Tower Hamlets Libdems call for an end to excessive punishment for minor parking offences (Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrats)

Tower Hamlets Libdems call for an end to excessive punishment for minor parking offences

January 30, 2009 10:38 PM

The penalty is the punishment - leave the car where it is!

Libdems in Tower Hamlets have tabled a motion to full Council to ensure that people who receive a parking fine do not find their car is immediately impounded. Local residents have complained that their cars are taken to the pound too quickly where a £200 release charge is imposed in addition to the £60 penalty charge. We have called for a time delay between getting a penalty charge and the car being taken to the pound.

Liberal Democrat Councillors have recently had an increase in local people saying that their cars are removed within a few minutes if they overstay a parking meter. Councillor Stephanie Eaton, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group said: "While residents will accept a penalty charge, they think there is excessive zeal being shown when cars are taken away within minutes, resulting in a heavy payment they struggle to afford."

Liberal Democrats recognise that it is easy to be delayed for a few minutes going shopping with children, and it is bad enough to find the car gone but a real shock comes when the owner finds out the amount it costs to get it back. We think the punishment for a minor parking offence should be just the penalty charge, not the inconvenience and cost of having your car taken away and impounded.

The full motion is as follows and will be presented to Council on February 9

Motion to full council on eliminating excessive punishment for minor parking offences

This Council notes:

1. That parking controls are necessary to ensure the availability of parking for entitled residents and their visitors, business people, traders and others;

2. That parking management and the promotion of public transport is essential to control traffic flow, avoid climate change and improve air quality;

3. That many residents value the use of a car, and that vehicle use is often essential for e.g. businesses, families, and to enable people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of community life;

This Council believes:

1. That breaches of parking regulations should be enforced fairly and rigorously;

2. That the penalty charge for a breach of a parking regulations is a necessary deterrent to ensure parking space is available to those who need it and are entitled to use it;

3. That where a vehicle is parked dangerously, or in a disabled bay or other area that blocks access for a particular purpose, immediate action to remove a vehicle is necessary and reasonable;

4. That the punishment for a breach of a non-serious parking offence (one that attracts a lower penalty charge notice) initially should be a penalty charge notice and no other action;

5. That where a lower penalty charge notice has been issued but a vehicle is parked safely, immediate action should not be taken to clamp that vehicle or remove that vehicle to the pound;

6. That where a lower penalty charge notice has been issued but the vehicle is parked safely, there should be a minimum period of 6 hours between the issue of the penalty charge notice and any clamping of the vehicle or the removal of a vehicle parked safely to enable the owner of that vehicle to remove the vehicle to a location where it is not in breach of any parking regulations;

7. That where a safely parked vehicle is in breach of a minor parking regulation the rapid removal of the vehicle to the pound and the costs and inconvenience incurred by the owner of the vehicle amounts to disproportionate 'punishment'.

This Council requests:

1. Officers to undertake a review of the parking enforcement policy and engage in consultation with residents with the intention of eliminating cases where a minor breach of a parking regulation (which currently would attract a penalty charge notice £120 reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days) results in a payment by the resident of this £60 penalty charge plus £200 fee for release of the vehicle from the pound;

2. Officers to provide a report to Cabinet by June 2009 which recommends measures to eliminate disproportionate and excessive 'punishment' in relation to penalties for parking offences.

Proposed: Cllr Stephanie Eaton

Seconded: Cllr Azizur Rahman Khan

Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrats