Car drivers vote with their wheels over parking fines

The Scotsman
ERIC DYMOCK

BANNING cars restores social justice, removes dangers, rights anomalies and provides Roundheads with a cosy glow. Global warming, traffic jams, the decline of the corner shop, child obesity and inner city poverty can all be solved by restrictions, limitations and banning orders.
Now, bless our souls, cars are responsible for our moral decline. Preaching from the pulpit, the Today programme or whatever platform he could command, the Bishop of London judges big cars sinful. God is apparently on the side of scientists who say cars are to blame for global warming, and He doesn't believe those who say global warming is like global cooling, and one will most surely follow the other.

Cars are certainly sinful in Aberdeen, which is restricting them to 20mph - not that you can go much faster down Union Street, except perhaps in the dead of night, in which case 20mph could land you with a charge of kerb-crawling.
It is sinful to take children to school in cars. Watch out for Scottish Executive experiments in your area, which will collapse the moment the first child is abducted, tumbles off a bicycle or falls under a lorry because mum was forbidden to drive to the school gates. Proper school buses are the only solution.
Cars are sinful in Edinburgh unless all the seats are occupied. The council would like a no-overtaking rule on single-occupancy cars on the ring road. It fairly makes a case for picking up hitchhikers and speeding past in the fast lane. Transport commissioner Andrew Burns says multiple-occupancy lanes are used in America, forgetting the six-lane freeways where such a rule just might be applicable. Not much chance on our own dear two-lane Edinburgh South-Semi-Circular, which Councillor Burns would reduce to a crawl in retaliation for rejecting his referendum on congestion charging.
Cars are sinful to the Commission for Integrated Transport. It would really like to be the Commission for Social Engineering, though it has now tacitly agreed what inhabitants of the real world have been telling it for years: parking restrictions and badly thought-out traffic schemes kill off city centres.
People want cars for shopping. Cars allow them to stay out of the rain and keep dry, or stay out of the sun and keep cool.
Alas, Oliver Cromwell's heirs disapprove. Fines and traffic wardens have scared them away. Old people want to park near shops, and even young people laden with a week's comestibles don't want to carry them for miles with a meter ticking down to fine-time, so they go out of town. They have voted with their wheels in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, London and all over Europe.
Accordingly, the Commission for Social Engineering now wants to abolish free parking in out-of-town centres. "Given the growing problem of congestion and concerns about the environment, [driving to out-of-town centres] is unsustainable," it thunders. "Nor does the out-of-town retail model help engender social inclusion and accessibility for the wider community."
Get real. The "wider community" goes to shopping centres by the hundreds of thousands because the Commission, and its satraps like Andrew Burns, have expelled it from town centres.
"The Commission recognises that for some shopping trips the car is the most convenient option. But this level of car use is not sustainable."
Helen Holland, the member who led its enquiry into retailing, is long on jargon but short on realism. Dirigistes and social engineers hate cars so much that any excuse can be used to attack them. "We want to see local authorities... taking the right decisions" - by which Ms Holland means "our" decisions.
Even the RAC Foundation, not invariably on the side of the honest motorist, thinks the report underestimates the importance of parking and is unrealistic in recommending instead what it calls "quality public transport - particularly park & ride - as a solution for rural shoppers with no alternative to using the car".
An RAC Foundation survey showed how parking determines where we live, work, shop and play. A third of drivers have given up and gone home due to lack of parking. About the same number have cruised for 20 minutes looking for a space, and 45% feel unsafe in car parks at night.
Yet here is a job for the Commission for Integrated Transport which would make a change from recommending restrictions or discouraging cars. Get out into the country, to the Highlands and Islands, where transport is anything but integrated, and where heavily subsidised Caledonian MacBrayne doesn't fill the watery gaps out of office hours.
Integrating ferries with roads would be a good use of the Commission's time and resources. For example, how disintegrated it is for the NHS to charter medevac helicopters costing goodness knows how much per hour to inshore islands like Bute while £10m car ferries snore the night away at Rothesay pier.
No ferry is available or willing to transport an ambulance, or anything else for that matter, between 8pm and 6.30am. Be prepared for CalMac to claim an obscure or, as it has done before, a "secret" maritime regulation that prevents it sailing at unsocial hours. Roads do not close down by night, yet large viable communities are cut off for 10 hours out of 24.
They do things better in Scandinavia, where subsidised ferries are regarded as extensions of the highway network, and "sustainable" means more than a campaigner's jargon.

