So why can Stoke-on-Trent City Council's 'spy car' park on double yellows?
THE CCTV ‘spy car’ used by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to dish out parking fines to motorists has proved to be controversial with drivers.
The car is used to crackdown on motorists who are parking where they shouldn’t – but some drivers are taking issue with why the CCTV car itself is sometimes parked on double yellow lines. Readers are snapping their own pictures of the car and sending them to The Sentinel.
According to Stoke-on-Trent City Council the ‘spy car’, which has four CCTV cameras and special recording equipment, is exempt to some of the normal traffic regulations.
A council spokesman said: “The car is exempt from parking restrictions if it is carrying out a statutory duty, of which parking enforcement is one example.”
The authority began using the CCTV car in 2010 to monitor parking and the Toyota IQ issues fines of between £50 and £70.
City Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for transportation, said: “The car is used to enforce parking restrictions. It is clearly marked and is there to deter motorists from parking or driving in areas which cause road safety issues, congestion, hazards and obstructions for other road users.”
Yesterday, The Sentinel revealed that more than 150 motorists have been fined for parking illegally outside Stoke-on-Trent's schools. They were caught out by the spy car in a crackdown on school-run drivers. The motorists were spotted parking on zig-zag lines between May and December.
In a seven-month crackdown, the council has:Handed out 151 fines to drivers;
Moved on 226 vehicles parked on double-yellow lines;
Carried out 342 patrols outside schools.
Now the 'spy' car – which has a CCTV camera within a periscope – is patrolling outside six more schools this term.
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/council-s-spy-car-park-double-yellows/story-25854926-detail/story.html
