Almost 200 motorists in Wolverhampton and Sandwell were hit with parking fines on the first day of new powers by councils – with more than half stung at the higher £70 rate.
The region’s new “civil enforcement officers” were exercising their authority under new traffic rules which came into force yesterday. In Sandwell, wardens dished out 130 parking tickets, 80 at the higher £70 rate and 50 at £50.
In Wolverhampton, 56 motorists picked up penalties including 30 at the £70 rate. A further 26 were given £50 fines.
The first day of the councils’ new powers coincided with the publication of statistics showing a record 3.5 million drivers were hit with parking fines that funnelled £214 million into council coffers in a single year.
The figure represents a five-fold rise in fines since 2001 and means that more than one in 10 motorists across the country had to pay a parking penalty. It applies only to the 159 councils operating so-called “decriminalised parking” in 2006.
No tickets or fines were handed out in Stafford as staff spent the day being trained in the new regulations. Borough council spokesman Will Conaghan said they were due to start their new duties today.
Civic chiefs in Walsall have decided against taking over powers to enforce parking laws. Walsall Council executive director Jamie Morris said: “In Walsall, this is still a duty carried out by West Midlands Police so we are unaffected.”
In Dudley, the council will take over parking enforcement on July 7 when 16 additional wardens will join the current team of 10.
It insists revenue from fines will be ploughed back into traffic and road safety schemes.
Cannock Chase and Lichfield councils are not adopting the new regulations until January next year and are still charging £40 for parking offences, reduced to £20 if paid within 14 days.
The changes give traffic wardens and councils across England and Wales the power to issue parking tickets through the post for offences caught on CCTV.
20 Comments
nazi,s on the loose
Welcome to big brother.
any human rights being broke here
I approached a Traffic Warden in town a couple of weeks ago, to enquire about parking times and charges at St John’s Square. The female warden told, point blank, that she didn’t speak English. I then approached her male colleague, who just gave me blank look and walked off.
I was utterly amazed and disgusted that W’ton Council is using our hard earned tax to employ such incompetent and unprofessional staff to monitor parking.
Great way to welcome people to the region, eh chaps..jolly good show. Deny people adequate parking facilities, then send the “civil enforcement officers” to catch anyone who has the nerve to try and park. These officers do not enforce civil liberties - they take them.
I sympathise with those who were caught out but come on - Is it really that difficult to obey the parking laws?
I was 3 minutes late back to my car in Wolverhampton, where I was met with a sour faced warden. When I asked, very politely, if he could use his discretion on this occasion, he proceeded to write down part of my number plate, inform me it was too late as he had ’started’ to make notes already, then issued me with a penalty notice. And he had a smile on his face the whole time.
I try and ‘live by the rules’, but surely this is blatant pillaging of my hard earned money? What stung the most was when he muttered about targets needing to be met. So now I’m just a statistic, with no rights!
Where are these officers when people are blocking the road going into mosques? This happens a lot near me. Also, if these officers are smirking when handing out tickets they should not be allowed to bring their personal problems to work. If they can’t speak English…HOW have they got the job?
Also, you are within your rights to film a public place. If you happen upon one of these people and catch them in the act of taking things personally, you are within the law to film them at it. Sites like YT are popular.
Again screw the overtaxed motorist. One day they will kill the golden goose and when shoppers shun town for out of town shops with free parking traders have only themselves to blame, they should tell the council enough is enough and remind councillers that local elections is where we have the power to curb them, They ‘earn’ thousands in expenses
Brenda- What rubbish are you on about, you dont have the right to film anyone just because they are in a public place.
how is it “decriminalised parking”? it’s criminalised driving. If this keeps up, anyone who can still afford to drive will move away altogether. Without taxes being paid, and shoppers making purchases, the city will die. Then what will the kremlin do with it’s army of enforcers? It won’t be able to pay ‘em!
How can they seriously do that job if they don’t speak english? This needs an enquiry, NOW!
what the hell is wrong with you lot! you ALL obviously flout parking rules regularly and then are p’d off when you get caught. park responsibly and legally then you dont have to moan!!
I think you’ll find you do - in a public place you can film anyone and anything. If these people are in a public place you can film a public place with them in it - check your knowledge of the laws!
Beyond an irritation, if you’ve done nothing wrong you have nothing to hide, wardens. Also, since the council (sorry, judge and jury), now has us on film, it should be remembered that have every the right to film the other way, and report any unnecessary infringements of our rights to the appropriate authority. This is not a communist state, not yet at least.
I think these Parking wardens should have their name and address published on the net, see how important they feel it is to hand out all these tickets then.
Jim of Bearwood
I wouldn’t go so far as that, Jim..they are doing a job, after all. What I cannot abide is the callous, immature attitude of some wardens - no wonder they get a bad name. This is just yet another easy tax imo; the English are too soft.
IF ALL THE BLOGGERS TO THE EXPRESS AND STAR MET OVER A BEER OR A CUP OF TEA ”SOMEWHERE NICE” THERE WOULD BE A REVOLUTION IN THE BLACK COUNTRY BIGGER THAN THE END DAYS OF COMMUNIST EASTERN EUROPE.PITY WE CAN’T ALL MEET,I REPEAT.OR COULD WE?
AS I SAID THE TOWN HERE IN FRANCE FROM WHICH I AM WRITING JUST LETS MOTORISTS SORT THEMSELVES OUT.WHEN THERE’S NO SPACE THERE’S NO SPACE.AND YOU USE THE BUS.
THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT OUR YOUNG MAYOR (DRANCY IS TWINNED WITH WILLENHALL LIKE COMMUNIST BLANC MESNIL NEXT DOOR IS WITH SANDWELL)JUST GOT 69.9% OF THE VOTES.IN A ONCE MARGINAL SEAT.LET THE PEOPLE LIVE.AND IT PAYS OFF.EVEN FOR POLITICIANS.LEARN FROM HERE.
well with parking wardens giving out fines because you aren’t quite straignt and are slighlty touching a white line of the parking bay I have to disagree with Wendy I’m afraid. Lots of us try to park responsible but signs aren’t always clear and wardens look for any excuse to meet their targets