Londoners to have their say in major parking consultation

24 dash
Publisher: Jon LandPublished: 28/07/2006 - 15:16:21 PM

Londoners will be able to influence the levels of parking fines in the capital through a major consultation launched by the Association of London Government and Transport for London.
Over the next three months Londoners and other interested parties will be asked for their views on:
How much motorists should be fined for illegal parking, using bus lanes and committing moving traffic offences – including stopping in a yellow box junction and going through a no entry sign.
Whether a sliding scale of penalties should be introduced to separate out more serious parking offences from other acts of illegal parking.
If the new scale of charges was introduced which offences are more serious than others – for example should someone parking on a double yellow line at a busy junction be fined more than a driver overstaying a few minutes at a parking meter?
Chairman of the ALG's Transport and Environment Committee Councillor Daniel Moylan said: "People become very passionate about parking fines and this is their chance to have their say on what the levels of the penalties should be.
"We have no preconceived idea of what the levels of the fines should be. The only thing we must ensure is that the penalty is fixed at a level to deter the selfish motorists from parking illegally so that the law abiding motorists and other road users can enjoy a smooth and safe journey."
Robert Steer, TfL's Head of Traffic Enforcement Camera Operations, said: "All Londoners are affected by the actions of a small minority of drivers who do not adhere to the rules of the road by blocking red routes, bus lanes and yellow box junctions.
"We hope that Londoners take this opportunity to take part in this consultation."
As well as the London boroughs, other organisations being consulted include the Freight Transport Association, AA, RAC, Department for Transport, Friends of the Earth, London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade, London Cab Drivers Club, London Cycling Campaign and London Motorcycling working group.
The consultation will also seek views on the levels of the penalties for contraventions of the London Lorry Control Scheme and the cost of releasing vehicles from clamps and car pounds.
Anyone wanting to find out more about the consultation and to submit their views should go to alg.gov.uk/parkingconsultation.
The consultation ends on October 16 2006.
A final decision on any changes to the levels of the fines and the introduction of a sliding scale off offences will be made in December.
Any changes would be introduced on April 1 2007.

Motorists count cost of parking

Lancashire Evening Post

Motorists in Wyre have been slapped with parking fines three times as often this year, although the number of fines issued in other areas of Lancashire has reduced.
The number of tickets handed out in the borough by Parkwise during the first half of 2006 was more than triple the amount given out in same period in 2005.
More than double the amount of cash has been collected in fines.
Between January 1 and June 30 this year, Parkwise issued 4,762 £60 tickets to on and off-street parkers, compared to 1,492 during the same period last year.
The total for the whole of 2005 was only 4,842.
A Wyre Council spokesman blamed the rise on the borough's parking enforcement having been "significantly understaffed" before this year.
He added: "We would assure all residents that, despite the rumours, none of the car parking attendants operating in the Wyre area receive commission or any other incentive to drive targets to increase the number of tickets issued in the borough.
"In Lancaster, South Ribble and Chorley, the number of fines dished out has dropped.
In South Ribble in the six-month period from January to June, just 1,919 tickets were issued, compared to 2,150 for the same time last year.
Tony Pimblett, South Ribble Council cabinet member for streetscene services, said: "Hopefully this means fewer drivers are parking illegally on our streets than last year. People who park in accordance with the Highway Code and comply with notices have nothing to fear."
The Evening Post understands the number of fines issued in Preston has dropped by 30%, although figures were not available.
Parkwise

