NEWS
GENERAL
THUGS GET CAMERA SHY
The number of council parking enforcement staff attacked while on duty in Leeds has fallen by almost half since officers were issued with shoulder-mounted cameras.
Assaults and verbal abuse incidents recorded dropped from 154 in 2010 to 79 last year. Leeds City Council introduced the cameras in 2010 after threatening behaviour was identified as a major problem in some parts of the city.
According to council parking manager Mark Jefford, cameras have given CEOs on the beat much more confidence. Jefford said the council did its homework before issuing the new equipment. ‘The early number of assaults was terrible. It was a big issue for us,’ he told Parking News. ‘We didn’t buy the cameras just hoping they would work. We thought the technology would have a big impact but we’d have been happy with any measurable impact. ‘They’re just part of our
strategy. We’ve improved training by working with a company that also trains doormen. It’s all to do with the way you approach people.’
The council spent about £7,000 on 12 cameras. Each has a yellow sticker, clearly noticeable to anyone close up. ‘If anyone turns aggressive,
WARNING AS PARKING FINE SCAM HITS CROYDON
they (CEOs) say we’re going to start recording you. Then people usually back off,’ said Jefford. He said only one CEO had needed medical attention after being assaulted. Officers patrolling the streets have reported feeling safer and they believed the cameras were a deterrent. However, the desirability of routinely using body cameras is still under consideration by the British Parking Association. It hasn’t yet done any sector-wide research to assess how effective they are at cutting anti-social behaviour. ‘We’d support better protection for CEOs rather than this methodology (of using cameras) until we’re confident we
understand the data protection implications,’ said Dave Smith, BPA’s head of public affairs and research.
‘Where it may be understood why the police use body-worn video (BWV) when, for example, controlling a demonstration, can the same be expected for car park personnel?’
A spokesperson for the Information Commissioner said that local authorities thinking of using BWV or headcams ‘must consider whether there is a pressing need to capture images of people in this way. ‘The commissioner would expect councils… to give people appropriate information that such a system was in use.’
LEICESTER CAR PARK ORDERED TO CLOSE
An unauthorised car park on the site of the former Leicester City football ground has been ordered to close by the government’s planning inspectorate. The site, with space for up to 220 vehicles, has been used as a car park since 2010, with planning permission from the city council being withdrawn in 2011. Operator UK Parking had been locked in a legal wrangle with Leicester City Council over
8 JUNE 2013
the use of the ground but the dispute ended in April, following the backing of the planning inspectorate.
The ground had been leased from Downing Developments, which has plans for 77 terraced houses to be built on the site. The dispute arose after local residents complained about noise, dust and excessive traffic noise when the car park was in use.
Croydon residents are being put on their guard following a parking scam where drivers have been threatened with bailiff action over unpaid fines.
The scam consists of a text message being sent stating ‘To avoid bailiffs coming to your property tomorrow, please visit
www.bailiffs-gov. uk.’ Also provided are a reference number and PIN code for the site, where the user is informed they have a fine of around £80. Little detail is provided about how the fine has been accrued. Payment is requested by credit/debit card or Ukash voucher, while weight is lent to the claims with personal details, such as the registration number, make of car and home address. The scammers had been using a false address in Croydon. The website has now been taken down. It is understood the scammers got information from car-buying/car-selling websites that have passed on the data. Consumers have been urged not to part with any money, and to watch out for similar websites appearing.
www.britishparking.co.uk
YURI ARCURS / SHUTTERSTOCK
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