Parking Mad
Confused mess of a system blasted by a group of watchdog MPs.
Sunderland Echo
Britain's parking enforcement is in a 'mess' according to a committee of MPs. The findings follow a series of parking fiascos in the city.
Jeremy Wicking examines why it's driving motorists crazy.
Inconsistent, confused, a mess - that's the verdict on our parking policy by a committee of MPs.
In February 2003, Sunderland City Council and its business partner National Car
Parks (NCP) took over the issuing of parking tickets from Northumbria Police and its traffic wardens.
MPs say our parking enforcement rules are just not in gear but still say council
s should police our parking system.
Too many councils are already causing anger and dismay, wasting resources and giving the whole system a bad name.
Campaigner Neil Herron has been picking holes in Sunderland's parking rules and said: "If it's a mess across the country, then Sunderland Council's is one of the biggest.
"They have done everything wrong with regard to lines, signs, Traffic Regulation Orders and the wording on the tickets. Their inflexibility and overzealousness has been reported on many occasions by the Echo."
Sunderland Council began its DPE (decriminalised parking enforcement) scheme three
-and-a-half years ago and has never published an annual report on city parking or how much has been collected from motorists.
If drivers get ticketed and pay within 14 days, motorists get their £60 ticket discounted to £30.
Straight-talking Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, chairwoman of the House of Commons transport committee, has examined bundles of evidence about local councils and how they are running parking.
She said: "Our present parking system is, frankly, a mess. Unfortunately, we heard that the administration of parking enforcement by councils was too often inconsistent, with poor communication, confusion, and a lack of accountability. This must change."
Her comments are similar to a Sunderland Council report that was published last year after campaigners found loopholes in parking rules and regulations.
That saw refunds totalling more than £30,000 going to drivers who had been fined for parking in taxi-only bays and disabled drivers who had parked in loading bays.
Why? Because the council did not have the correct legal rules known as TROs (Traffic Regulation Orders). In the end, more than 300 Sunderland TROs have had to be corrected.
Mrs Dunwoody, said in some parts of the country a motorist parks illegally on one street, is branded a criminal and dealt with by the police and criminal courts. Then, in another street they have "committed a civil infringement" and will be dealt with by their council.
She said: "It is high time to move to a single system of parking enforcement. But this roll-out of decriminalised parking enforcement must take place in the context of improved professional standards."
Mr Herron said one of the biggest problems was the lack of an independent adjudicator service.
The introduction of DPE meant people were no longer taken to court and Mr Herron claims that should be brought back.
He has had more than 60 parking tickets cancelled after complaining about their wording, and added, "Neither should councils be allowed to keep money raised from parking fines as, like it or not, it gives them too much of an incentive to raise revenue. Monies collected should go into a central pot and be redistributed.
"That would remove the suspicion that people have about over-zealous traffic wardens."
Sunderland Council has not had a bonus scheme with its partner NCP and the company's boss Bob Macnaughton welcomed moves to get rid of imbiguities as national guidance rules is expected from the Government soon.
"Drivers will perceive the system to be fairer and will be less likely to take out their frustrations on attendants," said Mr Macnaughton.
No one from Sunderland Council was available for comment.
Council's catalogue of errors
A catalogue of errors on the council's running of car parking in Sunderland was published in December last year.
The council's Chief Executive Ged Fitzgerald and a special audit team said there were "significant weaknesses" in how it was running DPE.
These included major failings in traffic, parking and road safety departments, such as poor management, a lack of communication between traffic staff and council lawyers, and not keeping clear records.
Plus, there were more than 300 errors on where there should be parking and waiting restrictions in the city.
The council held its hands up and said there were "organisational and operational failures". An action plan to correct the mistakes is ongoing.
Sunniside coffe bar owner Phil Jones was left feeling bitter after getting two tickets while unloading outside his Frederick Street business.
Mr Jones, 40, who has been trading in the city for three years, said: "When I got the tickets, I neber even had the courtesy of a warning from the wardens. We're a small business, we're not the only business in this
part of the city, and all we wanted was a bit of respect and some courtesy."
Mr Jones, who used to run businesses in London, said even the capital's attendants would give people more leeway than here.
He appealed against his tickets, was set to go to a tribunal but then had them cancelled.
However, Sunderland Council reminded Mr Jones it had a duty to promote road safety and keep traffic flowing.
It said in cases similar to Mr Jones's that "vehicles are observed for five to twenty minutes depending whether they are a private or commercial vehicle respectively to see if they are actively loading, before any decision on parking penalties is made.
"The purpose of traffic regulation orders is to maximise road safety and ensure an effective use of the public carriageway for the benefit of pedestrians, motorists, business premises, service uses and that public transport is maintained."
What the MPs said
Traffic Regulation Orders underpinning traffic regulations are often deficient, and at worst illegal.
Lines and signage to indicate rules not often clear.
Parking attendants should get more training.
Councils were not giving enough discretion when challenged by motorists.
The Government was not scrutinising council DPE schemes closely enough.
Too many councils not making appeals rules clear.
