...AND THEY FACE 6.5 MILLION PARKING TICKETS IN YEAR
ALMOST 6.5 million parking tickets could be handed to drivers in a year, it was claimed last night.
About 1.5 million vehicle-keeper records were requested by parking management firms in the first quarter of 2018/19, according to the RAC Foundation.
At the present 14 per cent year-on-year increase this means 6.44 million parking tickets will be issued in the current financial year, it said.
Parking companies obtain records from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to chase vehicle owners. Penalty charges can cost drivers up to £100.
Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “Motorists might well be asking what is going on when the number of records being sought by private parking companies has shot up yet again.”
The Government has committed to back a Private Member’s Bill which would lead to the introduction of a code of conduct for private car park operators.
Sir Greg Knight’s Parking Bill passed its committee stage in the Commons last month.
Its next step is the Commons’ report stage scheduled for November 23.
Mr Gooding said: “Drivers will be pleased Sir Greg’s Bill has cleared another parliamentary hurdle in the hope that it won’t be too long before some muchneeded regulatory oversight is brought to bear on the industry.” of drivers would take legal action to challenge fines meted out under the strict new regime.
Latest Home Office figures show there were 2.1 million speeding offences dealt with by fines or courts in England and Wales in 2016 – up from 1.6 million in 2011.
They generated an estimated £100million for the Government.
Road safety charity Brake said it was “fully supportive” of Mr Bangham’s approach.
A spokesman added: “The existing speed enforcement guidance, the 10 per cent plus 2 rule, gives drivers the impression that travelling above the speed limit is acceptable – it is not.”