Barnet council have let NSL sow the seeds of dissent by indiscriminately scattering PCN

Barnet's PCNS issued by NSL have sown the seeds of dissent

News from Labour

London Borough of Barnet Labour Group

We’re on your side

For immediate release 

1 November 2014

Huge increase in parking appeals

Figures just released by the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS) show that the number of appeals against parking tickets issued by Barnet Council has risen by 45% and is now the second highest out of all London boroughs.

In 2013-14, there were 3,470* formal appeals against penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued by Barnet Council, up from 2,393 in 2012-13.  This is even higher than the 3,235 appeals against PCNs issued by Westminster Council tickets, a borough covering central London and which issues far more tickets. (*Extra fees of approx £40,000 had to be paid to PATAS)

The figures also show that Barnet lost almost 60% of its cases at PATAS, one of the worst records in London. In answer to a question submitted by Labour’s environment spokesperson, Councillor Alan Schneiderman, the Council has revealed that in hundreds of cases it doesn't defend its case and the resident’s parking fines are simply written off.  And in some cases, the Council contests the appeal but then fails to submit any evidence leading to parking adjudicators making an automatic judgement in favour of the resident.

Cllr Schneiderman said: “Barnet has been treating motorists as a cash cow for too long and these figures prove it.  A huge rise in the number of appeals is bad enough but the fact that the Council loses almost 60% of appeals - and fails to defend hundreds of them is proof that too many tickets are unfairly issued.”

“It’s time for the Tories to admit that the outsourced parking service has failed and we should look at bringing it back under Council control.”

Ends.

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Notes:

1.    The Parking and Traffic Appeal Service (PATAS) considers appeals against Penalty Charge Notices issued by all London local authorities.

2.    The appeal statistics for 2012-13 and 2013-14 can be found on the PATAS website: PATAS Annual Report

3.    Council Questions to the Leader can be found on Barnet’s website at: Full council meeting 4 November 14

Councillor Schneiderman’s questions are Nos 8, 38 and 54.

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Doubtless the council will, as is their wont, blame everyone except themselves.

If:

• they don't properly supervise traffic wardens
• have sufficient resources in-house to monitor the back office
• allow NSL to produce evidence packs and not check them before submission
• have a PCN with defective wording
• have a Notice to Owner with defective wording

etc, etc

then the council really only have themselves to blame.

All I do is share knowledge about Appeals but that gives power to the people.

To reduce the number of Appeals in 2014/15 the council should:

• issue fewer than 165,000 PCN p.a.
• not issue so many marginal PCN
• allow 5 or 10 minute grace periods almost everywhere
• sack NSL

Keep those PATAS Appeals coming, it is starting to hurt the council. It is time to ramp up the pressure.

Yours appealingly

Miss Feezance

Parking charges go up again, but parking income falls

Subject: News Release: Parking charges to increase by 5%, but parking income falls
Importance: High

News from Labour

London Borough of Barnet Labour Group

We’re on your side

For immediate release

Thursday 8 December 2011

Parking charges go up again, but parking income falls

Parking charges are set to increase again by 5% according to a Cabinet Resources report published this week.

But Labour councillors are questioning the logic of year-on-year parking charge increases after recent figures released by the council show income from parking is lower than expected due to a “challenging environment”, with a loss of £418k to predicted parking income.

A 5% increase in parking charges would mean:

• 1^st parking permit increases to £105 per year
• 2^nd parking permit increases to £131.25 per year
• 3^rd parking permit increases to £157.50 per year
• A book of visitors parking permits increases to £50.40 per 10 vouchers
• One hour parking voucher (card of four) would be £8.40
• Half hour parking voucher (card of four) would be £4.20

The parking permit increases published in the Cabinet Resources fees and charges report only lists the prices for purchasing permits online which have been frozen, but the comments in the schedule reveal that “most permit prices are being increased by 5% to reflect inflation but the price of those purchased online is being held to encourage residents to take up this option”.

Labour’s Environment Spokesperson, Cllr Kath McGuirk, said:

"Parking in Barnet is now so expensive people are boycotting our town centres – this is clear from the fact that income from parking is lower than the council predicted, and shows that the increase in parking charges has resulted in less income not more. The Barnet Tories may well put this down to “a challenging environment”, but what they won’t address is how increasing parking charges is creating “a challenging environment” for our hard-pressed residents and struggling traders - they are just not on the side of ordinary people.

It is also incredible that they are hiking up the town centre parking voucher by 5% already when they were only launched last week – it costs less to park outside Harrods then to park in North Finchley!

And the decision to only publish the freeze in permits purchased online, while the small print shows most permits will increase by 5% is frankly cynical."

Since this press release it appears that the question of parking charge increases is under review.

Yours appaelaingly

Miss Feezance