Government to ban CCTV for parking under Deregulation Bill

[Web Admin]

The Government has announced its moves to ban the use of CCTV for parking enforcement. There are to be two late amendments to a bill that goes for its third reading before parliament on Monday 23rd June 2014.

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Tom Brake
Oliver Heald

NC25

To move the following Clause—

“Civil penalties for parking contraventions: enforcement

(1) Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 (civil enforcement of traffic contraventions) is amended as follows.

(2) After section 78 (notification of penalty charge) insert—

“78A Notification of penalty charge: parking contraventions in England

(1) Regulations under section 78 must include provision requiring notification of a penalty charge to be given by a notice affixed to the vehicle where the charge is in respect of a parking contravention on a road in a civil enforcement area in England.

(2) The regulations may, however, provide that the requirement does not apply in circumstances specified in the regulations (which may be framed by reference to the type of contravention, the circumstances in which a
contravention occurs or in any other way) and, where the regulations so provide, they may make any such alternative provision for notification as is authorised by section 78.”

(3) After section 87 insert—

“87A Power to prohibit use of devices etc:parking contraventions in England

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision to prohibit the use by civil enforcement officers of a device of a description specified in the regulations, or of records produced by such a device, in connection with the enforcement of parking contraventions on a road in a civil enforcement area in England.

(2) The prohibition may be—

(a) general, or
(b) limited to particular uses specified in the regulations.

(3) The regulations may provide that a general or limited prohibition does not apply in circumstances specified in the regulations (which may be framed by reference to the type of contravention, the circumstances in which a contravention occurs or in any other way).

(4) Regulations under this section may amend this Part or any provision made under it.””

Member’s explanatory statement

This new clause deals with the enforcement of parking contraventions in England under Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. It provides that, subject to certain exceptions, regulations under section 78 must provide for notification of a penalty charge to be given by a notice affixed to the vehicle (which means that a civil enforcement officer must be present to affix the notice). It also confers a power which would enable regulations to be made to restrict the use of CCTV or other devices in parking enforcement.

[The Bald Eagle]

 



PARRRRRRRRTAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing:

[Belplasca]

Since this is an amendment related to the Traffic Management Act 2004, it will only relate to on street parking (and, possibly, Council run car parks?)

Wonder - in view of the many failures of CCTV authored Parking Charge Notices, I wonder if there will be similar moves relating to PoF revenue generation schemes???

Bob

[The Bald Eagle]

Don't worry Bob, they are already in our sights and we have been gathering evidence of misuse for a while now.

It cannot be right that private industry is less regulated than the public sector when it comes to using cctv, otherwise private companies will make it up as they go along in order to maximise profits.

Whoops! Silly me.

That's EXACTLY what they are doing already.

[spica]

Cool stuff.  All the hard and dedicated work that everyone has put in is coming to fruition.  Nice one.  :dancing: but what are they gonna try next?

[judasp]

Woop woop I'm sure they'll have something else in the pipe lines

[Ewan Hoosami]

……………...what are they gonna try next?

Going and f cking themselves would be my best guess. Fantastic news that guys and gals. A really important wea$el revenue stream is about to be cut off.I'll bet the BPA Ltd are positively ecstatic that standards are about to be raised in the parking industry. If Choccy wants to come along to our next bash, I'll be more than happy to buy him a pint. (it has to pass through Killswitch first)

[The Bald Eagle]

And most of this is because Westminster council decided to charge motorcyclists to park.



And we haven't finished yet.....

[Ewan Hoosami]

Course we ain't finished. We're just getting warmed up…………………

[scalyback]

Westminster still charging for motorcycles.

BASTARDS!

Their time is coming.

[Overlord]

Great news! I've said on this site before and I'll say it again: Greed has been the downfall of many a criminal and these councils and their parking contractors have fallen into the same trap. They've been getting away with this scam for far too long, this should have happened years ago and now they have only themselves to blame! How ever much they may think they're fire proof, this proves they're not. And, if you push people too far, they will take action in one form or another. In our case, we do it legally, but there have been a number of cases where other people have chosen to act differently and taken the law into their own hands.

Well done everyone! 

[EDW2000]

cameras can be used on red routes and schools.

[Web Admin]

From the BBC website

The widespread use of static and car-mounted cameras to catch drivers who park illegally in England is to be banned, the government has announced.

It says so-called "spy cars" have been used as a "cash cow" by councils, and it wants to end the "plague" of parking fines being sent in the post.

Instead traffic wardens will have to fix penalty notices to windscreens.

Councils will still be able to use the cameras near schools, in bus lanes and bus stops, and on "red routes".

Currently, some councils can use CCTV cameras or "approved devices" to enforce parking restrictions, under Labour's 2004 Traffic Management Act.

The government says nine million parking fines are now issued every year by local authorities in England and wants to rein-in "over-zealous parking enforcement practices".

The ban follows a three-month consultation

'Fairer deal'
Announcing the measures, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the government was taking "urgently needed action to ban this clear abuse of CCTV".

"CCTV spy cars can be seen lurking on every street raking in cash for greedy councils and breaking the rules that clearly state that fines should not be used to generate profit for town halls.

"Over-zealous parking enforcement and unreasonable stealth fines by post undermine the high street, push up the cost of living and cost local authorities more in the long term," he said.

However, the Local Government Association says the cameras stop motorists parking dangerously and protect pedestrians.

Other proposals announced by the government include:

Trialling a 25% discount of the full price of their parking ticket for motorists who lose an appeal against a parking fine at tribunal
Giving local residents and firms the right to demand a review of parking in their area
Reforming parking guidance so it is less "heavy-handed" and to stop "over-aggressive" action by bailiffs
Maintaining a freeze on fixed penalty notices for the remainder of this parliament
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the measures would deliver a "fairer deal for motorists, ensuring that parking enforcement is proportionate, that school children are protected and buses can move freely, and that key routes are kept clear".

[Darcus]

 :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing:

Excellent!

[Coco]

However, the Local Government Association says the cameras stop motorists parking dangerously and protect pedestrians.

What a fatuous comment! Cameras don't stop anything at all. They can only record an event and then use the recording as evidence to punish someone several weeks later.

 If the LGA is so clever perhaps they would care to enlighten me about how I can use a CCTV camera to stop foxes that try to predate my poultry. (I suppose that it might be possible to use the camera as a missile and throw it at the offending fox - but that wouldn't stop the next vulpine visitor).

Furthermore, I have a camera on my safety helmet. But it won't stop another road user from endangering my life.