Council picks up £414,000 in parking fines

Doncaster Today

COUNCIL coffers have been swelled by more than £400,000 since the authority took control of parking offences eleven months ago.
Parking wardens have issued 22,057 fines - more than 2,000 a month - which have cost drivers £414,202, new figures show.
Most drivers are likely to be caught out in the Frenchgate car park, where 1,809 penalty tickets have been issued.
Priory Place is the street where most tickets have been handed out with 815 drivers fined.
Most of the cash collected by the council is used to enforce parking laws, improve street signs and repair roads, part of a a wider policy of trying to ensure the free-flow of traffic through the town and creating a safer environment.
Other ticket hot-spots are markets (1,435 fines), Waterdale Central (1,035), Printing Office Stret (752), Scot Lane (738), Waterdale Surface (706), Hall Gate (693), Market Place (651) and Armthorpe Road (575).
Mayor Martin Winter said: "Doncaster Council takes a hard line on any cars parked illegally and the level of tickets we have issued supports this.
"This enforcement action is about creating a safer, more accessible town centre for everyone and money raised from fines is directed back into the service to be spent on further enforcement as well as road signs and lines and improving roads."
Fines have risen ten-fold since the 21 parking wardens took to the streets, taking over from traffic wardens managed by the police.
The new system has been dogged by complaints of over-zealous wardens.
Doncaster Council has consistently denied that wardens were issuing tickets according to set targets.
Last week the Government announced that it was extending the powers of councils to deal with parking problems, as well as tightening up the law on wheel-clamping.

'No targets for Parkwise’

By Gordon McCully
The Citizen
IMPROVEMENTS: Coun Eric Bell
Motorists in Chorley have been told they are in the driving seat for reducing the number of parking tickets issued.
The number of issued tickets in the second year of the controversial Parkwise scheme is on course to fall - but it can only be achieved with the help of motorists, according to Chorley Borough Council.
The council has made a number of recommendations to improve the scheme.
Councillor Eric Bell, executive member for streetscene, neighbourhoods and the environment, explained: "The aim of this council is to get the number of tickets issued down and we're doing everything we can to make sure that happens.
We have already agreed 19 recommendations for improvements to the scheme but we can only make a difference if motorists act responsibly when parking.
"The simple fact is that we have no targets whatsoever for the number of tickets issued through Parkwise - and if no-one parked illegally there would not be one solitary ticket issued in the borough.
"That's our aim and we hope every motorist will help us achieve it."
The council pointed out that:
Parking attendants have no targets for issuing tickets and there are no bonuses available to them for issuing more
It does not make any money from Parkwise
There are only a handful of people who have been issued with a ticket twice
Councillor Bell also spoke out to remind motorists that they have 10 minutes grace' to pay and display' and five minutes if they over run their time.
"The council has introduced a number of benefits to motorists in Chorley in recent weeks. Alongside the improvements to Parkwise, charges on our car parks have also been frozen until 2007.
"This is great news and especially when you consider our car parks are already among the cheapest in Lancashire and have the security seal from the British Parking Association."
2:22pm Wednesday 26th July 2006

Tickety-boo! Enforcers forced out

The Scotsman
ALAN RODEN
TRANSPORT REPORTER (aroden@edinburghnews.com aroden@edinburghnews.com)

EDINBURGH'S Enforcer parking attendants are facing the axe after a rival firm pledged to transform relationships with the city's motorists.
National Car Parks (NCP) is set to take over from Central Parking System (CPS) - the firm which sparked a flood of complaints for over-zealous ticketing during five years in charge - this December.

