Plymouth traffic wardens hand out a ticket every 13 minutes generating £1.2m
ONE parking ticket was issued every 13 minutes by traffic wardens last year – generating more than £1.2million.
New figures show that in the space of 12 months, 39,896 parking fines were issued in 2011, a jump of 4,480 when compared with 2010, despite a drop in the number of full time equivalent civil enforcement officer posts.
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And, according to Plymouth City Council, one of the main reasons behind the increase in tickets is because of the £70,000 CCTV camera car.
The vehicle, which was introduced in 2010, caused much controversy among city taxi drivers after a number of them were issued tickets for dropping customers off on double yellow lines.
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A spokeswoman for Plymouth City Council said: "One of the main reasons we have seen an increase in the overall number of Penalty Charge Notices is the introduction of our CCTV camera car, which has helped us to detect and tackle parking contraventions in areas such as bus stops and on school 'keep clear' markings – which were much more difficult to enforce by officers on foot.
"The camera car is proving very successful in changing driver habits and we are starting to see much less abuse of school 'keep clear' zones, bus stops and pedestrian areas – meaning better traffic flow, more reliable bus services and safer roads."
The number of penalty notices issued in 2011 works out at the equivalent of one being dished out every 13 minutes and 1,329 tickets for each FTE officer.
Currently there are 35 FTE civil enforcement officer posts but this year the Council have operated with five FTE vacancies and four last year.
In 2011/12 there were 30 full time enforcement officer roles and 31 in 2010/11.
According to the Council the introduction of 'pay on foot' parking has virtually eliminated fines in the Theatre Royal and Regent Street car parks – where previously a very high numbers of PCNs were issued.
The spokeswoman added: "Our mobile phone payment system and card facilities have also made it easier for people to pay and to 'top up' their stay if they need to, reducing the risk of getting a ticket."
According to data obtained by an insurance company this was more than Wolverhampton City Council whose 32 officers handed out 579 parking fines in 2011; a total of 18,528 tickets. And although rare, an insurer is entitled to request for up to a third of the cost of an accident if the policyholder is proven to have parked illegally and in a hazardous way.
Comments
by notamistake
Sunday, May 27 2012, 11:17PM
“Hi Workitout - you clearly have...keep having fun!
To Nick 0305...all taxes are 'voluntary'...and under international law you can revoke and refuse any tax to this Government as they are using YOUR taxes to fund illegal wars...there's is an international treaty in place, that we have signed...and thousands of people and companies are now refusing to pay on this basis (and law!) alone...and why not!
James_Wood nice gag - 'Piers'...for the record none of my PCN's were for parking on double yellow lines - outside my house...YES, private car park - where I paid...YES; hence I haven't paid ANY of them...because I had the choice (like everyone) not to pay!
Distressing...you clearly are; I did reply to put you straight and correct your mistakes and your blinded NLP Brain...but my reply was deleted by 'them'...so I figured I'd let you have a false sense of security - keep paying your parking tickets; obeying statues...you'll wake up one day - by which time it'll be too late...stop becoming part of the problem and part of the solution...or are you 'too far in'? I suspect so...peace, love and 'free parking'”
by Jannerbloke
Sunday, May 27 2012, 10:55AM
“I would like to see the evidence that driver behviour is improving or some types of obstruction are reducing. More importantly the unnecessarily fierce enforcement is deterring use of facilities and shops particularly in the city centre. Time I think to review the traffic problems as awhile and conifer a congestion charge or a vast car free zone.”
by Distressing
Saturday, May 26 2012, 7:03PM
“notamistake where are you, I was enjoying that...”
by James__Wood
Saturday, May 26 2012, 11:05AM
“Notamistake said on the 25th May 2012 at 4:29PM- ......You would be tried by your piers (Jury).......
I would like the Jury to be made up of Clevedon, Weston Super Mare, South Sea, Brighton et al.
I'd thought the best plan would be to make the camera car, its operators and all other 'parkies' redundant by not waiting* on double/single yellow lines?
Or except it's an 'special person', as in I'm special/it won't be a problem for a minute/insert excuse, tax that provides income to the council and so helps keep down council tax.
*As I'm sure all who have read and understood the Highway Code know rule 238 You MUST NOT wait or park on yellow lines during the times of operation… for those who didn't- http://tinyurl.com/67ebu4”
by hamlynt
Saturday, May 26 2012, 10:00AM
“What an investment, I think I might buy a camera car!”
by pipmonster
Saturday, May 26 2012, 9:33AM
“I tired to use one of these pay over the phone parking meter numbers on thursday in Exeter.
My number plate has 4 letters and 1 number.
This was my experience.
After saying my VRN 3 yes, 3 times I gave up, every time the automated voice at the end of my mobile repeated my plate back to me wrong. I had to scrape together the odd coins I had on me and then of course I lost out as those machines don't give change.
Now I know I knew I had to pay to park I had an appointment, I have been there twice before and with a little forethought I would have had change BUT I did think before hand and had already decided to use the automated service to pay my parking ( first time ever and last time ever ).
I do not have a speech impediment and am a grown woman with a normal sounding voice. God help anyone who does have any speech problems.......make sure you have change and forget the phone call.”
by Arfurmo
Saturday, May 26 2012, 9:07AM
“Plymouth council got its answer on the 'News' today when it was clearly advocated that councils that relied on measures based on generating profit seeking with the emphasis on fines and penalties including parking charges are 'bonkers' all thatis achieved by such draconian measures will be to drive businesman and shoppers from the city centre. The measure adopted of fining taxi drivers from mometarily dropping off those that want to shop or run a business really shows up the lack of intelligence among Cllrs. Surely it makes some sense to make provision for small parking bays across the city 'free ' and utilezed solely as droppin off points after all you make provision for buses. Come on Cllrs get your finger out and Lets get the cty back on track.”
by nick0305
Friday, May 25 2012, 9:58PM
“Dear Notamistake , is it fact what you say about council tax etc, if this is true then its time to wake up and not be yes men, does it also mean the same for business rates cuz that would be lovely for me ?”
by Workitout
Friday, May 25 2012, 9:57PM
“Do not pay the fines.
take the sticky bag off YOUR car and stick it on a lampost or in a bin.
Or take the time to stick it on a Meter!!!
They could not cope.....who moved it ....never issued !!!”
by kevinretallic
Friday, May 25 2012, 9:24PM
“unlike it you...? That's what we pay for, JESUS!”