Westminster vigilantes
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• Coach drivers who park illegally or cause disruption in central London are Likely to be reported to their employers.
Residents are being asked to act as informants for Westminster City Council. More than 100,000 forms are being distributed to residents, asking for their help.
The council may eventually use the findings to lobby the Government. It is already pressing the Government to give its traffic wardens the power to clamp coaches.
The scheme's organiser, David Weeks, deputy leader of the council, would also like to see the £20 illegal coach parking fine increased to at least .2100. "There are two areas of deterrent: the level of enforcement and the level of fines," says Weeks.
He suggests that the coach industry should be levied to pay for the estimated extra 110 wardens needed for the additional enforcement in the area On 16 October Weeks is going to the first meeting of a working party which has just been set up to discuss how to educate coach drivers to park legally. It will be chaired by Transport Minister Roger Freeman. Officials from the Department of Transport and the Bus and Coach Council will also be present.
Weeks says that the worst areas for parking offences are on the north side of Trafalgar Square and around St Margaret's Church, Westminster. He says coaches often tour around residential roads while waiting for a pick-up.
"Commuter and tourist coaches are making lives a misery. They cause traffic delays and when they do park-up they often keep the engine running for ages, filling residential streets with fumes," says Weeks.