News from Labour
London Borough of Barnet Labour Group
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For immediate
release
1 November 2014
Huge increase in parking appeals
Figures just released by the Parking and Traffic
Appeals Service (PATAS) show that the number of appeals against parking tickets
issued by Barnet Council has risen by 45% and is now the second highest out of
all London boroughs.
In 2013-14, there were 3,470 formal appeals against
penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by Barnet Council, up from 2,393 in
2012-13. This is even higher than the 3,235 appeals against PCNs issued
by Westminster Council tickets, a borough covering central London and which
issues far more tickets.
The figures also show that Barnet lost almost 60% of
its cases at PATAS, one of the worst records in London. In answer to a
question submitted by Labour’s environment spokesperson, Councillor Alan
Schneiderman, the Council has revealed that in hundreds of cases it doesn't
defend its case and the resident’s parking fines are simply written off.
And in some cases, the Council contests the appeal but then fails to submit any
evidence leading to parking adjudicators making an automatic judgement in
favour of the resident.
Cllr Schneiderman said: “Barnet has been treating
motorists as a cash cow for too long and these figures prove it. A huge
rise in the number of appeals is bad enough but the fact that the Council loses
almost 60% of appeals - and fails to defend hundreds of them is proof that too
many tickets are unfairly issued.”
“It’s time for the Tories to admit that the
outsourced parking service has failed and we should look at bringing it back
under Council control.”
Ends.
Notes:
1. The Parking and
Traffic Appeal Service (PATAS) considers appeals against Penalty Charge Notices issued by all
London local authorities.
2. The appeal statistics
for 2012-13 and 2013-14 can be found on the PATAS website: PATAS Annual Report
3. Council Questions to
the Leader can be found on Barnet’s website at: Full council meeting 4 November 14
Councillor Schneiderman’s questions are Nos 8, 38 and
54.
Trouble is they are still making shedloads of money and people continue to vote for them !! The fact is there are virtually no penalties at all for council ruthlessness, venality, and rapacity in parking enforcement, least of all in Barnet. Do people really know who they are voting for when the get a PCN on their car ? Do they even link the two things together ?
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