LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS
NEWS
MERGER OFFERS MORE FLEXIBILITY
Four local authorities in the south west are starting 2013 with new RingGo and Parkmobile solutions in place. Gravesham Borough Council, Dacorum Borough Council, East Devon District Council and Mid Devon District Council all rolled out services just before Christmas. Dacorum and Mid Devon are offering RingGo, while Gravesham and East Devon are using Parkmobile’s start-stop solution. These four new council additions mean that nearly 90 local authorities across the UK now offer one or other of Parkmobile UK’s cashless parking solutions. With registration details merged between the two services, motorists no longer need to provide details twice, so using similar signage actively drives usage, according to commercial director, Harry Clarke. ‘We’re obviously keen to maximise the benefits of our joint operation,’ he said. ‘So
PROSECUTION WARNING FOR
SHROPSHIRE Rogue parkers abusing blue badges in Shropshire could be prosecuted, says the county council’s public protection manager Frances Darling, after Stella Taylor of Shrewsbury was fined £537. Taylor was prosecuted by Shropshire Council at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court in January under the Road Traffic Act 1984. Suspicions had been raised by CEOs
our focus has been on our superior footprint, combined database of registered motorists and wider portfolio of services.’ Peter O’Driscoll, sales director for
Parkmobile UK added: ‘Some councils prefer “buy in advance” phone parking. Others like the ‘start-stop’ ethos where customers pay only for the time they park. Whichever local authorities choose our aim is to ensure they gain maximum uptake.’
that Taylor was misusing a blue badge belonging to a family member. Shropshire Council officials said investigations showed she used the blue badge to avoid paying parking charges in the town centre between March 22 and July 10 last year. ‘We do not like taking this level of enforcement against people,’ said Darling, ‘but we have a duty to protect genuine blue badge holders, and consequently we will give serious consideration to prosecuting.’
“Parking fraud costs local government £46m” Annual Fraud Indicator (Audit Commission report 2013 p.33)
In 2012 BBFI in partnership with local government and the police seized over 350 fake, lost, stolen and misused blue badges. The councils then successfully prosecuted over 200 cheats. The Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges Bill will get Royal Assent this year and gives you a great opportunity to reduce your liability to fraud.
Let BBFI train your staff and set up your processes and procedures. Our services range from two days’ training to fully running investigation & prosecution teams. Established in 2008, we work in partnership with ten local authorities.
Contact Paul Slowey on
info@bbfi.co.uk or 07931 538823. Visit us at Traffex (stand P191) or
www.bbfi.co.uk
www.britishparking.co.uk
FEBRUARY 2013
11
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