Speed Auto Race

Car Parking Rules 2008

Author: admin

Car Parking Rules 2008

New parking rules will make it easier for traffic authorities TA to prosecute/ penalise drivers for illegal parking

Councils can use CCTV images as evidence

and issue penalty notices to registered

keepers by post if enforcement officers are

unable to put them on vehicles

Police traffic wardens whose numbers fell in

the runup to the new rules are being

replaced with larger numbers of Civil

Enforcement Officers

There is a new twotier penalty system see

below with higher fines for more serious

offences

New parking enforcement rules

increase risk of drivers being caught

Figures collated by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association in 2005 showed that UK fleet management companies processed 87000 parking tickets incurred by customers drivers along with 100000 speeding notices and 122000 Congestion Charge fines. Nationally millions of parking tickets are issued every year. London alone recorded 5.2 million parking offences in 200607 which was a 2.7 increase over the previous 12 months.

Higher risk of being caught

The risk of drivers being caught if parked illegally will increase by virtue of the new rules contained in the Road Traffic Management Act. Many parking offences can be enforced without the driver even being aware that they have been caught since TAs can now issue registered keepers with penalty notices on the basis of CCTV images. Tickets do not always have to be left on a car. Local traffic authorities control parking on roads and in public car parks in most areas via councilemployed Civil Enforcement Officers. These have largely replaced policeemployed traffic wardens often in greater numbers. Although only one UK local traffic authority had obtained all the necessary permissions to use CCTV images to enforce parking at the time the new rules came into effect this number is expected to rise rapidly.

Twotier penalty / charges

Parking offences are now categorised as serious or less serious. They incur penalties ranging from 40 to 120 depending on where the offence took place. Some common offences such as parking in residential bays or overstaying the paid time now fall into the less serious category. The penalties for such offences are 10 lower than before. TAs usually reduce fines by 50 if paid within 14 days but increase the penalty for overdue payment. Ultimately the TA can register an unpaid fine as if it were a debt that is subject to a county court judgement CCJ and send bailiffs to the drivers home. Bailiffs cannot seize a company car but would be able to take the drivers personal belongings in lieu of payment. Where offences are enforced by the police such as parking on a zebra crossing the ultimate sanction for nonpayment of a penalty is a criminal conviction. The driver could be sent to jail in some circumstances.

About the writer: Arval specialises in fuel cards and contract hire.