Council goes on 'fining spree'

SAGUNTO is on a 'fining spree' and residents should keep their wits about them – recent figures indicate.

In the past two months, a total of 648 people have been hit in their pockets for lockdown infringements, and the council is following up over €60,000 in unpaid parking tickets issued between December and February.

In just one weekend, local police in the port town issued fines of up to €100 on 20 occasions to people not wearing masks when out in public, particularly those travelling in cars with anyone not from the same household, or out in a pair or group where all members were less than two metres apart.

Exemption from wearing a mask outside the home only applies to children under six (although they are recommended for those aged three and over), people with respiratory disorders that would make it unsafe to wear one, people practising sports where a mask could interfere with breathing, or whilst eating or drinking in a bar or restaurant or on its terrace.

Fines apply nationwide for failure to do so.

Sagunto council has also issued public notices to drivers for around 800 parking or motoring offences, giving them 20 days to appeal or pay their fines at a reduced rate of 50%.

The vast majority are for parking in 'blue zones' and overstaying their time or not paying at all, which normally entails sanctions of €60, or €30 if paid before a set deadline.

Another handful are for cars being parked in unauthorised spots, such as vados – no-parking zones in front of private garages – or on the wrong side of the road on dates when this alternates, or for failing to move an alreadyparked car after a temporary 'no stopping' sign has been erected.

Councils are only obliged to set the latter up 24 hours before a temporary parking ban applies, which makes life difficult for drivers who do not use their cars daily – and it is common in many towns for these to be positioned at exactly the moment the ban applies from and have the hitherto legallyparked car removed.

Fines in these cases come to €60.

Sagunto is also chasing 127 fines ranging from €200 to €1,000 for speeding, doubleparking and blocking the traffic, or not wearing seatbelts, among other offences.

Some drivers being sought had acquired between four and six fines from December to February, although the top three racked up 13, 15 and 20 respectively.

Normally, if an announcement in the official state bulletin (BOE) does not bear fruit, town councils embargo the amount of the fine plus interest from the person's bank account.