Strong views on topical issues
Parking Fines - The Fixed Penalty Bay Scam
22May2008 Filed under: Penalty Bay Parking Fines Author: JTOur local council in Newcastle seems to been running a money making scam when it comes to handing out parking fines. I would love to implement a few of these business models the council have running within my businesses but my fellow directors and business colleagues seem to think they will be unethical.
So I’ll let you know what they have done to upset me so much and how they have caught me out.
I was travelling to see a client in the centre of Newcastle and decided to park behind St James Park. I arrived at the parking area to find several spaces available so I pulled into the end of about 6 and bought a ticket. When I came back with plenty of time to spare on the ticket; I discovered I’d received a parking fine. What the council have done is designate the last bay as a Fixed Penalty Bay which following some correspondence with the council means if you park there you will get a ticket. So how does a reasonably intelligent person like myself miss this Penalty Bay and end up with a £30 penalty.
Most parking bays on the street have a dashed line around them but a Fixed Penalty Bay is different. The dashed lines are closer togetherand a small signed is placed next to the bay. Most people fail to notice the difference with the road markings and presume the sign is information about the times when it is free to park. If you are in town during working hours you wouldn’t think to look at this sign as you would expect to just pay at the meter.
As this is one of my favourite spots to park in Newcastle I have past numerous cars parked with valid tickets but have received parking fines. I recently passed someone parking in one of these bays and ask if they realised that he would get a parking fine. He was shocked that this was the case as like myself there were several legitimate bays available.
JT’s Judgement on this is : “Unethical civil servants implementing a stealth tax to put extra pressure on local commerce”
I would love a local council to get in touch with Whereisjt.co.uk and explain themselves but no doubt they will sit in their ivory tower and not have the guts to address real issues from real people.
Please leave comments on this issue.
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7 Responses to “Parking Fines - The Fixed Penalty Bay Scam”
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About JT
JT is an entrepreneur from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK who is keen to voice his opinions about things that upset him on a daily basis during the process of running his businesses. If you’re looking for someone to discuss and host debate about topical issues that are annoying you please feel free to get in touch and propose a topic for the blog.
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Gavin
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! What is the bloody point in having that particular bay in the first place, how about taking one car parking bay away!
Tom
September 16th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
They work this scam in several streets, and it is very very easy to get caught out. There is no possible explanation I can think of other than that it is indeed designed to catch people out.
They also work a “Fixed daily Charge” scam near the Falcons’ ground on match days: no yellow lines, no bays marked - just a sign that you drive past as you enter a housing estate.
Another aspect to this scam is that they have chosen to implement it using the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 rather than later Acts which decriminalised parking offences. This means that you can’t appeal to a parking adjudicator and they intimidate you with threats of criminal prosecution through the magistrates court. Quite outrageous really.
JT
September 16th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Thanks for the comment Tom, I didn’t realise that the council had another outrageous scam running by the Falcons ground. As it happens I live very close to Kingston Park and never even noticed the signs. Hopefully people will read this and avoid the greedy pockets of the newcastle council.
Tom
September 19th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
I didn’t notice the sign either… I have paid the fine because I suspect the magistrates would say they are within the law even if they are devious and deliberately catching people out.
I am not letting it go though: I shall use other channels to question their behaviour. It will take some time, but I will come back here and let you know the outcome.
JT
September 21st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Thanks Tom, if you could post back when you have the outcome I’m sure everyone would be interested.
Tom
October 16th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Progress so far is that they have responded to my request under the Freedom Of Information Act for details of the amount of revenue being raised by the scam. See their reply at: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/fixed_daily_charge_parking_ticke#incoming-7458
It seems they are making in excess of half a million a year just from the bays they place in Pay and Display areas. It can’t all be from people who genuinely “elected” to pay £30.
You will also see that I have lodged a formal complaint about their behaviour. I fully expect a whitewash because I am not the first to have brought the issue to their attention. I shall let you know what story they come up with.
JT
October 16th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Half a million from the fixed bays is terrible! This is clearly a money making exercise. Unfortunately the council don’t seem to listen no matter how many people complain how unfair this is.