NCP impressed the council with a promise to retrain staff, sending them on a intensive week-long programme to learn how to become "civic ambassadors", better handle confrontation and stop issuing wrong tickets.
The company also undercut its rivals by £400,000 and offered to provide a range of other community services such as reporting littering and assisting with school safety training.
The council today said the decision was more to do with quality than cost and insisted the prospective number of parking tickets was not an issue.
The new contract, which will take effect from December 3, will include a larger area, as Edinburgh's Controlled Parking Zone expands to cover areas around the city centre.
If ratified by councillors next month, NCP will also take responsibility for towing away cars and collecting cash from pay-and-display machines.
Staff and unions have been informed about the changes, but most workers with CPS will be able to transfer jobs to the new operator.
Despite a promise to cut back on mistakes, there is unlikely to be a lesser chance of getting a ticket under the new regime, and no changes to the council's overall enforcement policy.
NCP is the UK's largest provider of on-street enforcement, and already has the country's largest parking contract in Westminster. In recent years, it also stripped CPS of its role in Manchester. The existing Edinburgh operator, which took over from Apcoa's Blue Meanies in late 2001, has hit the headlines for a number of high-profile gaffes - including ticketing an ambulance, a hearse, a blood transfusion vehicle and the Scotland rugby team coach.
Sources today said there was a belief at the council that CPS was not capable of handling the new contract, which will be worth far more than the current £3.4 million deal.
Councillor Andrew Burns, the city's transport leader, said: "Parking is more in demand than ever in Edinburgh, with over one million vehicles coming into Edinburgh every week, the proportion of car-owning households rising by around 20 per cent in the last 30 years, and a 72 per cent jump in commuting trips in the last 20 years.
"Because of this, it is paramount we have the highest standard of service to ensure our Controlled Parking Zone is patrolled fairly and consistently, balancing the needs of residents, businesses, tradespeople and shoppers.
"Over the past five years, Central Parking System has done an admirable job and I thank them for their work. We always strive to provide the absolute best service possible and I am confident that National Car Parks will raise the bar even higher."
The council's recommendation, due to be published in a report tomorrow, follows a major review of parking in the city over the past year, which proposed the introduction of new permits for businesses and tradespeople.
CPS has already had its contract extended twice - once in 2004 and again this year from September to December - but the new deal is far more complex.
It will include sign and line maintenance, and cash collection. Vehicle removals and ticket machine duties were previously dealt with by the council, but NCP is now set to take responsibility for these areas and 24 council employees will be transferred to the new set-up.
By 2008, the expansion of parking restrictions will mean attendants cover nine extra zones outside the city centre for the first time, with Hillside, Broughton, Marchmont, Sciennes and the Grange being included from this September. This is expected to bring in an extra £3m in fines, on top of the £7m already collected each year.
The tender documents for the new contract were based on the British Parking Association's model contract and the evaluation of each contractor was based on a 70 per cent quality and 30 per cent cost and revenue formula.
As well as CPS and NCP, it is thought the two other major parking enforcement firms in the UK - Vinci Park and Apcoa - were also in the running. CPS was in the final shortlist of two, along with NCP.
NCP spokesman James Pritchard said the firm was aware of the council's recommendation and is awaiting its decision. But he said the firm vows to "understand the local population".
He added: "We have an excellent training regime focused on customer service and conflict resolution. We encourage our parking attendants to be responsible on the street.
"If you can train people right from the start to take a certain attitude on to the street, that can make a real difference in the way staff are perceived.
"The aim for NCP is to get it right first time. If you do that, then you don't have as many problems, and it leads to lower levels of appeals and fewer complaints."
NCP, which has contracts with 35 local authorities across Britain, has proposed introducing a new customer charter between itself, the council and the community that commits to "higher levels of accuracy and transparency".
Although the details have not yet been discussed, parking attendants could also provide other services, such as reporting fly-tipping, littering, abandoned vehicles, and safety issues.
In Islington, the parking operator recently teamed up with the local council and police force to help reduce crime and antisocial behaviour.
A spokeswoman for CPS today said the firm was "disappointed" not to be recommended for the new contract.
"We understand that the recommendation is in no way reflective of the level of service that we have provided during the contract," she said. We have enjoyed a healthy relationship with the City of Edinburgh and look forward to working with them in the future. We wish NCP well."

Parking fine cash fear

Council faces losing millions over 'wrongly worded' penalty tickets
Leeds Today
By Tony Gardner


LEEDS City Council could be set for "financial catastrophe" over claims parking tickets issued in the city are not enforceable by law.
Highways bosses are nervously awaiting the outcome of a High Court judicial review which could invalidate thousands of parking tickets, costing the local authority millions in lost revenue.
The decision could open the floodgates for drivers to appeal against parking charge notices (PCNs) if judges rule that tickets handed out by traffic wardens are incorrectly worded.
Last month the YEP told how the father of a 12-year-old boy suffering from a rare incurable brain condition was taking on the council, claiming that eight tickets issued were not lawful.
The council is refusing to back down over its demands for £480 and the case was due to go an appeal hearing.
But the hearing is one of countless cases across the country to be adjourned by the National Parking Adjudication Service pending the outcome of the High Court hearing which relates to tickets issues by Barnet Council in London.
Barnet have already lost before a Parking and Traffic Appeals Service adjudicator on the wording of their PCN and lost again after asking for a review of the case.
Neil Herron, a campaigner against parking enforcement, said if they lose at the High Court for a third time the implications for many local authorities who have similarly worded PCNs, including Leeds, could be "financially catastrophic."
Mr Herron said the mix-up was due to the Leeds notices not containing the date and time of the contravention.
Recent victories by motorists in Bury and Sunderland have resulted in local authorities having to return millions of pounds in collected fines.
Mr Herron added: "Many local authorities who have seen decriminalised parking enforcement as a cash-cow to supplement their budgets are going to pay the price."
Ashley Finister, from Bramley, was hit with eight parking tickets over the course of a month when he parked close to Leeds General Infirmary as he ferried his desperately ill son Jordan to the hospital.
The tickets were issued after Jordan's disabled parking permit had expired and on other occasions he had parked in restricted areas.
Mr Finister said he was determined to take advantage of the technicality.
A council spokesman said: "The Leeds ticket is not the same as the one issued in Barnet and we are confident that ours is legal."
tony.gardner@ypn.co.uk

