There’s nothing at all fairly like the panic felt when rushing back to your vehicle to try and beat the parking meter.
And practically nothing very like the anger felt when you arrive at your vehicle a couple of minutes late only to uncover it’s already been slapped with a ticket.
All that is about to adjust though…
10 much more minutes
Drivers in England will be given 10 minutes’ grace just before being hit with a fine if they remain too long in council-owned automobile parking spaces.
The government has announced the grace period will kick in later this month, along with other measures designed to stop councils producing income from parking fines.
Regional authorities in England have been beneath fire in recent years right after it emerged they have been collectively creating millions of pounds in profit out of parking fines – figures from the RAC Foundation show councils in England made a combined profit of £667million from on and off-street parking in 2103-14 alone.
The new measures incorporate:
- guidance for councils reminding them they are banned from “using parking to create profit”
- a correct for residents and companies to demand – by a petition – that a council “reviews parking in their area”
- new powers for parking adjudicators so they can “hold councils to account”
- protection to stop drivers getting fined right after parking at out-of-order meters
- a ban on the use of CCTV “spy cars” except in no-parking areas such as bus lanes and close to schools.
BEEN HIT WITH A COUNCIL PARKING FINE? HERE’S HOW TO APPEAL!
Pickles’ parking plan
Eric Pickles MP, communities secretary, announced the plans final year as element of measures designed to encourage us to return to our local higher streets to do our shopping and boost neighborhood economies.
Mr Pickles mentioned: “We are ending the war on drivers who simply want to go about their every day organization. For also long parking rules have made law-abiding motorists really feel like criminals, and triggered huge harm to shops and businesses.”
He added: “Slapping folks with hefty fines is akin to criminalising shoppers and makes high streets or parades no-go zones for drivers. Over-zealous parking enforcement and unreasonable stealth fines by post undermine the high street.”
Security first?
On the flipside, there is an argument this legislation is getting rushed through to curry favour with voters prior to the basic election.
And there are fears that the decision to drop CCTV cameras from zebra crossings could compromise pedestrian security.
Councillor David Sparks, chairman of the Regional Government Association, stated: “We are concerned that government has rushed by way of today’s announcement and failed to fully seek advice from councils on the detail of the regulation.”
He added: “Beyond the headlines, what is especially worrying is the detail of these proposals which could make roads less protected for vulnerable pedestrians and inconvenience millions of motorists and commuters.”
What do YOU feel? A good thought or 1 that will be abused by motorists and affect road security? Let us know.
10 minutes grace at council vehicle parks – a great idea?
