Why I was nearly late for work this morning

[Seminole]

Text of an email just sent to Bromley Council:

 

Dear Sir

 

I wish to complain about the actions of one a parking attendant working on behalf of the Council at 8.28am in XXX Avenue, Bromley this morning.

 

I live at 40 XXX Avenue and regularly park on the road outside the property overnight. On many occasions I park on part of the road that is subject to single yellow line parking restrictions between 6.30pm and 8.30am Monday to Saturday. However, I invariably move my car at or before 8.30 in the morning.

 

I was extremely surprised this morning to see a parking attendant standing by my car at 8.28 using her handheld computer to issue a parking ticket. I rushed out of my property to move the car and was able to do so before she issued a ticket. I believe that this is cynical and predatory enforcement of parking regulations.

 

I was an elected councillor in Bromley between 1990 and 1998 and a member of the Council's Technical Services/ Environmental Services Committees for the whole of that period. I recall the debate about the decriminilisation of parking that took place at that time and I was supportive of this change as the Metropolitan Police were ineffective in enforcing parking regulations. However, I also remember being concerned that such a change would not lead to over-zealous enforcement and that it should not be regarded as a profit generating activity. Members were given the assurance that this would not be the case and that, for example, there would be a five minute grace period between a warden identifying an improperly parked car and recording it in their handheld computer and being able to issue the ticket.

 

It would seem that we have moved away from fair enforcement towards a cynical attempt to extort money from motorists. I am also aware that my own experience is not unique. My father, who lives in YYY Avenue, was dealt with in exactly the same way as me a few weeks before Christmas although he just failed to reach his car in time and was fined. He is 85 years old and unfortunately cannot move quite as quickly as I did to thwart the intentions of a public "servant". In his case he was clearly in breach of the regulations and has no complaint as such. However, over-zealous enforcement of parking restrictions immediately after the start time invariably targets local residents who need to move their vehicles rather than shoppers or commuters.

 

I would be obliged if you would answer the following questions (if necessary treating this matter as an enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act):

 

 

• Does your parking contractor issue instructions or guidelines to staff on when they should start to issue a ticket in the circumstances described above ie before the time at which the parking restriction would commence? If so, please provide me with a copy of these instructions or guidelines.

• Does the handheld computer equipment used by your contractor record the time at which the parking attendant starts to issue a ticket? If so please provide me with an analysis of how many times in the past three months this process has started before the commencement time of the relevant parking restriction.

I look forward to receiving your reply.

[petej2811]

If they give you a negative or unhelpful response write the exactl same letter back and add the heading 'FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST'.

 

They will struggle to justify not dishing out in that case.

 

P

[patdavies]

Text of an email just sent to Bromley Council:

 

Dear Sir

 

I wish to complain about the actions of one a parking attendant working on behalf of the Council at 8.28am in XXX Avenue, Bromley this morning.

 

I live at 40 XXX Avenue and regularly park on the road outside the property overnight. On many occasions I park on part of the road that is subject to single yellow line parking restrictions between 6.30pm and 8.30am Monday to Saturday. However, I invariably move my car at or before 8.30 in the morning.

 

I was extremely surprised this morning to see a parking attendant standing by my car at 8.28 using her handheld computer to issue a parking ticket. I rushed out of my property to move the car and was able to do so before she issued a ticket. I believe that this is cynical and predatory enforcement of parking regulations.

 

I was an elected councillor in Bromley between 1990 and 1998 and a member of the Council's Technical Services/ Environmental Services Committees for the whole of that period. I recall the debate about the decriminilisation of parking that took place at that time and I was supportive of this change as the Metropolitan Police were ineffective in enforcing parking regulations. However, I also remember being concerned that such a change would not lead to over-zealous enforcement and that it should not be regarded as a profit generating activity. Members were given the assurance that this would not be the case and that, for example, there would be a five minute grace period between a warden identifying an improperly parked car and recording it in their handheld computer and being able to issue the ticket.

 

It would seem that we have moved away from fair enforcement towards a cynical attempt to extort money from motorists. I am also aware that my own experience is not unique. My father, who lives in YYY Avenue, was dealt with in exactly the same way as me a few weeks before Christmas although he just failed to reach his car in time and was fined. He is 85 years old and unfortunately cannot move quite as quickly as I did to thwart the intentions of a public "servant". In his case he was clearly in breach of the regulations and has no complaint as such. However, over-zealous enforcement of parking restrictions immediately after the start time invariably targets local residents who need to move their vehicles rather than shoppers or commuters.

 

I would be obliged if you would answer the following questions (if necessary treating this matter as an enquiry under the Freedom of Information Act):

• Does your parking contractor issue instructions or guidelines to staff on when they should start to issue a ticket in the circumstances described above ie before the time at which the parking restriction would commence? If so, please provide me with a copy of these instructions or guidelines.

• Does the handheld computer equipment used by your contractor record the time at which the parking attendant starts to issue a ticket? If so please provide me with an analysis of how many times in the past three months this process has started before the commencement time of the relevant parking restriction.

I look forward to receiving your reply.

 

I would check this before sending - do you mean 08:30am 0 06:30 pm? If not, then at 08:28 am, according to the times you give, the ticket is lawfuly issued