Archived press release

Date Published: 27/03/08

Parking

New national parking rules to make fines fairer are being introduced across the country so that the fine fits the offence.

The government has told councils to bring in the new fines to make the roads safer by deterring motorists from committing more serious parking offences which could cause harm to others.

Aylesbury Vale District Council will enforce the new charges as part of a national overhaul of parking rules coming into force on 31 March.
There will be two levels of parking fines depending on the severity of the offence. Under the new two-tier penalty system, £70 tickets will be issued for offences such as parking on double yellow lines, in loading bays, residents’ and disabled parking areas, taxi ranks and bus stops.

Lower penalties of £50 will apply to contraventions such as parking for longer than permitted, not displaying a permit and not parking fully within a bay.
Drivers are currently fined £60 for all parking offences, but a 50 per cent discount is allowed if they pay within 14 days. Under the new system, the 50 per cent early payment discount will remain.

Other changes will mean the council will be able to enforce more parking contraventions, for example, parking on zig-zag lines.

The council is also required to produce an annual report including details of income and expenditure, the number of parking fines issued, the number of fines paid and how it spends any surplus from parking charges and fines.

Motorists who wish to contest a penalty charge notice will still be able to appeal to the National Parking Adjudication Service (soon to be renamed as the Traffic Penalty Tribunal). Independent adjudicators will have increased powers to refer appeal cases about parking fines back to local authorities when they consider that the council should have used its discretion to cancel the penalty charges earlier.

Councillor Kevin McPartland, AVDC Cabinet Member for Civic Amenities, said: “We must implement these national charges because of the Traffic Management Act 2004, but I think it will be a fairer system as a result. Clearly some parking infringements can cause serious safety problems and major congestion, while others will just deprive other motorists of a space to which they are entitled. Both are parking offences and it is right these offenders should be penalised, but the new two-tier approach will ensure that the punishment fits the crime.”

Councillor Peter Smith, Buckinghamshire County Council Lead Spokesperson for Transportation, said: “Motorists have a simple choice. Don’t park where it is dangerous, likely to slow traffic, or where restrictions apply. No one need pay fines if we obey these simple rules. We should all try to keep the traffic moving.”

Full details of all the parking restrictions will be on the council’s website www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/parking from 31 March.