Top parking ticket towns!

[dr_mat 0]

Most parking tickets issued (outside london) in 2003:

 

Brighton and Hove 161,194

Birmingham 147,994

Manchester 123,584

Liverpool 114,466

Nottingham 91,816

Reading 61,639

Oxfordshire 60,399

Milton Keynes 56,156

Medway 52,739

Luton 45,928

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4503925.stm

 

I note with interest that Reading issued more parking tickets than OxfordSHIRE!! I have no doubt that Reading's record is vastly improved since these statistics were generated, however, since they have now put the parking wardens duties out to a 3rd party company, who are obviously working to quotas instead of just keeping the streets clear.

 

:roll:

[craigowl 0]

My wife got one in Reading about 40 years ago, since then we have never had another. :onfire: :roll:

[Phil K 0]

The last one I got was about 2 years ago - never paid it and haven't heard anything more about it either... pretty lucky I guess 8)

 

"I f'kin hate traffic wardens"

[bristolbaron 10]

"I f'kin hate traffic wardens"

 

I have no problems at all with traffic wardens. it's so simple, park legally and your okay!

[Phil K 0]

I was quoting from Lock Stock and two smoking barrels...

 

I don't have any major issue with them - but you have to admit a lot of them are jobsworths that like to think they are important...

[dr_mat 0]

Reading's lot are brilliant. There's a stretch just outside the train station that's a shared entrance road between the train station short-stay car park (free for up to 30 minutes) and some huge office complex. People habitually do drop-offs on this stretch of road, and the office complex decided to employ some paid-by-the-ticket company to "police" it. They set up a camera there, and pretty much sit there making a note of car number plates of anyone who slows down, let alone stops, on that stretch...

 

And in another classic Reading parking beurocracy demonstration, around 2 years ago they completely revamped the parking permit scheme, and the parking regulations actually came in BEFORE the council had got around to printing and issuing all the new permits. HUNDREDS of people got ticketed, despite displaying the old permits (thereby proving entitlement to the new ones). Whole streets got ticketed at a time. No mercy...

 

I have no problem with sensibly applied parking laws for the good of the community as a whole, but anally applied nit-picking laws does no-one any favours. (Such as 75mph speed cameras on motorways, while we're on the subject...) Grrrr...

[bristolbaron 10]

- but you have to admit a lot of them are jobsworths...

 

calling people jobsworth is great 8)

 

there are the few that enjoy their job a little tooo much, same as bouncers.. the ones that weren't quite good/corrupt (delete as appropriate) enough to be police officers, but on the whole i think they're just doing a poor job for poor money. bless 'em.

[dinkus 10]

"I f'kin hate traffic wardens"

 

I said knock him out, not touch him up

 

Hmm I'm sure that quote's been used on a different thread in the last couple of days.

[Shilakadaddy 0]

Reading's lot are brilliant. There's a stretch just outside the train station that's a shared entrance road between the train station short-stay car park (free for up to 30 minutes) and some huge office complex. People habitually do drop-offs on this stretch of road, and the office complex decided to employ some paid-by-the-ticket company to "police" it. They set up a camera there, and pretty much sit there making a note of car number plates of anyone who slows down, let alone stops, on that stretch...

 

I think I remember seeing that on the news, I don't know whether it was the same place, but definately somewhere with a similar setup where a private company was hired to catch people stopping... They went so far that one woman was actually caught when she stopped to read the sign that explained you weren't allowed to stop! :roll: Turns out they'd made the sign too small and all these tickets being issued would never hold up in court anyway... people still paid tho :?

[Big-ted 0]

Reading's lot are brilliant. There's a stretch just outside the train station that's a shared entrance road between the train station short-stay car park (free for up to 30 minutes) and some huge office complex. People habitually do drop-offs on this stretch of road, and the office complex decided to employ some paid-by-the-ticket company to "police" it. They set up a camera there, and pretty much sit there making a note of car number plates of anyone who slows down, let alone stops, on that stretch...

 

Crap! Does this still apply? I stood there yesterday chatting to some friends after I dropped them off.... Surely they would have to notify you at the time you comitted the offence?

 

[khurrado 0]

The last one I got was about 2 years ago - never paid it and haven't heard anything more about it either... pretty lucky I guess 8)

 

"I f'kin hate traffic wardens"

 

Ive heard that the local govts biggest problem is unpaid tickets. However, if they still have the ticket on record, im sure that its only a matter of time b4 they could just pass the details on to a bailiff, and then that 40 pound will become 500.

[dr_mat 0]

That's actually true - they have to notify you at the time, that's why the tickets aren't legal. But you will have to have the balls to refuse to pay and contest the charge, which is why most people just pay up without asking..

[Big-ted 0]

My friend, when it comes to contesting parking tickets, I have balls like you wouldn't believe... ;)

[khurrado 0]

That's actually true - they have to notify you at the time, that's why the tickets aren't legal. But you will have to have the balls to refuse to pay and contest the charge, which is why most people just pay up without asking..

 

what do you mean, with ref to legality?

[dr_mat 0]

Yes.

[Phil K 0]

Lets just say... you had a ticket issued and by the time you got back to the car some of the local kids had whipped it off your C (as they obviously recognise a quality car that shouldn't be decorated with bits of paper)... you get back unaware there was ever a ticket there and thus don't pay!

 

Over a year and a half later the council send the heavies round to take your hoover / dyson - what ever your preference (cos everything else you own is "borrowed / rented / not yours - honest ;) ) This is obviously the first time you have heard anything about a ticket - so, would you have a leg to stand on (or a hoover / dyson to prop your self up with)...?

[dr_mat 0]

That is different. Somehow..

Can't remember the legalities of it, but I think a notice has to be served on the vehicle. I read it in the press... Or maybe it's more about CCTV evidence alone not being sufficient? Dunno. I was told these tickets aren't legal unless there was a person out there serving tickets.

[Skimask 0]

In Edinburgh, when they ticket a car, the warden has a digital camera. They photograph the car, (all around) and then take pics with the ticket attached. They even photograph the 'pay and display' ticket if its out of time. I suppose it helps when there is a dispute - bit it is fair.