NEWS BPA NEWS
MASTERING THE PARKING PROFESSION
The BPA Master Plan has been formulated as a follow-up to last year’s Parking Summit, and subsequent meetings between the BPA, representatives from the government, stakeholders and the parking profession. The document sets out a series of actions that the BPA believes are essential to
achieve success, upon which the BPA has campaigned strongly. A priority for the
BPA is for a level of consistency in the government’s approach to parking. One department dealing with the sector would be far preferable to the current situation, in which parking issues are dealt with by a confusing combination
of the Department for Transport (DfT), the Home Office and the Department for Health (DoH). On the theme of consistency, the
document also outlines the need for a review of the penalty charge in England and Wales, as it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a big inconsistency between charging levels in London and the rest of the country, and quite often the charges fail to act as a deterrent to non-compliance. The Master Plan highlights the need for bold and sweeping reforms to be put in place to raise the standards and the image of the private parking industry. An independent appeals
service for the entire private parking sector, similar to the principles established by existing road traffic law provided for local authority parking enforcement throughout the UK, is essential if the public is to get a right to appeal and an independent and fair hearing when receiving a ticket. Making membership of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA) compulsory for all parking operations would allow for greater regulation, but it should be the government who takes responsibility for regulating the private parking operations. To assist private operators with
enforcement issues, the BPA suggests that the owner of a vehicle be
made liable for charges imposed in private car parks, as is the case in existing road traffic law, or to make it a legal requirement that the owner identifies the driver. Presently, there is no such requirement.
The Master Plan also suggests that the government should have more influence in the regulation of the bailiff sector, by providing a regulator and enforcing conditions of operation via licensing.
The current strong line taken on Blue Badge fraud is something supported in the Master Plan because of public confidence in the scheme’s efficiency. In a move certain to draw fire from some sections of the public,
the Master Plan asks for the Scottish parliament and Welsh Assembly to re-introduce charges for hospital parking, pointing out that to reach high standards of parking provision in hospitals costs money. Finally, the Master Plan recommends that training for civil enforcement officers (CEOs) should be partially funded by the government and the EU in order to raise or maintain standards. Recognising the work of CEO’s by granting them the same legal protection as police officers while they go about their work is something that the Master Plan sees as vital for the industry to move forward.
www.britishparking.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2010
17
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