Fines could double to stop illegal parking

[Conniff]

Parking fines could double because they are not enough to stop people parking their cars illegally, it has emerged.

Norman Baker, a transport minister, is looking at raising the amount councils can charge for parking illegally - currently capped at £70 outside London.

 

 

The Liberal Democrat is concerned that the penalty is failing to keep pace with fines in the capital, where the maximum is £130.

 

 

Councils make £400 million a year in profit on parking fines which they are legally bound to spend on transport projects.

 

More ...

 

 

Lets put this in the correct wording shall we. First the subject heading - ... to increase profit, Second, a Liberal Democrat, some nobody from a nobody party who should never have been where they are and never will be again.

 

We all know this has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with illegal parking but all about turning big bucks into even bigger bucks.

 

Seeing as the private con brigade base their invoices on council fines, they will no doubt jump at the chance to double theirs as well.

[PS. £400 million would easily take care of all the UK potholes, so what are they spending it on?]

Edited July 21, 2013 by Conniff

[Jamberson]

They want even more of our money, but outright tax rises might cost them votes. So, they tax us indirectly and they always have a cover story ready - in the case of petrol it's for the environment, in the case of alcohol it's to reduce binge drinking, in the case of tobacco it's to protect people's health - yadda yadda yadda.

 

Here's another one - they will take more money off motorists to "stop illegal parking". Of course. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool.

 

As to where it's all going - take a look at who's got it. There's a clue.

[green_and_mean]

£400 million profit from issuing 4.25 million PCNs at a maximum of £70, someone is telling a few porkies!! Even if no one appealed, no one paid at the discount, no tickets got written off (foreign, no keeper etc) and all the staff worked for free paying all their own expenses the profit would still only be 297 million.

[Scouse Magic]

Maybe its to ofset cuts that the government have made, increase in council tax, increase in road tax, increased fuel charges, increased toll charges, increase in motor insurance.... jeez rip off Britain springs to mind while the leader gets a new Jag

[green_and_mean]

Maybe a good time to stop parking in stupid places then?!

[steveod]

Maybe a good time to stop parking in stupid places then?!

 

Yeah if you listen to g&m who thinks all fines are ok. it's not like councils lose thousands of appeals every month due to often unlawful practices, parking wardens trying to up their numbers etc. according to him every single parking fine is duly deserved.

[Jamberson]

Maybe its to ofset cuts that the government have made, increase in council tax, increase in road tax, increased fuel charges, increased toll charges, increase in motor insurance.... jeez rip off Britain springs to mind while the leader gets a new Jag

 

That's exactly right. All forms of indirect taxation, and one might as well include council penalties in that, are used to boost the coffers without adding to income tax - which would be a tabloid shock horror.

 

When you consider that about three quarters of council funding (roughly) comes from central government, a 10% reduction in central funding creates a black hole which they would want to fill by other means. Hence, double parking penalties and millions will roll in. Of course none of this can be admitted, so they pretend: "it's to stop people parking illegally". In fact, that's the last thing they want to happen!

 

BTW, I once asked the head of my council about parking revenues being reinvested in transport, and asked him outright if that money was ring-fenced. No it wasn't. So there's no reason to suppose that doubling PCNs will result in double the investment. I suspect it wouldn't.

[Conniff]

They could always try a cut in the council leaders pay, they get more than the prime minister, (pushing double), that can't be right no matter what party is in.

[green_and_mean]

Yeah if you listen to g&m who thinks all fines are ok. it's not like councils lose thousands of appeals every month due to often unlawful practices, parking wardens trying to up their numbers etc. according to him every single parking fine is duly deserved.

 

Really, when did I say that? No one is actually fined they receive a penalty charge notice which they can either agree to pay or challenge using the appeals process. Some appeals are upheld as mistakes are made but just as many if not more cases are lost by the CPS in criminal cases. Does this mean the Police and the 'State' are falsely accusing people just to bump up their figures? Very few cases are upheld due to the contravention not occurring most are on technical issues such as non compliant wording on a PCN, however the PCN was still only issued in the first place because the driver parked in contravention. Maybe you could highlight 3 cases on the first 3 pages of this forum where the driver parked legally and still received a PCN?

[green_and_mean]

They could always try a cut in the council leaders pay, they get more than the prime minister, (pushing double), that can't be right no matter what party is in.

 

Council leaders do not get more than the prime minister even in Westminster the Council leader gets around £45,000 a year whilst the PM gets £142,000, he also gets free travel and other perks such as 2 homes.