Latest news with #PCNs
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
Council to start enforcing pavement parking ban - here's when
The local authority announced it will start to serve tickets on Monday, September 1, 2025. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 prohibits pavement parking, double parking and parking across dropped kerbs and powers have been granted to councils to enforce the legislation. The law aims to improve the safety of pedestrians, particularly those with mobility issues, visual impairments, and parents or carers with pushchairs. Additionally, pavements are not designed to bear the weight of vehicles, and persistent parking can cause significant damage, creating a trip hazard and leading to expensive repairs. Local authorities now have the power to enforce this law and issue fines through Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) of £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. The local authority is also launching a campaign across the area to raise awareness of the new regulations. READ NEXT: Police called to protest at letting agent as tenants claim eviction threat Councillor Paul Ferretti, convener of the council's Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee, said, 'The message here is clear: pavement parking is unsafe, unfair and illegal. 'Many people face daily difficulties with pavement parking. It is dangerous and frustrating, especially for those with impairments or limited mobility and with mental health challenges. 'Pavement parking has serious consequences and can force people to take unnecessary risks. It can force people using wheelchairs, guide dogs or pushing buggies onto the road, putting their safety at risk. 'Even if you think you have left enough space, only parked two wheels on the pavement or you won't be parked for long, pavement parking can have harmful consequences to people who use the pavement. 'By not parking on the pavement it ensures our roads and pavements are safer and more accessible for everyone.' Exceptions include: Police, ambulance, Scottish Fire and Rescue Services, HM Coastguard, or naval or air force purposes Roadworks, removal of traffic obstructions, waste collection by local authorities, or postal services Urgent or emergency health care by registered medical practitioners, nurses, or midwives Assistance at an accident or breakdown Delivering or collecting goods, provided the vehicle is parked for no longer than necessary (up to 20 minutes). Additionally, a small number of streets in East Dunbartonshire will be exempt from the ban following a review. These locations can be found on the Pavement Parking page on the council's website.
Daily Record
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Scots drivers warned over new parking rules coming into force today
Drivers who are caught breaking the rules will be issued with warning notices from Monday, June 2. Drivers in parts of Scotland are being warned of new parking restrictions that are being phased in from today. Motorists who park on pavements, dropped kerbs or are caught double parking in East Ayrshire will be issued with warning notices from Monday, June 2. Parking tickets - also known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) - will start to be issued from Monday, July 7, when the full enforcement begins. Motorists who are caught parking on pavements will be expected to pay £100 which is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. The ban applies to parked and stationary or idling vehicles on private and public roads, where one or more wheels are on the footway. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 prohibits pavement parking and double parking and the new regulations came into force in Scotland in December 2023 which handed councils the power to slap drivers with fines up to £100 for inconsiderate parking on pavements. Local authorities were given permission to decide if the measures would be implemented and when. So far they have been enforced in areas including Stirling, East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, and Perth and Kinross. Councillor Jim McMahon, East Ayrshire cabinet spokesperson for housing, transport and communities, said: 'We're hoping that by starting with a phased approach to the enforcement, we will give people some time to get used to the upcoming official enforcement measures. 'Every driver is responsible for parking their vehicle considerately and in a position that will not cause an obstruction to the pavement or road. 'We want to provide a safe and accessible environment for everyone, especially those with sight impairments, mobility issues or anyone pushing buggies who will no longer need to walk on the road. 'I'm looking forward to seeing our streets becoming safer and more accessible as a result of the new enforcement work.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Ayrshire Road Alliance warned drivers of the changes on social media on Sunday, June 2. Posting alongside details about the enforcement, they wrote: "Help us make East Ayrshire a safer and more accessible place for everyone by parking responsibly." According to Ayrshire Road Alliance there is an exception in the rules that seeks to support some traders to continue making deliveries. This only applies to activity in the 'course of business' so does not apply to personal activities like unloading shopping or lifting young children out of a car. Delivery drivers can only park on the pavement when the following conditions apply: there must be no reasonable place to park fully on the road there must be 1.5m of pavement width between their vehicle and any wall, fence or bush. If these conditions apply, then the maximum length of time for that the delivery driver can be parked on the pavement is 20 minutes
Daily Record
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
East Ayrshire Council announce "phased" plan for pavement parking enforcement
Motorists in East Ayrshire will no longer be able to park on most pavements from July after the council announced plans to begin enforcing the new law. East Ayrshire Council are set to begin enforcing new pavement parking restrictions from July. Motorists who park on pavements or dropped kerbs or are caught double parking will be issued with warning notices from Monday, June 2. Parking tickets - also known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) - will start to be issued from Monday, July 7, when the full enforcement begins. Drivers caught parking on pavements will be liable to pay £100 which is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. Legislation introduced by the Scottish Government in 2019 introduced a ban on pavement parking and gave local authorities more power to enforce it. The goal behind the legislation is to ensure that pavements and roads are safer and more accessible to all as parking on pavements prevents people from walking safely down streets. Pavement parking can also prevent access to pavements for people with disabilities or those pushing prams or buggies and it can cause damage which is expensive to repair. Double parking makes it more dangerous for vulnerable people or people pushing buggies or prams to cross the road safely as well as causing traffic congestion. Cllr Jim McMahon, East Ayrshire cabinet spokesperson for housing, transport and communities, said: 'We're hoping that by starting with a phased approach to the enforcement, we will give people some time to get used to the upcoming official enforcement measures. 'Every driver is responsible for parking their vehicle considerately and in a position that will not cause an obstruction to the pavement or road. 'We want to provide a safe and accessible environment for everyone, especially those with sight impairments, mobility issues or anyone pushing buggies who will no longer need to walk on the road. 'I'm looking forward to seeing our streets becoming safer and more accessible as a result of the new enforcement work.'
