PRIVATE PARKING
FEATURE
With these options removed it is increasingly important that there are clearly defined, properly signed and well-managed parking schemes in place to maintain access for delivery and emergency vehicles and to guarantee parking rights for residents and other legitimate users.
Misunderstandings still exist Our own recent experience at a number of sites in Greater London, for example, where Ontime Automotive’s Parking Division has been liaising between housing associations, residents’ groups, the police and the directors of a major car club and car sharing organisation, show that the principled objectives embodied by the new act can lead to misunderstandings as many people do not fully understand the changes in the law. As recently reported by the Telegraph, there is widespread ignorance of the new provisions. The paper reported: ‘A survey carried out by the Institute of Advanced Motorists revealed that 91 per cent of people don’t know they are required by law to provide details of the driver of any vehicle wrongfully parked on private land.’
More information needed
abuse. So the answer is to provide a tailor- made service for each client.
Understanding the new laws Our experience as a parking business is helped considerably by our organisation’s experience of vehicle movement, parking control and rescue and recovery operations, We’re adding to that with trained teams available as ‘boots on the ground’ for regular patrols and reporting, which can be based on daily, weekly or monthly visits. We understand that every site has its own characteristics, in particular each client has a different view on how they want the site enforced and residents requirements vary across facilities such as disabled parking, motorcycle bays, loading areas and so on. The new law means that landlords can now neither clamp nor remove vehicles from private parking areas and this includes local authority owned land.
www.britishparking.co.uk
The current position can be something of a minefield, and the last thing that people need is lack of clarity
This lack of knowledge was underlined by Simon Best, chief executive of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, who commented: ‘Road users need to understand the rules of parking in order to abide by them, and industry and government information about the new system is woefully inadequate.’ The current position can be something of a minefield, and the last thing that people need is lack of clarity. Good parking service providers understand the law, how it applies to the rogue parkers and miscreants and what are the best, legal practices to ensure the efficient operation of car parks on private land. We welcome the new law, but we do recognise that for the owners of private car parks, it presents some real challenges, and the need for some clear solutions.
ABOUT the AUTHOR: Eddie Lewis is parking services director at Ontime Automotive
* With the exception of the DVLA, police and other government agency premises or others with specific lawful authority.
FEBRUARY 2013 33
HANS ENGBERS / SHUTTERSTOCK
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