I recently met a friend in the McDonalds by Kings Dock. The McDonalds with The Beatles in India photographs on display. There's plenty of free parking there... or so I thought!
A couple of days later I received a “Parking Notice Charge” - a very official looking document. The letter made it appear that by parking in McDonalds I had entered into a contract with UK Parking Control Ltd., and having stayed over an hour I now owed them £75 rising to £95 if not paid with-in two weeks.
They have photographic evidence and had checked my vehicle details with DELLA or so they informed me – Big Brother or what?
What happened to data protection or doesn’t it apply when it’s the government selling our personal information?
If I do not pay with 28 days an extra £40 administration charge and the right to take further action to recover the debt. I think that means sending “the boys” round.
This is an “Invoice” not an official parking fine, only the Police or the Council are allowed to issue parking fines. This Parking charge has no legal status and none of these companies have ever taken a motorist to court to enforce this charge.
They pass the invoice to a debt-collecting agent, who then threatens loss of credit etc., in an effort to get you to pay. If you get one of these Parking Charge Notices go on line there are plenty of companies out there who will deal with them for you or try www.lawanswers.co.uk. But what ever you do don’t pay.
Parking is a major problem for the motorist and has become a cash cow for Councils. It is because we have allowed Council Officers to peddle their own agendas and take the moral high ground that to be in a car is BAD. If there was a different attitude and Council Officials helped the traffic flow, instead of hindering movement life would be a lot better in the city.
St Helens Council were recently advertising for a Parking Enforcement Manager and 3, yes 3, Parking Enforcement Officers.
“Responsible for the management and delivery of enforcement procedures and systems in respect of Civil Parking Enforcement”
These are not wardens these are office wallahs paid to cynically fleece the motorist who already pays more for the “privilege” of driving in our glorious land of the free, than in any of the other European states.
The combined salaries for these 4 council officials is just over Eighty Thousand pounds (£80.000) which means that 2687 £30 parking fines have to be issued to pay their salaries. That is before administration costs, office costs and clerical support salaries are taken into account. I am sure that the 180,000 residents of St Helens will be delighted to know this, as they will be paying their salaries and most of the parking charges they generate.
When I worked at Liverpool College of Art in the 1980s, when there was far less traffic on the roads, there was free parking in the Hope Street area. In fact every road outside the city centre, roughly everywhere outside of Duke Street, Renshaw Street, Lime Street and Tithebarn Street, was free parking.
Now when there is far more cars on the road the Council have turned the city into a parking nightmare.
Parking charges are in force seven days a week. The only reason I can see for this is to raise money to pay the inflated salaries of Council Officers who are not working for the benefit of the motorist or local residents but to build their empires.
It is time for a new approach. It is time for the Motorists of Merseyside, the MOMs to challenge this attitude to parking. Remove all parking restrictions outside the city centre. Reduce parking costs in the city, £2 an hour is robbery. Nobody stands up for the motorist.
If enough motorists stood for the Council, we could force a change in parking attitude. Ask your local councillor if they support a change in on street parking, if they don’t, tell them they have lost your vote. The MOMs have had enough.
Parking has become an industry, another way of robbing the motorist. There was a time when Councils were for the benefit of the residents, that is no more.
Councils are now for the benefit of Council Officers, who have totally lost sight of their reason for being there, which is to help the residents.
Let's do away with Sunday parking restrictions, except where it would be dangerous, let’s do away with all parking restrictions outside of the City Centre. Remove all the distracting signs, which must cost a fortune to put up. Lets have some common sense about parking. There is no need for all the restrictions.
Windsor is setting a great example by removing double yellow lines and reducing street clutter, removing unnecessary traffic calming and road signs. There they have recognised that the control freaks were making a mess, costing money and having an adverse affect on life in the borough. In Windsor this new approach is working and saving money.
Let's make Liverpool a CAR Friendly place, with easy parking. After all we want people to come here, spend money and have such a good time that they come back.
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