Parking Attendants To Replace Peggy? -

ThameNews

THE sight of a traffic warden patrolling the streets of Thame will soon be a thing of the past – but that does not mean the end of double yellow lines and parking restrictions in the town.
As from the middle of 2008, Thame is likely to see civilian parking attendants, contracted by the county council, take over the job from its currently police- administered warden,Peggy Long, as has already happened in Oxford and some London boroughs.
Under the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1991, parking offences will be “decriminalised” and brought within the civil enforcement system.
At the same time a number of additional enforcement responsibilities, such as restricted (yellow line), off street parking, will also be removed from the police and also given to councils.
Mr Richard Dix, Assistant Head of Transport at Oxfordshire County Council, told members of Thame Town Council’s Policy and Resources committee last night that the county council will get to keep the money raised through the new enforcement system, but that he did not expect it to do much more than be self-financing.
Richard Dix explained that before the changes can be implemented, a review is to be carried out of all parking restrictions in the county before the council can make an official application to the Department of Transport for a Civil Enforcement Order.
OCC will then have to work with the district council (SODC), to work out how they will administer the system on the county council’s behalf and it also intends to consult with parish and town councils.
Town Cllr David Dodds, the new Chair of Policy and Resources, was reassured by Mr Dix that the pay of the new parking attendants in Oxford are not related to targets or the number of Penalty Notices they give out, and that if any surplus money was made, how that money could be spent on environmental improvements in towns, like air quality, public transport, new signage etc had potential for discussion between his and individual town councils.
Cllr Dodds said that he would wish the current car parking system in Thame, where either two or three hours of free parking was available, was “preserved at all costs.”
Mr Dix replied that he could not guarantee anything for the future, but that it was his personal view that it was better “to keep things simple and not make changes.”
Whilst the review of current parking restrictions in the county is underway, the county council has implemented an embargo on any new parking restrictions, including new schemes for residents’ or business parking permits.
For more information about the new Act and its implications, see Link

ED. Peggy Long has made it clear that she has no intention of becoming a civilian parking attendant and will retire before the changeover takes place.

Hospital parking charges warning

Cambs 24

Parking charges at Doddington and Ely hospitals are inevitable to bring them into line with the North Cambs Hospital at Wisbech.
"The status quo is not tenable," said Sharon Fox, director of corporate affairs for East Cambs and Fenland PCT.
"Current arrangements have not been developed in a coherent and consistent way and lack any explicit set of underpinning principles.
"Significant funding is having to be diverted from frontline services to finance a £250,000 expansion and refurbishment scheme for the car park at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely. That is just one of the reasons why the Primary Care Trust was considering car park charges, said Ms Fox. The PCT says it needs to spend the money on the Ely car park soon, and this is in addition to £95,000 spent refurbishing car parks across the trust last year.
A draft parking policy has been developed and its recommendations will go to the new Cambridgeshire PCT being set up.
On Monday, a four-week consultation exercise began, inviting comments from staff and patients and the public to the trust's three main hospital sites, at Ely, Doddington and Wisbech - the only hospital which so far charges to park.
Ms Fox said the policy was being developed "to recognise and try to deal with the tension between the need to ensure staff can get to their workplace and park with ease, while enabling patients and their visitors, many of whom are elderly and disabled, to have reasonable access to our hospitals".
The draft policy was the PCT's first attempt to "face up and address these challenges in the context of limited car parking spaces on our sites.
"There is no perfect solution - these proposals represent what we think is a fair compromise for staff, patients and visitors."

