A new stealth tax is born

[Benzowner]

Imagine where the government/local authrities would get the money they "need" for those "must do" projects if we did not have this "tax? another form of revenue raising would be found - be very certain of that.

How can you even consider fines for breaking the law a tax? I never understand why the general motoring populus get so upset at speeding and parking fines. There is thread after thread on this and many other motoring forums asking how to get off from payning a fine, its easy, don't park where you are not supposed to and don't break the prevailing speed limit. But I gusee its never the motorists fault

 

[DaveK]

Why do so many people continue to break the law, some on on here asks .
Might be something to do with the fact that yellow lines continue to be laid on just about any route that will take a motor vehicle, regardless of what affect parking would have on that particular piece of road. Mean while , fewer and fewer car parks are built and other free parking spaces reduced on a daily basis in this country.

 

[Dieselman]

*yawn*

You said it so well, I couldn't be bothered to type my own.

 

[MBManInKen]

You said it so well, I couldn't be bothered to type my own.

You must be one of those communist, lazy hippy *******s too bone idle to work - shoot the lot I say!

 

[MBManInKen]

I think we should all kill ourselves in protest.

I live in hope!

Then again, maybe I have missed the point as I lead such a dull and uneventful life, All I have to moan about is what the papers say and how it is a designed to affect me and nobody else.

You are brilliant!

 

[st4]

You must be one of those communist, lazy hippy *******s too bone idle to work - shoot the lot I say!

If only I could have my way....

 

[Sp!ke]

The reason why people complain about it is because in many cases the offence shouldn't be an offence.

In Richmond for instance, the council openly admitted that there was a shortfall of revenue one year. Their master plan to get back on track was to paint more yellow lines and reduce the amount of available parking so as to increase revenue from parking fines. At the same time they privatised enforcement and traffic wardens now work round the clock.

Now you have a position whereby you have a valid residents permit for a very small zone (only for a couple of streets). You get home and find all the allocated spaces are full. There is nothing that you can do other than scour the neighbourhood for a single yellow line and then get up at crack of dawn to move the car before 7am. (assuming you can find a space somewhere). As you can imagine, getting up at 630am on a Sunday morning for this purpose is an easy target to miss.

There once was a time where common sense was applied to parking restrictions. Restrictions were only applied where there was a need. Residents zones put in where commuters were pinching spaces or yellow lines put in where parking would be an obstruction or present a danger. This common sense has now gone, its a cat and mouse game linked to revenue collection and there is little or no sense of fair play.

If you are to play this game and have any chance of coming out on top, you should appeal everything regardless. If nothing else, it would help grind this awful system to a halt.

 

[nickcc101]

I note it will be spent on the ' enforcement system ', which means like a cancer, it will spread and spread until you will get a ticket for stopping to look at a map in the middle of Delamere Forest or such like.

Great place to buy your Xmas tree, used to live in Manley.

 

[Dieselman]

In Richmond for instance, .....etc..

Fair point and it does seem to be unfair but this isn't a problem Countrywide so only appllies to a fairly small minority of overall drivers.

 

[MBManInKen]

In Richmond for instance...

Agreed - good example of inappropriate behaviour and this is one of the things that the new Act seeks to prevent.

We will need to wait and see whether or not that will be successful.

 

[DaveK]

Steady succession of people having to pick up packets / parcels and the like from my local PO sorting office. A quick 5 minute job. Up to 3 years ago, loads of side streets around it , were parking for those 5 minutes was free. Not a danger to other road users. Then the yellow lines appeared. So all off to the free car park which was a good 15 minutes walk away. Then the free becomes a min £1 first hour . Need any more evidence that this country is obsessed with taking money off those who own 4 wheels ?

 

[robert.saunders]

We're all doomed!

(sorry Howard)

 

[st4]

Steady succession of people having to pick up packets / parcels and the like from my local PO sorting office. A quick 5 minute job. Up to 3 years ago, loads of side streets around it , were parking for those 5 minutes was free. Not a danger to other road users. Then the yellow lines appeared. So all off to the free car park which was a good 15 minutes walk away. Then the free becomes a min £1 first hour . Need any more evidence that this country is obsessed with taking money off those who own 4 wheels ?

Actions have consequences, this is just one of many bad ones that come from electing such a government and not taking more of a stance about charges. If motorists lobbyed the government as much as the greens, and all the other minority pressure groups it would be very different.

 

[DaveK]

I do my best to keep on at them but your quite right. This really has become a country of quitters who question nothing and accept everything thrown at them with a shrug of the shoulders.

 

[st4]

I do my best to keep on at them but your quite right. This really has become a country of quitters who question nothing and accept everything thrown at them with a shrug of the shoulders.

and come election day don't even bother to vote with their feet. Apparently big brother is more important

 

[DaveK]

I can only hope that those genuine victims of the CCTV parking scam take the trouble to appeal. hopefully we could send the system in to meltdown by exercising our right to appeal. Don't get me wrong, those who are just nipping in to pick up their lazy sproggs from drama class and who leave their vehicles parked for 40 minutes will deserve it. Those who pull over to read the parking restrictions notice on the lamp post, won't.

 

[robert.saunders]

I wonder how many CCTV-enforced PCNs have been issued today outside London

 

[DaveK]

or rather..I wonder how many GENUINE CCTV-enforced PCN's have been issued

 

[robert.saunders]

Well, I know the answer, you may be surprised, it might even make you happy

 

[DaveK]

Now if the idea was to save lives rather than simply amass money from fines, surely you would have ' speed camera " written all over this horse box to make sure people checked their speed?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=551108&in_page_id=1770