Overhaul aims for fairer system of parking fines
Yorkshire Post
Maggie Stratton
AN overhaul of England's "messy" and "flawed" parking fines system could include an end to wheelclamping for single offences and force councils to be more open about how much money comes from penalties.
Action against offenders taken by councils rather than the police will now be referred to as civil parking enforcement. Parking attendants will be known as civil enforcement officers.
In plans published today the Government has, however, stopped short of insisting parking is taken out of police hands across the country.Among a raft of criticisms levied last month by the Commons Transport Committee was the need for a UK-wide system of decriminalised parking enforcement to replace the system of police and councils working in different areas.
But the Government said today that although it would encourage all local authorities to adopt responsibility for parking, they must be allowed to decide whether to do so.
Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said the Government wanted local authorities to use parking enforcement powers to keep the traffic flowing and not to raise money.
"The Government is determined to see a parking system that is fairer and more consistent," he said.
The plans are due to become law mid-next year, following public consultation. They include introducing a nationwide database of persistent parking offenders which would enable the newly named civil enforcement officers to clamp only cars belonging to those who have repeatedly failed to pay fines.
Councils would also have adopt a more motorist-friendly appeals process, with a penalty charge discount re-offered after an informal challenge, and publish regular reports.
Mr Alexander said: "We have listened to motorists and it is clear that the current system needs to be improved.
"Taken together, the proposals in this draft guidance will strengthen the system of civil parking enforcement and help local authorities tackle local congestion and keep the traffic moving."
The report by the House of Commons Transport Committee said parking policy and enforcement were "inconsistent and confused", and chairman Gwyneth Dunwoody added that the whole system was "a mess".
The Select Committee said too few councils were publishing figures which fuelled suspicions of revenue-raising – parking activities in England raising a £439m surplus in 2003/04.
The Liberal Democrats last month unveiled research claiming England's parking charges had risen by 82 per cent since Labour came to power. The party said charges were up six per cent in the last year as the nation's motorists paid out almost £1.2bn a year.
Other plans proposed are dedicated training for everyone involved in administering civil parking enforcement from on the street right up to the boardroom and more powers for independent adjudicators to intervene where procedures have not been followed properly.
In Yorkshire the following councils currently take responsibility for parking: Barnsley, Doncaster, Harrogate, Kingston-Upon-Hull, Leeds, Rotherham, Sheffield and York.
Maggie Stratton
AN overhaul of England's "messy" and "flawed" parking fines system could include an end to wheelclamping for single offences and force councils to be more open about how much money comes from penalties.
Action against offenders taken by councils rather than the police will now be referred to as civil parking enforcement. Parking attendants will be known as civil enforcement officers.
In plans published today the Government has, however, stopped short of insisting parking is taken out of police hands across the country.Among a raft of criticisms levied last month by the Commons Transport Committee was the need for a UK-wide system of decriminalised parking enforcement to replace the system of police and councils working in different areas.
But the Government said today that although it would encourage all local authorities to adopt responsibility for parking, they must be allowed to decide whether to do so.
Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said the Government wanted local authorities to use parking enforcement powers to keep the traffic flowing and not to raise money.
"The Government is determined to see a parking system that is fairer and more consistent," he said.
The plans are due to become law mid-next year, following public consultation. They include introducing a nationwide database of persistent parking offenders which would enable the newly named civil enforcement officers to clamp only cars belonging to those who have repeatedly failed to pay fines.
Councils would also have adopt a more motorist-friendly appeals process, with a penalty charge discount re-offered after an informal challenge, and publish regular reports.
Mr Alexander said: "We have listened to motorists and it is clear that the current system needs to be improved.
"Taken together, the proposals in this draft guidance will strengthen the system of civil parking enforcement and help local authorities tackle local congestion and keep the traffic moving."
The report by the House of Commons Transport Committee said parking policy and enforcement were "inconsistent and confused", and chairman Gwyneth Dunwoody added that the whole system was "a mess".
The Select Committee said too few councils were publishing figures which fuelled suspicions of revenue-raising – parking activities in England raising a £439m surplus in 2003/04.
The Liberal Democrats last month unveiled research claiming England's parking charges had risen by 82 per cent since Labour came to power. The party said charges were up six per cent in the last year as the nation's motorists paid out almost £1.2bn a year.
Other plans proposed are dedicated training for everyone involved in administering civil parking enforcement from on the street right up to the boardroom and more powers for independent adjudicators to intervene where procedures have not been followed properly.
In Yorkshire the following councils currently take responsibility for parking: Barnsley, Doncaster, Harrogate, Kingston-Upon-Hull, Leeds, Rotherham, Sheffield and York.
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