Motorists reluctant to challenge parking tickets
Civil Parking enforcement, especially when contracted out to “for profit” intermediary companies doesn’t do public enthusiasm for local authorities any good at all. It often strangles the life from struggling rural retail centres – I have a personal experience of the phenomenon in this context. This article profiles evidence given to the Transport Select Committee by the AA which confirms some of the poor practice used in the name of authorities to collect fines from motorists.
Appearing before the all-party Transport Select Committee, Edmund King, the AA’s president, said in some case the motorists had fallen foul of the parking authorities because of confusing signage about restrictions.
But even though they believed they had a valid case to take to independent adjudicators, motorists were throwing in the towel.
Motorists in London can be fined up to £100, outside the capital the maximum penalty is £70.
Drivers who pay within 14 days are entitled to a 50 per cent reduction. But should they take the case to an adjudicator, the time taken to settle the hearing, means drivers will be hit with the full fine.