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Parking ticket hot spot revealed
TRAFFIC wardens can’t be accused of shirking their duties as figures show drivers in Westminster were stung with more tickets than in any other London borough.
Wardens issued about 825,000 tickets between April 1 last year and March 31 2008, swelling their coffers to the tune of £38 million.
Westminster has doled out 300,000 more tickets than Camden, the second highest earning borough.
Parking chiefs have pledged a 10 per cent reduction in tickets this year. The council has long had the reputation of being overzealous with its ticketing policy, raising the ire of residents and visitors, who see it as a stealth tax.
John Zamit, chairman of the South East Bayswater Residents’ Association said: “It’s not really a surprise, given the borough is the busiest, but there’s no doubt it’s a money making machine, as they’re using CCTV to catch drivers out.”
The council denies the hike is part of any overt plan to raise revenues. Councillor Danny Chalkley, cabinet member for economic development and transport said: “We have introduced common sense parking measures in Westminster. In six months, this has resulted in nearly 40 per cent fewer tickets issued to resident permit holders and a drop of about 50 per cent for the number of tickets issued to HGV drivers.”
Westminster also tops the list for clamping, with more than 14,000 motorists hit. The figure in Camden was 64. |
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