to parking fines.

In January 2001, police officers in the province were instructed to issue a third fewer tickets in an attempt to reduce the paperwork.

This was in order that the force's stretched resources could be focused towards cracking down on drivers speeding and processing speeding fines paperwork.

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said no decision had yet been taken on the future of the traffic warden service.

"But it is clear that if the proposals to change parking to a civil offence go ahead, then the need for traffic wardens would have top be examined closely," the spokesman said.

"The enforcement of traffic regulation is not a core policing function.

"If the offence is decriminalised and enforced civilly by the Department of Regional Development, then inevitably there would be a knock-on effect on the role of traffic wardens."

The spokesman added that any changes in the law would take time to come into force, but the police service wanted to address the issue as soon as possible.