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Friday 2nd December, 2005

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By RICHARD OSLEY

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Badly parked cars to be caught on camera

Critics dismiss £1.3m system as just a revenue-raiser

PARKING bosses have splashed out £1.3 million on new technology in an attempt to cut the number of mistakenly issued tickets.
Wardens have been told they cannot issue penalties without taking digital photographs showing how drivers have broken the rules.
To cut down on errors, more than 180 new handsets and cameras have been bought by the Town Hall.
But while Labour councillors and senior Town Hall officials are hailing the new technology as the perfect way to boost efficiency, Conservative rivals say the new cameras fail to deal with drivers’ worries over parking.
Tory group leader Councillor Piers Wauchope said: “All the council is trying to do here is protect its revenue. The cameras may be a good idea but wardens will still be under pressure to issue as many tickets as possible to increase as much revenue for the council as they can.
“In doing so, they are often making criminals out of ordinary people.”
Under the new system, credit card-style parking permits will be issued to residents in an effort to give them the best chance of securing the space they are entitled to.
Wardens will then be able to scan the permits with wands attached to new handsets.
Under the new system, photographs will be sent to motorists showing offences uncovered on daily patrols – a measure currently only used for bus lane offences.
Parking boss Alex Williams said the council hoped the new technology would end arguments over whether tickets have been issued fairly.
He said: “We want more evidence. A lot of the appeals at the moment are based on the driver’s word against the parking attendant’s notes in a pocket book. It makes it very difficult to make a decision. With photographs, it makes it easy to see where there has been a breach.”
Camden is the first local authority in London to bring in the new technology – only Stoke-on–Trent has so far used the handsets.
As the equipment was unveiled on Monday afternoon, Labour environment boss Councillor John Thane was adamant that the new system would help residents – and was not part of an attempt to bring in more cash.
Cllr Thane said: “Parking controls are to help – not to raise revenue for the council. They help residents park outside their homes.”
Although about a third of tickets are successfully appealed against in Camden, Cllr Thane said the borough’s record was better than other local authorities.
He added: “If you look at the figures you find we are doing very well compared to other boroughs. The rate of successful appeals is the third lowest in London.”

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