Stafford Borough Council’s team of traffic officers issued 13,334 Penalty Charge Notices to drivers who flouted yellow line and other parking restrictions across the borough in the 2010/11 financial year – that’s 36 every single day.
But the council says income generated from the issuing of tickets was lower than expected.
A report to Tuesday’s Joint Parking Committee meeting states: “Total income from the issue of Penalty Charge Notices (£448,240) is lower than anticipated both on and off-street.
“This can be mainly attributed to the reduction in indiscriminate parking and increased compliance from motorists which demonstrates the ‘Clear Streets’ message is working.”
- More than one in 10 of the tickets issued were cancelled on appeal. A total of 1,785 tickets were cancelled during the period, or 13%.
After operating costs, any surplus from the issue of these Penalty Charge Notices goes back into the county transport budget.
- The report also states that the “ambassadorial role” of the civil enforcement officers (CEOs) “continues to develop”. It states: “A total of 171 debriefs were submitted during this period reporting a variety of events and assistance provided.
“These range from reports of pot holes in the road/car parks, to assistance given to members of the public who were feeling unwell, to assisting the police at the scene of road accidents, crime reduction operations and reporting of suspicious incidents.”
The report includes one crash in Stone: “Whilst on patrol in Stone, the CEO heard a collision and went to the crash scene where she comforted the unconscious male driver whist calling 999.
“The CEO subsequently followed instruction given by ambulance control until the emergency service doctor arrived. She then assisted the police with traffic duty until the driver was cut free from the wreckage and the scene cleared. The mother of the driver has subsequently contacted us to pass on her sons’ wishes to thank the CEO for the assistance given.”
You can read the full report on the borough council’s website. There’s also lots of information about civil parking enforcement here.
