£667m

Fergie76

That's the amount that councils have raised from parking charges. It's not a cash cow though...

http://news.sky.com/story/1390488/councils-revenue-from-parking-reaches-667m

daveyjp

Council penalty money is ringfenced to road improvements.

PPC income is ringfenced to large yachts in the Med!

peter_the_piper

daveyjp wrote: »

Council penalty money is supposed to be ringfenced to road improvements.

PPC income is ringfenced to large yachts in the Med!

Just a slight correction about councils.

daveyjp

If you can show the money from Councils hasn't been spent on road and transport improvements report them to the Omdudsman.

The expected reduction in Council budgets (30-50% from current levels by 2020) means in 5 - 10 years time more of Council's income will have to be from revenue generation and it is a situation we had all better get used to it. At present too many people think huge Council spending reductions won't hit them. It will hit all of us.

As an example of changes to come our local TV has just had a story about roads not being gritted. As its not a statutory function it is a service which will be reduced drastically and may disappear, unless revenue can be generated to cover the costs. Parking penalties are a prime example of an income generator to cover gritting services.

The problem comes when, as has happened this year at some Councils, motorists abide by the rules and penalty charge notice income reduces.

Coupon-mad

If you can show the money from Councils hasn't been spent on road and transport improvements report them to the Ombudsman.

Depends what you call 'improvements' as opposed to hair-brained schemes to justify some Council middle Manager(overpaid suit)'s existence. For example in Brighton, thanks to the Greens, the ridiculous amount of PCN money (second only to London I think) goes on:

- cycle lanes that are almost as wide as the main road - on both sides even though it's wide enough for bikes to pass each other - causing tailbacks of cars at peak times where there used to be 2 lanes in both directions (what do they actually think car drivers are going to do, resign from their jobs or all start cycling or using the bus?).

- cycle lanes where it is dangerous for the cyclists and an accident waiting to happen (The Drive in Hove and the Vogue Gyratory in Brighton to name two in that City).

- 20mph limits all over the place which the Police then refused to/could not possibly 'police'.

- bus lanes for the sake of bus lanes, because they can, because they hate cars. Causing visitors to stop visiting Brighton as they cannot get past the queues in places like Lewes Road, the main road tourists would need to use when they arrive into the City.


Nice work...

Hot_Bring

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Depends what you call 'improvements' as opposed to hair-brained schemes to justify some Council middle Manager(overpaid suit)'s existence. For example in Brighton, thanks to the Greens, the ridiculous amount of PCN money (second only to London I think) goes on:

- cycle lanes that are almost as wide as the main road - on both sides even though it's wide enough for bikes to pass each other - causing tailbacks of cars at peak times where there used to be 2 lanes in both directions (what do they actually think car drivers are going to do, resign from their jobs or all start cycling or using the bus?).

- cycle lanes where it is dangerous for the cyclists and an accident waiting to happen (The Drive in Hove and the Vogue Gyratory in Brighton to name two in that City).

- 20mph limits all over the place which the Police then refused to/could not possibly 'police'.

- bus lanes for the sake of bus lanes, because they can, because they hate cars. Causing visitors to stop visiting Brighton as they cannot get past the queues in places like Lewes Road, the main road tourists would need to use when they arrive into the City.

Nice work...

Oooooo ..... don't get me started CM - Greens and Hyypia .... grrrrrr :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

The_Deep

In Reading they spend the money on speed bumps, bottle necks, bus lanes, cycle lanes, daft street furniture, and cameras. They think that these are more important than repairing potholes.

Not_Scammed

The_Deep wrote: »

In Reading they spend the money on speed bumps, bottle necks, bus lanes, cycle lanes, daft street furniture, and cameras. They think that these are more important than repairing potholes.

Yep, IMHO Reading Council sucks.

I've got to the point that I either refuse to take jobs in Reading or apply a huge surcharge on customers for deliveries there. I make it clear that I am doing this and why. The council seem to be on a mission to fine as many drivers as possible. Obviously this extra charge works its way through to the end customer in Reading so life in Reading becomes more expensive due to the grasping actions of their council.

BenefitMaster

It's funny - I never have a problem in Reading.