Parking charges ‘exploiting patients’

This is Hertfordshire
By Louisa Barnett

Patients visiting Watford General Hospital are forking out up to £10 a day in parking charges, making it one of the top ten most expensive hospital car parks in the country.
Parking costs at the hospital, which serves one third of Hertsmere residents, have rocketed by up to 67 per cent in the past year and have been slammed by health scrutiny committee members who have accused West Hertfordshire NHS Hospital Trust of exploiting patients. They say the trust, which is currently trying to claw back a £28.3 million deficit, is using patients to help balance its books and ease its cash crisis.
Derek Marcus, chairman of Hertsmere's patient forum, said: "It's extortionate.
"We know it the trust is trying to recoup money but it's not fair for patients to pay the brunt.
"It's a quandary for the trust but it's hard for the patients. It really is an imposition.
"There used to be a moderate charge to prevent neighbouring motorists from parking there which is understandable, but these charges are just ridiculous."
The Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London, was labelled the healthiest earner, charging its patients up to £72 a day to park their cars.
Currently, the prices at Watford are £2.50 for up to three hours, £3 for three to five hours and £10 for more than five hours.
However, a concession scheme is in place ensuring that disabled drivers and those visiting certain units, such as the stroke unit, are exempt from the charges. The scheme is also extended to those attending the hospital three times a week and those visiting patients who are staying in the hospital long-term.
A spokesperson for the trust said: "It's not got anything to do with clawing back our deficit.
"We undertook the car parking review three years ago and at that time, it was about improving the management of the car park.
"It costs us a lot of money to maintain and we also have to pay a capital charge on the land. It's not just there we have to pay money for it and the money we charge for parking goes straight back into that.
"The charges are in no way connected to our debt."
In March, it was revealed that Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust made more than £1 million from parking charges last year, as it announced its increased parking charges.
The trust, which serves two-thirds of Hertsmere residents, came tenth in a list of 146 hospital trusts nationwide ranked in order of how much money they raised through parking.

Parking charges should be scrapped for patients

Hospital's parking fees attacked by MPs
This is Bradford
By Anika Bourley

Parking charges should be scrapped for patients having to attend Bradford hospitals every day, according to a group of MPs.
The Commons Health Select Committee also says there should be discounted parking for frequent visitors.
The committee's report, which said NHS charges were "a complete mess", also said the high cost of calls to hospital bedside phones is "insupportable".
Earlier this year the Telegraph & Argus revealed hospitals in Bradford raked in nearly £1 million in parking fees with Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust collecting £861,000.
Nationally, the select committee report revealed hospitals make £78 million a year from parking £63 million from patients and visitors and £15 million from their own staff.
Chairman Kevin Barron said: "Parking fees should be reduced or eliminated altogether for patients attending hospitals regularly. It is unacceptable that people have to pay hundreds of pounds to attend for necessary treatment."
The report said: "While car parking charges must remain a matter for hospital trusts, we recommend that they provide reduced rates for patients and their visitors who attend regularly and free parking for those who must attend on a daily basis."
MPs also criticised the cost of incoming calls to hospital bedside telephones.
Shipley MP Philip Davies last month accused hospitals of cashing in on sick people by using private phone providers which "exploit" through extremely high charges.
He called on hospitals to research what areas mobile phones could be used safely to cut growing costs for patients.
Airedale General Hospital in Steeton, near Keighley, does not have a private phone service but has pay phones on wards. Guidance on mobile phone policy is displayed around the hospital grounds. But MPs argued some hospitals which use Patientline Plc were allowing the company to charge 49p a minute for incoming peak-time calls and 39p a minute for evenings and weekends.
A peak-rate call to Australia on a typical BT residential line costs 22p a minute but just 9p during evenings and weekends.
A spokesman for Bradford Teaching Hospitals said: "We work hard to provide car parking as cheaply as possible.
"We do understand the concerns of patients and visitors and talk regularly to patient representatives. We have recently introduced concessions for long-stay inpatients and outpatients who need to come back for regular appointments."
A spokesman for Patientline said: "Patientline charges as little as it is able to while ensuring it can keep running the service without the NHS having to contribute a penny. We have so far invested £160 million over the past ten years and have yet to make a profit due to this heavy investment programme.
"What we offer is not an essential part of someone's care it's a service they may freely choose whether to use or not. If patients and relatives did not pay for the service it would simply be withdrawn, and many thousands would be denied the choice."

