Driven to complain

Parking fines pay appeal panel's costs
by Chloe Griffiths
The Journal
14th September 2005

A National appeals tribunal which rules on parking disputes between motorists and councils should be disbanded, a North-East campaigner says.

Political crusader Neil Herron believes the body which assesses parking fine appeals cannot be truly independent - because it is funded by parking fines.

The National Parking Adjudication Service (NPAS) was set up in 1999 to replace the courts and independently adjudicate on parking ticket appeals.

But it has been revealed that the NPAS receives 60p from every parking ticket that ouncils issue.

Mr Herron says that the service is completely funded by local authorities from the tickets they issue - and therefore wholly dependent upon them. Mr Herron, of Sunderland, says the service cannot claim to be either independent or impartial.

Sunderland was one of about 80 local authorities which signed up to the 'decriminalised' scheme.

Mr Herron said: "NPAS is neither independent, nor a court of law, but has misled the public into believing this is the case. The motorist can no longer feel as though he can be treated in a fair and impartial manner."

He has called for an end to the system, which he says offers "no independence, no scrutiny and no recourse for motorists."

An NPAS spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that the Road Traffic Act 1991 required councils to fund parking adjuducation at a cost of 60p per fine.

But she said this lifted the burden from the taxpayer and the people on the tribunals remained impartial.

She said: "Appeals are decided by adjudicators who are lawyers, appointed through the normal judicial appointment process. Every adjudicator considers and decides each case on its own merits."

She said 67% of appeals were successful.

Mr Herron said the situation was further complicated within Sunderland because 700 tickets had been issued unlawfully by the council to people parking on a taxi rank since 2003.

Sunderland City Council is refunding £21,000 in parking fines.

Mr Herron is asking if cheated motorists will lose their 60p given to NPAS from these illegal tickets.

yesterday the council declined to comment, saying the funding arrangement was decided by government.