New research from Churchill Insurance reveals that local councils hit motorists with parking fines worth around £255m in 2013. Excluding parking tickets issued by the police and private companies, the research revealed that approximately 7.8 million parking Penalty Charge Notice were distributed across the UK last year, equating to one ticket issued every four seconds.
Separately it has been revealed that hundreds of councils have turned to static CCTV cameras and cars equipped with CCTV to raise £312 million in revenue. The report, compiled followed Freedom of Information requests by civil liberty campaign group Big Brother Watch, claimed the money had been generated from the issuing of Penalty Charge Notices for parking and motoring misdemeanours in the five years to 1st March, 2013.
The revelations come as ACFO holds a members-only seminar entitled “Another Fine Mess?” starting at 10am on Tuesday 3rd June 2014 at the Henry Ford College, University Way, Loughborough, LE11 3TL.
The “master class” of issues to be tackled will include liabilities facing employees and employers when a local authority issues a Penalty Charge Notice or police issue a Fixed Penalty Notice; the fine and appeal process relating to parking in public car parks and on private land; and HR issues impacting on employers and employees when fines are levied.
More than 100 ACFO members have already pre-registered for the event, which is being sponsored by Ford.
ACFO director John Pryor, who has been instrumental in arranging the seminar, said: ‘We are holding the seminar because ACFO members have already told us of the nightmare facing employees and employers when police issue a Fixed Penalty Notice or a local authority issues a Penalty Charge Notice.
‘This latest research provides further evidence of the extent to which fines are being issued.
‘In many areas, parking restrictions can be confusing and appear inconsistent, while the use of CCTV by local councils further adds to the complexity as drivers may not immediately know that they have been “caught” with any potential offence only coming to light many days later when notification is received.’
Pryor concluded: ‘Legal action always provokes worries. Our expert speakers will deliver to members the complete low down on the issues and what actions to take both in terms of paying or appealing any Fixed Penalty or Penalty Charge Notice and if a driver receive a notice of intended prosecution.
‘Fines relating to parking and motoring offences must be taken seriously and our seminar will be an education master class for our members.’
ACFO members can book their seminar place by emailing the ACFO Membership Services’ Organisation at [email protected]or go to www.acfo.org. Non-ACFO members wishing to attend the seminar can do so by joining the organisation before 3rd June.
