No relief from parking tickets
Page 10
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Karen Miles • Hauliers receiving parking tickets while driving hired vehicles will find it harder to ignore the penalties following a landmark ruling on the issue.
The parking adjudicator for London has decided that if specified contract details are in place between a vehicle hirer and customer, hauliers will no longer be able to refuse to pay parking tickets found on the windscreens of hired vehicles. This ruling is expected to affect the relationship between vehicle hirers and their customers all over the country.
Local authorities are expected to invoke the ruling to chase outstanding and disputed parking fines.
In her ruling, adjudicator Caroline Sheppard said that if a hirer had a clause disclaiming all traffic fines picked up by the driver of the hired vehicle, the driver would be legally responsible for it.
She added that this would also be the case if the hirer had the driver's name, date of birth, address, licence details and the start and expected end of the hire period. Hauliers contract hiring or leasing vehicles for more than six months would also be liable for fines, Sheppard ruled.
Hire companies will be checking their contracts to ensure that they are able to pass on parking fines.