North East press covers the Manifesto launch

Copy on its way to Sunderland Council ...

Neil's the driving force behind parking reform
Published Date: 26 February 2010
By Tim Booler
A BOLDON businessman is the driving force behind a national campaign for parking reform.
Neil Herron has organised a manifesto calling for changes to implement "fair parking and traffic management procedures" to benefit motorists across the UK.Launched at the House of Lords, the 103-page Motorists' Manifesto is backed by organisations including the AA, Safe Speed, the Drivers' Alliance and the British Motorcyclists' Federation.

It also has a fighting fund – set up by Lord Lucas of Crudwell and Dingwall, and actor Tom Conti – to support legal action against councils the campaigners claim flout the law to raise cash. Mr Herron, who runs Boldon-based Parking Appeals Ltd, said: "We hope the public supports the campaign to put an end to parking enforcement as a stealth tax."

The document has been drawn up by the London Motorists' Action Group, the Drivers' Alliance and the Motorists' Legal Challenge Fund, in conjunction with industry policy-makers.

Mr Herron said he hoped the Motorists' Manifesto will spark reform to end "systemic failings since the implementation of decriminalised parking in the 90s".

The former Sunderland market trader added: "The use of private 'for profit' contractors does not sit well with accountable local authority services."The lack of regulation and scrutiny by an inspectorate and lack of political will has meant that many an authority has turned a collective blind eye. "Britain's motorists are now prepared to fight back. We want a system that is fair, just and transparent, and our manifesto represents a line in the sand and the start of a new way forward."

The British Parking Association (BPA) said it recognises some issues referred to in the manifesto, and "wholeheartedly supports the need to ensure that all parking enforcement is undertaken fairly, reasonably and legitimately".