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General Category => General No To Mob Discussion => Topic started by: Web Admin on 20 March, 2013, 02:40:48 PM

Title: BPA and Local Authorities in joint attack on Eric Pickles MP
Post by: Web Admin on 20 March, 2013, 02:40:48 PM
Here (attached and below) is a letter Patrick Troy (BPA Ltd's CEO) sent to The Rt Hon Mr Eric Pickles MP.

After that there was a twitter exchange between the NoToMob and BPA Ltd (also below) in which the BPA Ltd. admit that they only represented the views of "most" LAs (not all of them and we only have their word it is a majority view) and where they reiterate that Eric Pickles is too stupid to understand what is going on in the parking world.

Naturally, it would have been rude not to let Mr Pickles know what the BPA Ltd and their members think of him, so Mr Pickles was belatedly included in on the twitter string.

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The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP
Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU

19th March 2013

Dear Mr Pickles

Parking Enforcement

I am writing to express the immense frustration felt by local authorities by your comments about parking enforcement at the Spring Forum at the weekend.

Your central argument seems to be that local authorities should allow motorists “10 minutes” to visit local shops. You must know that many local authorities already provide short term parking for shoppers in smaller town centres and invest heavily in off street parking in large towns where the demand for on street parking is high.

It is irresponsible to encourage motorists to park on waiting restrictions which are designed to manage congestion and reduce road safety hazards as well as, in some cases, help buses, cyclists and pedestrians.

With reference to the way Councils manage their enforcement contracts, your comments have encouraged a wholly unacceptable attack on civil enforcement officers who are providing an important public service to protect the interests of the silent majority of motorists who benefit from their actions and who recognise the impractical proposition of everyone being able to park exactly where they want.

The parking profession recognises its role in promoting and sustaining the High Street during these difficult times and you will know through your Town Teams initiative that there are many good examples of how Councils use their parking policy to make towns more accessible and their car parks more attractive, convenient and safe. However, recent reports by both the Association of Town and City Management and London Councils shows that there is only a tenuous link between parking and the sustainability of our High Streets. Additionally a recent RAC Foundation report found that 6o% of drivers felt there was the right amount of enforcement on Britain’s High Streets with 20% feeling there should be more and 20% arguing there should be less. It is no coincidence I suggest that only around 20% of motorists receive parking tickets.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss these points further but perhaps more importantly to assess how we can help in assuaging your concerns about parking policy particularly as new technology provides new opportunities to better manage traffic and parking in our towns and cities.

Yours sincerely

Patrick Troy

Chief Executive


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Twitter exchange

@BritishParking @ParkingCowboys Since when does the CEO of a Ltd company speak for LAs? Are the BPA losing the plot? http://tinyurl.com/cc9dhv9

@NoToMob @ParkingCowboys since LAs are members of the BPA.

@BritishParking @ParkingCowboys Bet your LA members are very happy that BPA Ltd have accused Mr Pickles MP of being irresponsible.

@NoToMob @ParkingCowboys have you read the letter...'immense frustration felt by LAs'.

@BritishParking And every LA member of BPA Ltd. agreed to call Mr Pickles MP "irresponsible" did they? #bitingthehand

@NoToMob @ParkingCowboys most agree that Pickles shows a complete lack of knowledge or undertanding preferring sensationalist sound bytes

@BritishParking We're sure The Rt Hon Mr Eric Pickles MP will be delighted to know how stupid "most" LAs think he is. @EricPickles

@NoToMob @EricPickles not quite how we put it. But he has the letter from our CEO as well to explain the reasoning behing ther frustrations.