800 drivers caught out by councils’ CCTV cars

CCTV enforcement cars operated by two West Country councils have caught more than 800 motorists parked illegally this year – an average of 11 each day, the Western Daily Press can reveal.

The use of the mobile parking enforcement vehicles was banned by the Government three years ago after local authorities were accused of “overzealous” parking enforcement.

However, some councils continue to use them under exceptions in the ruling which allow the use of the cars outside schools, at bus stops and on red routes. They include South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council.

Responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, South Gloucestershire Council said it had issued 660 tickets so far this year using the mobile enforcement vehicle, while Bristol City Council issued 173.

In South Gloucestershire, most of the tickets, 163, were given to motorists who had parked at bus stops in Alma Road in Kingswood – around the corner from the council’s office.

Elsewhere, 134 tickets were issued to motorists parked at bus stops in Hanham Road, in Hanham, and 22 at stops on the A38 in Almondsbury.

Other tickets went to parents leaving cars on zig-zag lines outside schools.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: “South Gloucestershire Council covers a large geographical area and the number of bus stops and school ‘keep clear’ zones we patrol makes it extremely difficult for our limited number of civil enforcement officers to cover the whole area effectively on foot.

“Furthermore, our experience shows that as soon as the civil enforcement officer sees a vehicle parked in contravention to the regulations, the driver often leaves the area before any corrective action can be taken, therefore not creating any deterrent to park in the location again in the future.”

He added: “South Gloucestershire Council continues to ensure that parking is free in council-operated car parks in the area, so there is no excuse for vehicles to park in bus stops.”

In Bristol, 63 tickets were issued to motorists parked illegally in Upper Maudlin Street, which goes past Bristol Royal Hospital for Children in the city centre. Also among them were 37 tickets issued in East Park in Eastville, 23 in Stapleton Road, and eight in Whiteladies Road.

A spokesman for Bristol City Council said: “Our use of mobile enforcement vehicles is in line with government guidelines and they are only deployed to enforce the proscribed restrictions.

“These cars are clearly marked and the fines generated are used to cover the cost of our parking enforcement operations, with any surplus being used to support transport-related activities such as filling potholes.”

The Government announced its proposal to ban some uses of the mobile enforcement vehicles after local authority parking revenue rose from £608m in 1997 to £1.3bn in 2010.

After schools and councils objected to the plan in a three-month consultation, Whitehall included exceptions such as allowing the use of the CCTV vehicle at bus stops and schools.

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “As long as no-parking zones are well marked or signed then there should be no excuse for infringing such restrictions. Similarly the majority of drivers would never consider parking at a bus stop and are mindful that even the shortest incursion could have.

“The volume of penalties issued across South Gloucestershire and Bristol for these does not appear excessive and reflects a relatively low number of offences each day.”