As someone who has pressed for a better deal for motorists, and better access to High Streets, I thought this announcement would be of interest:
“Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, has announced changes to parking rules which will benefit drivers, high streets and local authorities.
Under Labour parking rules made law-abiding motorists feel like criminals, and caused enormous damage to shops and businesses.
That’s why we are putting common sense back into parking through a range of measures, including giving drivers 10 minutes’ extra time after a parking ticket runs out before they can be hit with a fine. We are also issuing new guidance banning councils from using parking to generate a profit, and introducing new restrictions on the use of CCTV cars issuing automatic fines.
We are ending the war on drivers who simply want to go about their daily business. This work is part of our long-term economic plan that is helping to transform high streets up and down the country so that once again they become vibrant centres of communities which people want to visit and enjoy. ”
March 6, 2015
If you were to simply legislate so that all money from fines of any kind whatsoever levied by any body were to go direct to the Treasury rather than to those local bodies, then all this interminable fiddling and enforcement would be completely unnecessary. Doing this would remove the incentive to levy unnecessary fines, and would force councils to actually think about how best to improve their incomes.
March 12, 2015
Dr Dan
If you get a ticket from a policeman, then the fines do go to central Government, because that is a criminal offence.
At the moment Wokingham are looking at a scheme which will allow them to have control of parking enforcement( a civil matter) if they get that, then the Fines will go to the Local Council.
The thought process at the moment, is that not enough action is being taken by the police to enforce parking laws on our local roads, thus causing congestion and irritation to the local residents.
If the Council gain control, then they will be able to enforce local parking laws and gain from the fines in the process.
Consultation is being undertaken at the moment.
March 6, 2015
Maybe Wokingham could start by scrapping the £80 fines they slap on people’s cars and move away from the pay and display machines using a more convenient payment method for the consumer.
March 7, 2015
I rarely go to the high street anymore. Overpriced parking and no way to just pop into a shop for a moment or two. I buy most things that I don’t need to see online and use out of town malls for everything else. The high street is dead, high rates and over-controlled parking has killed it.