Parking charges explained

Cambridge Evening News

COUNCIL officials are on duty in Newmarket's Rookery multi-storey car park this week to explain the new 'pay on foot' charging system.
The car park is the last in the town to have charges imposed.
The introduction of the charges was delayed when Forest Heath District Council members decided to change plans so disabled drivers could still park free of charge.
But one of the problems encountered on Tuesday, when the car park was busy with market-day shoppers, was caused by disabled drivers queuing for spaces and blocking the car park exit.
The changes to the original plans cost around £20,000 and involved moving the car park exit barrier. Under the original proposals, disabled drivers would have had to pay, but councillors changed their minds after protests.
Sally Rode, council spokeswoman, said: "We will have people in the car park all this week to explain the system. They will be there to see what problems crop up."
Residents' parking schemes are now being considered to tackle the problem of on-street parking, which has worsened since the changes.

Out-of-town shoppers may lose luxury of free parking

Evening Times Online
By Wendy Miller

MAKING drivers pay congestion charges at out-of-town shopping centres would help revitalise city centres, it was claimed today.
A Government commission is calling for consumers who shun struggling towns like Paisley or city shopping centres like Glasgow in favour of Braehead or the Fort to face parking or congestion fees. The Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) claims there should be a "levelling of the playing field" between town centres - where people have to pay to park - and out-of-town retail parks where parking is usually free.
The report comes after the Evening Times revealed last month how shops in Glasgow city centre are to open late five nights a week in their bid to win back shoppers.
Buchanan Galleries and the St Enoch Centre bosses want traders to back a scheme that would see dozens of stores open until 9pm on week days.
Paisley is one of the biggest casualties of the current shopping trend, with consumers deserting the town in favour of Braehead.
Today's CfIT report looked at how congestion and accessibility affects shopping behaviour at retail and leisure sites.
It found bus users, cyclists and walkers tend to support town centres far more than car users.
The report also said improved public transport and facilities could help attract shoppers back to the high street.
Helen Holland, of the CFIT, said: "Our study shows 85% of shoppers going to out-of-town retail parks arrive in their cars.
"For some shopping trips, such as the weekly grocery shop, the car is the most convenient option, but this level of car use is simply not sustainable in the long term.
"We want to see local authorities, retailers and transport operators taking the right decisions to support the high street."
Glasgow city centre will face even tougher competition next year when the new Silverburn centre in Pollok opens.
Publication date 20/07/06

Northampton County Court: Sam Stockman Letter

Council stands by parking policy

Salisbury Journal
By Jill Harding

SALISBURY district council has defended its parking enforcement policy after the Govern-ment called for a more "motorist-friendly" approach.
Last year the council raised almost £590,000 from parking tickets, with just 0.3 per cent of appeals going to independent adjudication.
Some motorists who found a ticket on their car have accused parking ambassadors of adopting a "zero tolerance" policy and there have been a number of disputed fines, with car owners complaining they received a ticket while going for change, stopping to help someone or because signage was unclear.

Now the Government has announced that it wants to overhaul parking enforcement "to keep the traffic flowing and not raise money" with a "system that is fairer for all".
Transport secretary Douglas Alexander is asking for more transparency, a more motorist-friendly appeals process, regular reviews of parking policies and more powers for adjudicators to intervene where procedures have not been followed properly.
"The Government is determined to see a parking system that is fairer and more consistent," he said.
"These proposals are a significant stride towards achieving that goal. We have listened to motorists and it is clear that the current system needs to be improved. Taken together, the proposals in this draft guidance will strengthen the system of civil parking enforcement and help local authorities tackle local congestion and keep the traffic moving."
But the council says that the recommendations "will only reinforce the current good practices carried out in the district".
Parking bosses say that all ambassadors undergo training that can lead to an NVQ qualification and there was no incentive or reward scheme for them to issue more tickets.
If parking appeals are rejected then information about the National Parking Adjudication Service is provided and the council says it gives the Government all the information it requests and regularly reviews its policies.
"It is important that drivers have confidence in the appeals service and we would encourage any changes that raise the profile of NPAS," said a spokeswoman.
"Money raised from penalty charge notices from on-street parking is ring-fenced and can only be spent on transportation improvements. The revenue raised from off-street penalty charge notices is invested both in parking services and general council services."
6:22am Sunday 23rd July 2006