In the UK parking fines are set in bands, the highest being £100. Councils can apply to the government to set the fines level according to local needs. In Scotland Glasgow has just announced plans to go up from £60 to £100 bypassing the £80 band. Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh are set to follow. The City claims that the current £60 fine isn't enough to cover increases in the cost of equipment, staff salaries and fighting appeals. The City Council is already in trouble for not dealing with widespread abuse of disabled badges where hundreds of motorists park free using illegal badges but, with this latest move, the effluent has really hit the fan.
Let's just look at the reasons given for the rise. Increases in the costs of equipment and salaries; hmm; equipment maybe, but by two thirds, I think not. Since the little problem with the banks salaries have barely moved so that might justify a couple of percent, no more. The cost of appeals? Stop issuing bad tickets and people will stop appealing them. More pertinently Robert Booth, Glasgow City Council's director of land services, said:"The deterrent isn't what it used to be. It is something that has to be increased."Perhaps this is true but perhaps dealing effectively with the disabled badge problem first (a crime and one for which the courts could seize the offender's vehicle) might just sit better with the tartan army. Oh by the way the four councils mentioned above made about £15m from parking tickets last year.
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