Taking back control ... how appropriate

Now parking enforcement is to be totally in the hands of those who are really responsible for the Sunderland Parking fiasco.

Another full page in the Sunderland Echo. What is now being exposed is the aftermath of what can happen when a local authority jumps into Decriminalised Parking Enforcement with two feet but without ever bringing their parking restrictions up to the level required by law and without ever giving consideration to what effect that draconian enforcement would have on the city and the business community.

In this instance it also threw the focus onto NCP although they were not the target of our complaint. Ours was that the council was acting unlawfully in that they were enforcing restrictions that were not lawful. NCP however, were also aware of this fact as they offered on 3 separate occasions to pay for a full review of the lines and signs. The council refused.

Sunderland Council officers had previously lied in their application to the Department for Transport to get DPE.
They claimed that all the lines and signs and Traffic Orders would be correct by the time DPE began in 2003. They never acted on the consultants report ... to do so would have flagged up to the councillors that hundreds of thousands would have to be spent putting matters right...so they kept it hidden.

The Council then did the deal with NCP who were rewarded with a lucrative contract approaching £1m per annum.

Loadsa tickets. Loadsa money. NCP happy. Council happy.

But when NCPs management began questioning the legality of what the council was telling them to do they were reassured by council officials and told not to worry, Herron doesn't know what he is talking about.

After all, who would ever try and bring down a whole city's regime over a £30 ticket? And for all those who say it will lead to parking anarchy ... well, don't shoot the messenger. Those of us who are not prepared to accept an injustice and who are not prepared to stand by and watch abuse of office and abuse of ordinary members of the public by civil servants who are neither civil and who forgot a long time ago that they are servants of the people will continue to expose and uncover.

Meanwhile, thank you to those who continue to have a conscience. Keep the information coming enquiries@parkingappeals.co.uk and it goes without saying that identities will be protected and information treated in the strictest confidence.

Anyone concerned about their jobs just visit this site ... Public Concern at Work

We know that the real culprits who have covered up and deceived the public have yet to have their day of reckoning. It is only a matter of time. In other local authorities golden handshakes and early retirement has been offered before the firestorm hit. In Sunderland we have witnessed what some officials and media commentators have dubbed 'a siege mentality.' Well, if we ain't going to have 'mea culpa' and refunds we will have to keep pushing until the High Court and the Minister are forced to intervene.

Sunderland Echo
25th September 07
A car parking fiasco which brought shame to the city is to take a new twist.

SUE WATSON looks at plans to bring the long-running problems to an end.

Ever since an undercover investigation ( see here here and here) revealed serious misconduct within Sunderland's car parking attendant ranks, work has been under way to undo the damage.

The BBC Inside Out documentary, which was broadcast across the nation 11 months ago, showed NCP attendants making racist remarks and mocking disabled drivers.

They even told an undercover reporter that they had "tortured" drivers on Villette Road in Hendon, caused criminal damage to vehicles, while also accepting drinks in return for not issuing parking tickets.

The programme came after a series of blunders in enforcing parking rules across the city, including Sunderland Council having to refund thousands of pounds to drivers after dishing out invalid fines.

This week, the council will meet to discuss plans to bring the car parking contract under the authority's control – at a cost of £285,341.National Car Parks (NCP) took on a seven-year contract to oversee Wearside's parking in 2003 after the council took over enforcement from Northumbria Police.

But the BBC documentary last October alleged there was bribery, illegal ticketing, favouritism, vandalism and racism within NCP, including one attendant even describing slashing a man's tyres after he complained.

An investigation followed, resulting in five parking attendants being dismissed.

However, council chiefs have revealed they plan to terminate NCP's contract in a bid to restore the public's crumbling confidence.

The authority will have to pay NCP £73,591 to halt the contract early, a one-off cost of £44,750 to transfer the service and £167,000 a year to run it.

In his report to a cabinet meeting this Thursday, Phil Barrett, director of development and regeneration, said council staff would not just dish out fines, but would also promote awareness of parking laws.

But the move to bring the service under council control has not been welcomed by everyone, with some saying the authority has a huge mountain to climb to restore confidence.

Conservative opposition leader Coun Peter Wood said there was still a lot of questions to answer about how they would run the service, particularly considering its track record on other traffic matters.

He added: "The point is, will it lead to a better service for the people in the city? I will be asking for reassurances about that.

"There are a lot of questions that need answering – such as are we sure all the signs and yellow lines are legally correct now?

"I have big reservations about the directorate taking control, they are really going to have to prove themselves.

"The directorate was initially responsible for many of the problems in the first place. There is big disappointment with NCP, there's no doubting that, but does it follow the council will do any better?"

Neil Herron, a parking campaigner who uncovered many of the council's parking flaws, is still appealing on a number of fines slapped on his car by the council.

He said: "The tickets which have been issued unlawfully, illegally and by parking attendants sacked for gross misconduct must be refunded.

"By doing all this, Sunderland is admitting they got it seriously wrong.

"It was the council itself who got it wrong in the first place. Removing the control from NCP is not going to make the situation any better if the signs are still wrong."

However, Mr Barrett said: "The new arrangements will contribute to making the city's streets safer and more accessible to highway users.

"The new parking service will promote compliance rather than simply practise enforcement.

"It is proposed that the council publishes a parking charter which will inform the public in a clear and transparent way of the criteria to be used in assessing compliance with waiting, loading and parking restrictions."

The council aims to take over the contract from December and has said it would take on about 15 extra NCP workers to form a new parking services department at the civic centre.

Mr Barrett added: "Effective communications will be important to ensure that service improvements are understood and a new image for parking is established in the city."

The purpose of Thursday's cabinet meeting is to consider the implications of transferring the on-street and surface car parks' Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) service to the council.

Members are being asked to recommend the proposals be given the go-ahead.

The Department of Transport is consulting on the next phase of the Traffic Management Act 2004 which would provide additional powers to local authorities, which could be introduced from March 2008.

New measures could include changing the name DPE to Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) and parking attendants could be renamed Civil Enforcement Officers.

Also, special parking areas and permitted parking areas could be called Civil Enforcement Areas.

The council's proposal for the city is to establish a Parking Services Section, which will be required to undertake regular liaison with all highway users including emergency services, bus operators, taxi operators and the Physical Disabilities Alliance.

In the report to the cabinet it states the primary function of the service will be to patrol the city's waiting, loading and parking restrictions.

It is also proposed to develop service delivery in a range of areas including tackling abuse of the blue badge scheme and inappropriate parking at schools.

The service will also give parking advice and information, basic first aid, contribute towards community safety and assist with special events.

Last Updated: 25 September 2007 9:45 AM