Much ado about parking
NEWCASTLE City Council has slapped motorists with 2,115 parking tickets on Shakespeare Street so far in 2017, making it the worst spot in the city for the fines.
In 2015 and 2016, the street did not reach the top three spots for parking tickets but, in November 2016, Newcastle City Council introduced dual parking bays, which mean that whether or not a car is legally parked depends on the time of day.
Motorists in the past have complained that the street, pictured right, has not been clearly signposted, making it unclear as to whether cars can be parked there.
Morris Ross parked his car in what he thought was a “no waiting zone” in November 2016, and believed he could park and use the pay and display machine there – but came back to a hefty £70 fine as the parking area had become a taxi rank.
The information, gathered in a Freedom of Information Request, found that Shakespeare Street is followed by Grey Street in the city centre, with 1,450 fines, and Richardson Road near the RVI, with 1,030 parking offences.
Despite Shakespeare Street’s increase in parking fines, Richardson Road has seen a steady decrease in the past three years, falling by 118 tickets from 2015 to 2016.
The decrease could be down to more options to pay for parking.
Motorists can now pay via their mobile phones – meaning if they would like to stay for longer, they can increase their parking time without needing to go back to their car. The new feature may be particularly useful to those visiting the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “Newcastle is an attractive tourist and shopping destination, and a major employment centre, and thousands of people drive into the city every day.
“Parking enforcement is a necessary tool to help discourage inconsiderate motorists from causing delays and safety problems for other road users.
“There are around 10,000 parking spaces in the city centre to help ensure drivers can get close to their destination. However, we always advise motorists to plan their journey well in advance, and to make sure they are aware of any parking restrictions that may be in place. We do recognise that parking is important to a successful and healthy city centre, and our award-winning Alive after Five initiative has proven very popular, with free parking after 5pm from Monday to Saturday in 2,800 city centre spaces across seven multi-storey car parks.
“We continually review our city centre parking to help balance the demand for parking across the city.”