New plans could see motorists granted a 15 minute ‘grace period’ to park, free of charge, on double yellow lines, booktheorytesttoday.com has learned.
The proposals are being considered in a bid to boost High Streets allowing drivers to pick up goods for shops or leave their cars in bays for longer without having to face a potential fine.
The idea has been greeted well by the Tories, however their Coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats are less keen on the plans.
Local councils have often been criticised for using parking fines as ‘cash cows’ to boost income amid budget cuts however, councils refute these claims.
Under current road laws, parking and waiting on double yellow lines is prohibited – unless a sign indicates otherwise – for all vehicles besides those making a commercial delivery or retrieving a package, disability badge holders and emergency service vehicles.
Some council authorities across the UK already permit motorists to park, free of charge, for a period of 30 minutes, close to retail outlets. A number of Tory ministers within the Coalition government are open to the idea of extending this time limit in order to provide a much needed boost to small shops on the High Street.
In a TV review by retail expert Mary Portas in 2011 she recommended that in order to preserve the future of the High Street town centre parking would need to be made more affordable.
Sources close to Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, told the Daily Telegraph that ‘over aggressive’ parking enforcement was probably one of the root causes behind the declining popularity of UK High Streets.
In a direct statement from Mr Pickles, he said: “If people are worried about paying a fortune in fines, it will make them more likely to shop online or go to out-of-town shopping centres. For too long, parking has been a revenue raiser. It is time to end that.â€
Conservative officials intend to issue new guidelines before the next general election, with the hope of encouraging local councils to seriously consider the possibility of introducing a grace period anywhere between five and fifteen minutes for motorists parked on double yellow lines.
However, in a statement from Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrats transport minister, he said: “It would be wrong for ministers to interfere with councils’ parking policies. However, the maximum and minimum fine levels that are set by the government are to be reviewed.â€
According to reports, the Liberal Democrats are more in favour of raising the cap for parking fines. However, motoring groups have voiced opposition to such proposals citing that councils would become more reliant on parking charges for revenue if cap rates were raised.
In a statement from the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents over 300 local authorities across England & Wales, they said: “Double yellow lines ‘keep people safe and traffic moving’ and there are ‘better ways’ to attract people to High Streets.â€
The statement continued: “Removing parking restrictions on these parts of the road could jeopardise the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists and create further traffic jams,†said Councillor Peter Box, chairman of the economy and transport board at the LGA.
He added: “A 15-minute window for parking would also be costly and impractical to monitor.â€
Tags: Car Legislation, Driving Fines, Driving Laws, Driving Legislation, Driving Penalties, Driving Penalty Points, UK Driving Laws