Sunderland Echo
Britain's parking enforcement is in a 'mess' according to a committee of MPs. The findings follow a series of parking fiascos in the city.
Jeremy Wicking examines why it's driving motorists crazy.
Inconsistent, confused, a mess - that's the verdict on our parking policy by a committee of MPs.
In February 2003, Sunderland City Council and its business partner National Car
Parks (NCP) took over the issuing of parking tickets from Northumbria Police and its traffic wardens.
MPs say our parking enforcement rules are just not in gear but still say council
s should police our parking system.Too many councils are already causing anger and dismay, wasting resources and giving the whole system a bad name.
Campaigner Neil Herron has been picking holes in Sunderland's parking rules and said: "If it's a mess across the country, then Sunderland Council's is one of the biggest.
"They have done everything wrong with regard to lines, signs, Traffic Regulation Orders and the wording on the tickets. Their inflexibility and overzealousness has been reported on many occasions by the Echo."
Sunderland Council began its DPE (decriminalised parking enforcement) scheme three
-and-a-half years ago and has never published an annual report on city parking or how much has been collected from motorists.
If drivers get ticketed and pay within 14 days, motorists get their £60 ticket discounted to £30.
Straight-talking Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, chairwoman of the House of Commons transport committee, has examined bundles of evidence about local councils and how they are running parking.
She said: "Our present parking system is, frankly, a mess. Unfortunately, we heard that the administration of parking enforcement by councils was too often inconsistent, with poor communication, confusion, and a lack of accountability. This must change."
Her comments are similar to a Sunderland Council report that was published last year after campaigners found loopholes in parking rules and regulations.
That saw refunds totalling more than £30,000 going to drivers who had been fined for parking in taxi-only bays and disabled drivers who had parked in loading bays.
Why? Because the council did not have the correct legal rules known as TROs (Traffic Regulation Orders). In the end, more than 300 Sunderland TROs have had to be corrected.
Mrs Dunwoody, said in some parts of the country a motorist parks illegally on one street, is branded a criminal and dealt with by the police and criminal courts. Then, in another street they have "committed a civil infringement" and will be dealt with by their council.
She said: "It is high time to move to a single system of parking enforcement. But this roll-out of decriminalised parking enforcement must take place in the context of improved professional standards."
Mr Herron said one of the biggest problems was the lack of an independent adjudicator service.
The introduction of DPE meant people were no longer taken to court and Mr Herron claims that should be brought back.
He has had more than 60 parking tickets cancelled after complaining about their wording, and added, "Neither should councils be allowed to keep money raised from parking fines as, like it or not, it gives them too much of an incentive to raise revenue. Monies collected should go into a central pot and be redistributed.
"That would remove the suspicion that people have about over-zealous traffic wardens."
Sunderland Council has not had a bonus scheme with its partner NCP and the company's boss Bob Macnaughton welcomed moves to get rid of imbiguities as national guidance rules is expected from the Government soon.
"Drivers will perceive the system to be fairer and will be less likely to take out their frustrations on attendants," said Mr Macnaughton.
No one from Sunderland Council was available for comment.
Council's catalogue of errors
A catalogue of errors on the council's running of car parking in Sunderland was published in December last year.
The council's Chief Executive Ged Fitzgerald and a special audit team said there were "significant weaknesses" in how it was running DPE.
These included major failings in traffic, parking and road safety departments, such as poor management, a lack of communication between traffic staff and council lawyers, and not keeping clear records.
Plus, there were more than 300 errors on where there should be parking and waiting restrictions in the city.
The council held its hands up and said there were "organisational and operational failures". An action plan to correct the mistakes is ongoing.
Sunniside coffe bar owner Phil Jones was left feeling bitter after getting two tickets while unloading outside his Frederick Street business.
Mr Jones, 40, who has been trading in the city for three years, said: "When I got the tickets, I neber even had the courtesy of a warning from the wardens. We're a small business, we're not the only business in this
part of the city, and all we wanted was a bit of respect and some courtesy."Mr Jones, who used to run businesses in London, said even the capital's attendants would give people more leeway than here.
He appealed against his tickets, was set to go to a tribunal but then had them cancelled.
However, Sunderland Council reminded Mr Jones it had a duty to promote road safety and keep traffic flowing.
It said in cases similar to Mr Jones's that "vehicles are observed for five to twenty minutes depending whether they are a private or commercial vehicle respectively to see if they are actively loading, before any decision on parking penalties is made.
"The purpose of traffic regulation orders is to maximise road safety and ensure an effective use of the public carriageway for the benefit of pedestrians, motorists, business premises, service uses and that public transport is maintained."
What the MPs said
Traffic Regulation Orders underpinning traffic regulations are often deficient, and at worst illegal.
Lines and signage to indicate rules not often clear.
Parking attendants should get more training.
Councils were not giving enough discretion when challenged by motorists.
The Government was not scrutinising council DPE schemes closely enough.
Too many councils not making appeals rules clear.
posted by Neil Herron at 11:22 AM
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