Taxi Driver Online

March 30, 2008 Sunday

New two-tier parking fines system

Wilts And Gloucestershire Standard

FINES for serious parking offences go up tomorrow, while those for less serious offences will go down.

Under the new two-tier system for illegal parking which comes into effect tomorrow motorists who are guilty of more serious contraventions, such as parking on a single or double yellow lines, will be fined £70.

Less serious infringements, such as overstaying in a pay-and-display car park, will attract a fine of £50 - though in either case, the penalty charge can be settled at a 50 percent reduced rate if paid within 14 days.

The new system of differential charging replaces the standard £60 fixed penalty.

Gloucestershire County Council's civil parking enforcement manager Philip Williams said: "These changes come direct from the Government and councils all over the country have been told to adopt them, though they are likely to have little if any financial impact for the county council.

"Most motorists will not notice any real change to on-street parking, the real shift is in the philosophy which is aimed at making the regulations appear more legitimate and introducing greater transparency and fairness for all".

Councils across Gloucestershire took over parking enforcement from the police last November. District councils in Cheltenham, Cotswold, Gloucester Stroud and Tewkesbury have been enforcing on-street parking on behalf of the county council since then. The Forest of Dean is expected to follow suit in May.

The updated legislation means local authorities will also be empowered to enforce Double Parking - vehicles being parked more than 50cm from the kerb - and be able to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) to vehicles parked on zigzag lines on the approach to pedestrian crossings. Parking at Dropped Footways is likely to be enforced later.

The Act also allows for PCNs to be served by post if an enforcement officer is prevented from issuing a notice by threat or violence or if a vehicle has been driven away before it is served.

County Councillor Stan Waddington, Cabinet Member for Environment, said "As this has come from the Government it's out of our hands but differential penalties have been operating in London since last July without any adverse effect.

"This is not about making money as the reduction in charges for less serious contraventions balances the additional income from more serious ones. It's about getting people to respect parking regulations for the benefit of the rest of the community".

Also from Monday, Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) becomes Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and Parking Attendants are called Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO).

Higher-level contraventions are those falling within one or more of the following descriptions:

* Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours (On-Street)

* Parked or loading/unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading/unloading restrictions are in force (On-Street)

* Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place without clearly displaying either a permit or voucher or pay and display ticket issued for that place (On-Street)

* Parked in a suspended bay/space or part of bay/space (On-Street)

* Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle (On-Street)

* Parked in a loading place during restricted hours without loading (On-Street)

* Vehicle parked more than 50 centimetres from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place (On-Street)

* Parked adjacent to a dropped footway (On-Street)

* Parked in a designated disabled person's parking place without displaying a valid disabled person's badge in the prescribed manner (On and Off-Street)

* Parked on a taxi rank (On-Street)

* Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway) (On-Street)

* Stopped on a restricted bus stop or stand (On-Street)

* Stopped in a restricted area outside a school (On-Street)

* Parked with one or more wheels on any part of an urban road other than a carriageway (footway parking) (On-Street)

* Stopped on a pedestrian crossing and/or crossing area marked by zig-zags (On-Street)

* Parked in a loading area during restricted hours without reasonable excuse (Off-Street)

* Parked in a permit bay without clearly displaying a valid permit (Off-Street)

* Parked in a restricted area in a car park (Off-Street)

* Vehicle parked exceeds maximum weight or height or length permitted in the area (Off-Street)

* Parked in a car park or area not designated for that class of vehicle (Off-Street)

* Parked causing an obstruction (Off-Street)
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