Parking Fines Now Reaching Astronomical Levels
Friday, 18. May 2018
Every 6 seconds a parking ticket is issued in the UK. That is a massive increase. Over the last 10 years, the number of parking tickets has increased 10 fold. Over just the last year, parking tickets have increased by a million to 5.65 million.
And according to the RAC Foundation, this might be an understatement as the figures are collected through computer issued notices but many tickets are still issued manually and stuck on windscreens.
Part of the increase is down to the growth in private parking companies that use the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database to issue tickets, often after the driver has overstayed by just a few minutes or hadn’t been able to buy a ticket because of faulty equipment.
The Government is backing a Private Member’s bill aimed at clamping down on rogue parking firms. Steve Gooding, RAC Foundation director, is astonished by not only the number of tickets issued each year but the astronomical growth year on year.
My personal feeling is that these independent companies are getting out of control and we need greater control over the issuing of tickets and a more robust, fair and independent body that will deal with appeals fairly. I look forward to seeing the outcome of the Private Member’s bill. By Graham Hill