Evening Standard
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Evening Standard
London council raked in £18,000 a day from drivers breaking traffic restrictions during repairs on single road
The amount generated equates to £55 per driver fined, however it's understood that not all PCNs issued would have been paid during the 17-day period the FOI related to, so the true figure is likely to be higher given the minimum expected to be paid by each driver is £65.
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Parking boss says it is 'easy to beat the system' as 41,000 fines a day issued
Will Hurley, chief executive of trade body the International Parking Community (IPC), said operators want drivers to park "where they need to, when they need to" without breaking any rules Despite the staggering figure of approximately 41,000 parking tickets being issued daily in Britain, an industry leader has claimed that private parking companies "don't want to issue parking charges". Will Hurley, chief executive of the International Parking Community (IPC), also said it's easy to 'beat the system' - a claim many will question. He insists that operators prefer drivers to park "where they need to, when they need to" without violating any regulations. Private parking firms have faced criticism for employing misleading and unclear signage, aggressive debt collection tactics, and imposing unreasonable fees, reports Bristol Live. Addressing these claims when speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Hurley stated: "Any business is there to make money. But the reality is, the vast majority of money that comes in in the parking industry comes from people paying for parking." These private entities pursue vehicle owners for alleged violations in private car parks, such as those at shopping centres, leisure facilities, and motorway service areas. They issue parking charge notices (PCNs) – essentially invoices or demands for payment – when they allege a breach of the land owner's rules, such as incorrect registration entry into a machine, overstaying, or not parking within a designated bay. 'It's easy to beat the system' in car parks in UK Each ticket can cost up to £100, with a minimum discount of 40% if settled within 14 days. The most recent accounts for ParkingEye, the UK's largest private parking company, reveal a pre-tax profit of £16.1 million in 2023, a significant increase from £10.9 million the previous year. Mr Hurley implied it is "easy to beat the system" for those wary of parking operators, advising: "If you're thinking about it, just don't park in a way that gets a parking charge. "If you're really that upset by it, just follow the signs. If the signs are unclear, go and park somewhere else." He further pointed out: "Parking operators don't want to issue charges. They want people to park where they need to, when they need to." In figures indicative of the number of PCNs being issued by private companies, the six months to the end of September 2019 shows the average daily rate was 24,000, while between April to the end of September 2024, car park management firms submitted a staggering 7.2 million requests to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for access to vehicle keeper records - data which is often used to send out PCNs. This figure marks a 12% increase compared to the same timeframe the previous year, averaging at about 41,000 requests every single day. The IPC links the steep rise in ticketing to the fact there are currently more than five times more UK sites under parking management than there were a decade ago, along with vehicle registrations surging by 21% since 2012. Last month, it was revealed that a number of drivers are contending with unjust parking fines due to certain problematic payment machines, prompting one campaigner to assert these devices are "set up to trap people". A particular issue has arisen that sees machines move on to payment after only a single character of the vehicle registration is inputted, leading to incidents where motorists fulfil the parking charge yet receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) because automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras did not match their full details. Mr Hurley commented, "I don't think that's helpful", adding: "I believe that the minimum thing that should happen if you're required to put a registration number in, is you should be required to confirm your registration number before you go on to the payment bit." But the realities of rectifying such problems nationwide did not escape his notice, with Mr Hurley saying: "How quickly can that be implicated across 50,000 locations in the country? Not overnight, but we've got to take steps in that direction." Code of practice for private parking operators Powers for a Government-endorsed code of practice for private parking operators secured Royal assent during the Conservative government in March 2019. However, it was rescinded in June 2022 following a legal dispute initiated by parking companies. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated its intention to reveal more information about re-establishing the code "as soon as possible". Mr Hurley said: "There's nobody that's supported the Government more than us in terms of introducing a single code of practice." Yet RAC's head of policy, Simon Williams, commented: "If private companies really don't want to issue tickets, they should make their signs clearer and easier to understand. Avoiding a charge is the opposite of easy in some locations. "We've heard stories of machines that aren't working, as well as ones that skip ahead to payment after entering one or two numbers or letters, or ones that record different letters to those keyed in. The fact remains the Government's code of practice needs to be brought in as soon as possible." Furthermore, Mr Williams demanded the parking industry be "transparent about the number of complaints it receives from drivers who believe they've been treated unfairly". The matter is set to spark further discussions as Parliament convenes for a Westminster Hall debate on the sector this coming Tuesday.
