Parking Tickets - Have You Been Fined Illegally?

There has been a massive degree of growth when you consider that 1 out of 10 motorists in the country will be receiving fines. The Government is surely increasing fines each year even when the state of the country is financial peril. It is said that the main motive behind increasing parking fines is for the safety of travelers on the road. But is it?

19% more than the previous year, 3,402,860 parking offence tickets were handed out in the course of one year (2005). When investigated we found out that 794,851 amount of tickets were issued in the time of 2000-01. Why is there such a drastic increase? Parking tickets have become a mere means of take-home pay. We, motorists do not know whether this money is even being used in the development of local transport. It is being used so habitually that motorists are starting to doubt whether its purpose is our safety or just another donation to the Government's trust.

The top 5 towns with the biggest number of parking tickets issued were Birmingham 176,382, Brighton & Hove 160,018, Manchester 136,005, Liverpool 92,642 and Nottingham 75,350. The National Parking Adjudication Service - the national body which deals with appeals lodged by motorists issued parking tickets - says councils must not play "fast and loose" with the legal restrictions on tickets.

This institution known as the NPAS handles all the left-over appeals from when the local authorities pass them over.

When the councils are approached by ticket appeal companies, there is a 100% chance it will just pass without finding its way into the NPAS at all. 2006 was a lucky year, 57% appeals won at the NPAS.

Enforcing new traffic laws and parking regulations randomly (by authorities) at any place was started at first after the Road Traffic Act 1991. It introduced 'Decriminalized Parking' System. But, councils and wardens have become harsh and cheating. Tales that we hear these days really scare us, recently, double lines are painted under cars which have been parked for a while just so that they could squeeze a handsome amount of money through the fine.

So many indiscreet drivers have faced the plight of the bleak ticket collectors at parking lots. At times, drivers just go in to pick up a few articles or make a payment, by the time they return, they have already been fined.

Usually, a faltering driver leaves a wrong or less amount into the pay and display machines. Being fined for this very reason is really unacceptable. It should be pardoned.

NPAS says: "Some councils hold the unbending belief that the motorist's duty is to have the right change in his possession before entering the car park - whatever the circumstances." Others appear to regard the act of going for change as a contravention in its own right. "This is not the case." So you can get a parking fine slapped under any circumstances.

To be on the safe side, make an appeal. No matter what the fine is for, collect good evidence and present it to the authorities. If it does not cancel, at least you will get a discounted price. Be a good motorist and make sure agencies like the NPAS don't trap you for not abiding by their scheming rules.