Drivers get 10 minute parking grace
Drivers will escape parking fines from later this spring if they only run 10 minutes or less over their allotted time.
The Government says it is ‘ending its war’ on the day-to-day lives of motorists with a raft of new measures to help parkers.
The new grace period will pertain to all drivers parking in any English council-run, off-street and on-street spots.
The plans aim to end a history of motorists being ticketed after overrunning their parking time by only minutes. Other measures in the parking reform package include recommendations that local authorities should not claw-in parking-related profits.
People and firms will be able to insist that councils review parking in their local areas.
All non-bus lane and school CCTV camera vehicles which automatically dispense parking fines will also be outlawed.
And parkers will no longer be fined if they don’t have any other way to pay when a parking meter is not working.
Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, says current parking regulations have made honest drivers feel criminalised. The new steps will help return ‘common sense’ into parking and help drivers, local councils and high street shops.
Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, claims drivers will get ‘fairer deals’ out of the new parking reforms.
The changes are being made within the contents of the Government’s new Deregulation Bill.
