CCTV evidence can lead to parking fine

We warned everyone that this was going to happen and that Decriminalised Parking Authorities and their agents were out of control.
The new legislation increases their powers and further disadvantages the motorist.
Justice and fairness will be thrown out of the window as the motorist will have to prove that an alleged contravention taking place weeks earlier did not occur.

The resistance amongst motorists is growing with Parking Appeals now slashing membership to £9.99 a year.

Neil Herron states:
"We expect the number of Penalty Charge Notices issued to escalate after 31st March. Parking Appeals will continue to provide invaluable information and advice to penalised motorists, and will continue to expose the lawless activity of local authorities and thei agents."

CCTV evidence can lead to parking fine
By David Millward, Transport Editor, Daily Telegraph
21/02/2008

Millions of motorists are likely to incur parking fines without realising it after being caught on CCTV.
From March 31, councils across England and Wales will have the power to use remote cameras to enforce parking laws, then send tickets by post.

The move comes alongside other changes that will allow parking attendants to issue tickets as soon as they say they have seen a car illegally parked, without having to put them on the motorist's windscreen.

Motoring groups said last night that both changes will lead to a surge in the number of questionable tickets being issued, with drivers facing fines even when no offence has been committed.

The arrival of a ticket by post, sometimes weeks later, will also make it harder to collect evidence to mount a successful appeal.

Sheila Rainger, acting director of the RAC Foundation, said: "We are worried that these changes will make it even easier for councils to use parking as a cash cow."
Under the new plans, town hall staff in control rooms will monitor CCTV cameras trained on high streets to issue tickets the second a car parks on a yellow line or overstays at a parking meter.
Motoring groups fear this could happen even when drivers have stopped legally. Under some circumstances, motorists can wait on single yellow lines to let passengers out or unload goods.
But this has not stopped CCTV operators in London, where councils have been allowed to use cameras for some time, issuing tickets anyway.

Barrie Segal, whose organisation AppealNow challenges thousands of fines a year, claimed abuse of the system was rife in the capital.
"I have had calls from scores of taxi drivers who have been given tickets as a result of being caught by a CCTV camera while letting passengers out," he said.
"They had stopped quite legally and the camera operator must have known this.
"Another case I dealt with concerned a motorist who stopped to ask a policeman directions. His car's hazard warning lights were flashing and his engine was not switched off, yet he got a parking ticket."

The new regulations will not only be seen by critics as intensifying the war on the motorist but also fly in the face of advice given by the country's parking ombudsman just over a year ago.
Caroline Sheppard, the chief adjudicator or the National Parking Adjudication Service, said drivers should be allowed a few minutes grace to find change for a parking meter.
There will be no obligation on anyone issuing a ticket remotely to follow this guidance, however.

Motoring groups united in voicing concern about the changes.
"The new parking rules from April 1 will lead to a dash for cash on the part of some local authorities," said Paul Watters, the AA's head of Roads and Transport Policy.
"From that date CCTV cameras can be used to enforce parking restrictions which will make it appear easy to enforce parking bans and dole out tickets.
"Using CCTV will be unpopular because it is a blunt instrument. A CCTV camera cannot spot a blue badge, note down a tax disc number or always spot loading or unloading."
"Drivers also first hear of an offence from a notice to owner some weeks later rather than receive a penalty notice immediately so will not easily recall the offence or the validity of the ticket.

Hauliers said they were horrified by the shake-up. "The extent on fines for companies delivering in London is already outrageous," said a spokesman for the Freight Transport Association.
"You are already getting fines running into millions of pounds for individual companies. This move will add far more to the cost of British industry.
"It's preposterous that it is already impossible to make deliveries within a legal framework.
"At least a motorist has the choice of taking public transport, you can hardly deliver barrels of beer by bus.
"Councils don't help by giving planning permission for shops which need deliveries and then raking in cash by fining delivery companies for parking on the yellow lines they have painted outside."
MPs also voiced their concern. "They need to be looking at ways of keeping the traffic moving and not just looking at ways of hitting the hard-pressed motorist," said John Spellar, a former Labour transport minister.
The all-party Transport Select Committee has already expressed doubts about the way in which parking controls are enforced especially in areas where attendants dishing out tickets are set quotas.
"There is no problem with CCTV if it is linked to sensible parking policies," said Graham Stringer, a Labour member of the committee. "But if companies are given targets, this could lead to tickets being issued which are completely inappropriate.