Councils demand increase in parking fines in clampdown on 'inconsiderate' drivers
Council chiefs have called for parking fines to be increased in a bid to deter drivers from "inconsiderate" illegal parking.
Penalty charge notices (PCNs) for parking offences in most areas outside London are set at up to £70, which can be reduced if paid within 14 days.
But some local authorities are demanding a review of the charge, saying the figure is too low to deter "inconsiderate" drivers from causing havoc on the roads.
New research by the British Parking Association (BPA) shows that more than nine in 10 local authorities believe that current penalty charges outside London are not high enough to prevent illegal parking.
Nearly seven in 10 say charges should be the same as in the nation's capital, where fines are typically £130, while 95 per cent of councils want England and Wales to follow Scotland, which is set to double PCN fees to £120.
Councillor Mike Bird, leader of Walsall Council, said it was time that ministers reviewed the current level of parking fines.
He said: "People who are parking illegally are inconsiderate to other road users and can cause a great deal of problems.
"In some parts of Walsall the roads are so narrow they are getting blocked due to people parking where they shouldn't.
"I would welcome an increase. At the very least, it is time for parking fines to be reviewed."
Mr Bird has also called for the council to be given some of the responsibilities for parking issues in the borough currently dealt with by police. "That would enable us to make sure the roads are clear at all times," he added.
Andrew Pester, BPA chief executive, said: "The findings of this survey reinforces the urgent need to review and raise penalty charges everywhere to encourage compliance with the parking rules.
"We will continue to work closely with government as well as calling for effective deterrents to inconsiderate parking both on public roads and in private car parks."
In recent years councils have come under fire for using parking charges as a revenue stream, with the Taxpayers' Alliance warning that some local authorities saw it as "a source of revenue that can be tapped into".
