PARKEX2013 REVIEW
He added: ‘Members who have been suspended (for not complying with the code of practice) are not happy – they felt they were working within the guidelines of the code of practice. Our group can the lobby the DVLA and the BPA and set up a competitive association.’
In the question and answer session that followed, chief executive of the BPA Patrick Troy said: ‘We are mature enough to take this criticism on the chin and listen to what you have to say. A lot of what you say will chime with people here, and we know we have a lot of work still to do. My question is what you see as the alternative to POPLA – surely it is something to be welcomed? It is an attempt to help the motorist and, while we know it is not perfect, I don’t know why you are attacking it.’
PARKEX REVIEW Has parking gone mad?
Austen Hunter, head of parking services for Brighton and Hove led a panel discussion on the sanity of the parking profession. The results did not always make for comfortable listening for many within the room. Nick Lester, president of the European
Parking Association (EPA), spoke to the delegates via a live link. He said: ‘I do think that parking has gone mad. In part this is to do with simple growth. Most motorists are finding parking increasingly hard because of lack of space. There is a golden memory of being able to park without paying. So it is increasingly an issue. The police have traditionally not taken a strong interest in parking enforcement and this has led to a position over generations where the restrictions of parking is seen as voluntary. ‘I recently heard a delegation from the
Federation of Small Businesses talk about parking killing off businesses, but they only had anecdotal evidence to demonstrate that parking is ruining the economy.’ Jo Abbot, communications officer for the
RAC Foundation spoke out for the motorists living outside the major cities. ‘So many people cannot do without the car. And the car itself is getting greener by the day. But parking restrictions makes life too difficult – the school run leaves children crying and grown women weeping.’
She said, with 73 per cent of the population possessing driving licences, and with cars spending 93 per cent of
24 MAY 2013 PARKEX REPORT In brief
In an innovative ‘first’, Parkex hosted a five minute speed-dating session for companies to sell their product to the audience
TAKING THE INITIATIVE With more than 500 investigations a year into blue badge fraud, and more than 300 convictions a year, the blue badge Fraud Initiative is having an impact upon blue badge fraud. But with 2.4 million blue badges in circulation, fraud varies from area to area. Gloucester, for example, has compliance levels of 93 per cent, compared with Hammersmith or Walthamstow, where compliance is around 30 per cent.
ALPHA OPERATOR Billed as ‘the only’ one-stop shop for parking consultancy, Alpha Parking offers accredited City & Guilds qualifications, as well as bespoke training. It also offers consultancy services in a wide range of other areas, such as signs and lines, traffic orders and procurement issues.
LIGHTING THE WAY
There is no standardised product in the LED lighting market. Although LED is recognised as a cost-effective and carbon-reducing option, it still has a wide range of products, offering different, and
sometimes unreliable specifications. Apex Lighting is an agency that undertakes independent tests to verify specifications.
ALERT TO CHANGE Videalert’s background is in security, which means it has the capability of monitoring unattended moving traffic contraventions. The system tracks movement, something that many ANPR systems cannot do. With many number plates unreadable on some ANPR systems, a software programme that allows high quality recognition will help improve enforcement processes.
NEW WAYS TO PAY Parking is part of a payment revolution under the Pay By Phone system. Linking into parent company PayPoint, motorists can now pay for their parking via mobile phone, credit card or by going into one of thousands of PayPoint outlets. This reduces reliance on pay and display machines and the cost and security of con collections.
TICKETS ARE NO BARRIER
Eliminating the need for tickets, New Park Security has introduced a high definition software engine system and camera for use as ANPR. Number plates can be scanned on entry and exit.
www.britishparking.co.uk
the time parked, that parking was a very important issue, and one that should have a government department dedicated to its management.
Chief adjudicator for the motorists appeals
service Caroline Sheppard pointed out that ‘clearly there were lots of places where parking was not a problem at all.’ She said: ‘There are lots of local authorities from who we receive no appeals. Why aren’t we comparing those authorities who get a lot of appeals with those areas where parking clearly does work? ‘People are polarised in their views about parking. In the course of my work, I see good citizens who are being driven mad by an inflexible approach taken by their local authority. We must remember that parking enforcement is most people’s only contact with the justice system or their local council. I would suggest there are many authorities who do not appear to be very good to their community.’
Sheppard then referred to the words of
Robert Mark, who was the mastermind behind the first decriminalised parking scheme in Leicester in the 1960s. ‘Mark said: “Prevention is the primary role, informing and directing the public to alternative parking spaces; enforcement is a
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52