London plans cut in parking tickets
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• Operators look set to benefit from a code of practice which should help reduce the number of parking tickets slapped on lorry windscreens in London.
The creation of the code, which has been suggested by the parking adjudicator for London, would involve local authorities, parking enforcement agencies and lorry operators thrashing out a common understanding of the law.
It has been welcomed by the Freight Transport Association which says operators parking in London are "up to their eyes in parking tickets" with some parcels companies suffering up to £30,000 a year in fines.
Although the adjudicator's conclusion is not binding, it came in a written decision concerning a number of appeals over parking fines by freight carriers in the capital. The decision said that once a driver is parked for delivery or collection of goods they should be able to remain for as long as it takes to finish the task and that an observation period by a parking attendent of up to 10 minutes could prevent the issuing of a parking ticket.
London is the only city which operates a decriminalised parking regime—where fines are paid directly to cash-strapped and eager local authorities rather than to the Treasury— but the practice is expected to spread.
Bernard Jones, London and south east regional director at the FTA, says a code of practice for London would allow excessive fining problems to be sorted out before the system is adopted nationally.