Council is quids in as motorists pay penalty
JONATHAN GEDDES
Drivers in South Lanarkshire are stumping up thousands of pounds to South Lanarkshire Council through penalty charge notices.
New figures have shown that a whopping 22,480 notices were issued to drivers in 2018 – for a total of £646,337.07 in fines.
That is an increase over the 21,654 handed out in 2017; but those notices earned a higher cash amount of £665,309.51.
The figures were revealed by car insurance company Confused.com, as they launched a new campaign offering advice to drivers if they believed they had been unfairly penalised.
Fineable offences include parking in disabled parking bays, misusing a bus lane or box junction, or turning right illegally.
National figures revealed that over nine million penalty charge notices were issued to drivers across the whole UK in 2018 while a poll showed 23 per cent of drivers believe the fines can be unfair.
Gordon Mackay, head of roads and transportation services at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “Around 22,000 vehicles a year are observed parking in the South Lanarkshire Council area in places where they should not be doing so.
“Parking in bus stops, taxi ranks, areas reserved for loading or disabled persons’ parking bays causes problems for the people legitimately needing to use these areas.
“Parking in limited-waiting spaces for longer than allowed reduces opportunities for shoppers to park and affects business.
“The enforcement of the restrictions is required to persuade drivers to think twice about where they park. Without such a deterrent, the inconvenience caused by bad parking would be much greater. The income the council receives from parking fines pays for the service provided to law-abiding motorists.
“Anyone who wishes to appeal a parking fine can do so in the first instance by contacting parking. unit@southlanarkshire.gov.uk.”
The Confused.com checklist is available to view at www.confused. com/car-insurance/fight-unfairfines