FEATURE
BPA NORTHERN IRELAND
in the Irish republic, getting closer links with our counterparts there and widening the benefits that we gain from BPA membership.
But there are plenty of controversial parking issues to unite interested parties from all over the UK. Officials from Northern Ireland are looking with interest at England and Wales where wheel-clamping on private land was banned last October. The BPA opposed the ban but persuaded government to make it easier for private operators to manage their car parks through ticketing. In Northern Ireland, clamping remains legal.
Richardson said: ‘A government
department is looking at what Northern Ireland is going to do. ‘They will come up with a proposal for
Northern Ireland. The BPA believes there is a role for clamping in Northern Ireland, but there should be better regulation to protect the motorist.’ The department for health in Northern Ireland also recently published a consultation document on charging for car park spaces in hospitals, and the use of blue badges is another area being examined. Currently, blue badge holders in Northern Ireland can park free in the street, but they have to pay in off-street car parks. The government has launched a consultation on this with one possible option that, in the future, car parks will also be free for blue badge holders.
A united approach
Huge leaps have already been made in cementing stronger links between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland so traffic offenders don’t escape parking charges. Richardson plans to go into more detail about this at the European congress in September. He said: ‘Vehicles from the Republic of Ireland were coming north and parking illegally. ‘There was a problem with getting the drivers’ details. We couldn’t pursue these drivers. We couldn’t get information on a person who owned a vehicle in Dublin, for instance, as there was no data-sharing arrangement. ‘We set up a trial that allows the sharing of information, which has been really successful. It has reduced the number of
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people who park illegally and, in the case of those who still do, we can pursue for the recovery of the penalty.’
The deal has worked for the Irish authorities too, proving particularly useful in tracking down drivers from Northern Ireland who enter the motorway toll area in Dublin, but fail to pay the fee.
The BPA believes there is a role for clamping in Northern Ireland, but there should be better regulation to protect the motorist
‘It’s like the congestion charge in London,’ said Richardson. ‘Once you drive past a certain point your vehicle is captured on CCTV and you are meant to pay within two days. If you don’t pay, then you are pursued for the money. ‘There were a lot of Northern Ireland drivers travelling down to Dublin, driving through and not paying. The Irish government had a problem with this, so this data-sharing exercise has allowed them to pursue those people for the payment of the toll.’
In Northern Ireland, the penalty for illegal street parking increased from £60 to £90 last year and charges were brought in for 25 car parks that were previously free. But, at the heart of everything that Richardson works towards, is a central aim that unites parking experts from all corners of the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Europe. Richardson said: ‘People keep saying, what are your objectives? ‘Our only priority is to reduce illegal parking. If you achieve this, you reap the benefits of less congestion, with easier access to town and city centres, and you improve road safety by preventing people from parking close to pedestrian crossings or junctions. ‘Our biggest challenge is dealing with the public perception. A parking story is only a good story if it’s a bad story. For us, maintaining the credibility of the service and acceptance of what we do is key. ‘Attendants out on the street are there to do a difficult job, but a job that has been proven to be needed right across all the major towns and cities in the UK and Ireland.’
The 16th European Parking Congress 2013 is organised by the Irish Parking Association. It will take place at the Convention Centre in Dublin, Ireland, from 11-13 September. Visit the BPA website for further details
www.britishparking.co.uk
www.britishparking.co.uk
NIGELANDREWS / SHUTTERSTOCK
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