Parking 'Wardens' Options

[Bartholomew]

I had never had a problem parking in Newbury before the wardens arrived, equally I had never witnessed irresponsible parking or traffic built up as a result of bad parking. Therefore I don't think they are really fulfilling a necessary purpose. However with their being so many changes happeneing all at once in Newbury, it is difficult t tell these days what has changed for better or worse.

Newbury has always had parking wardens. There were fewer of them and their purpose was to keep the roads clear and not to make money.

For many years, the 2 or 3 wardens unobtrusively did what was needed. Ocassionally there were issues and they weren't available but I found this ok.

I think what has caused the increase in numbers and harder approach is that pedestrianisation has caused traffic issues, especially around the Bear Lane area. Squeezing the motorist out means that there will be more congestion. It is unfortunate that WBC chose this approach to deal with the issues.

[JeffG]

Also bear in mind that the national average wage is close to #24k.

£24k? You're kidding, where does that figure come from?

The results of the 2008 ASHE show that median weekly pay for full-time employees in the UK grew by 4.6 per cent in the year to April 2008 to reach £479. Median earnings of full-time male employees was £521 per week in April 2008; for women the median was £412.

Translating that into meaningful figures (p.a.), that's £24,900 (mean), £27,000 (male), and £21,400 (female).
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=285

Several, actually! In Pangbourne and Theale.

You'll be what they call a seasoned traveller, then.

[buttonf1]

i hate all of you. newbury people are insufferable

[GMR]

i hate all of you. newbury people are insufferable

That's the spirit my friend

[Biker1]

i hate all of you. newbury people are insufferable

Cam down, calm down it's only a forum!

[GMR]

Cam down, calm down it's only a forum!

I think he is being paid to put a bit of steel and umph into these boards

[Sarah]

i hate all of you. newbury people are insufferable

Ahh thanks, I've always wanted to be insufferable, I shall die happy now.

[Andy]

i hate all of you. newbury people are insufferable

Why, what's up buffoon1?

[Iommi]

i hate all of you. newbury people are insufferable

Not another West Berkshire Council employee!

[JeffG]

Not another West Berkshire Council employee!

More likely a traffic warden.

[GMR]

More likely a traffic warden.

Or a Taxi driver

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Is a job description available from WBC for the role of Civic Enforcement Officer?
I would be interested to see what their role is and whether they are set any targets etc.

[spartacus]

That sounds like a Freedom of Information request ....

[Strafin]

I received a ticket almost a year ago for failing to pay and display, (I had bought a ticket and displayed it), and have been fighting it ever since. In court despite having the original ticket still I was found guilty and ordered to pay the fine and all the costs (over £200). The reason for this is that the ticket was not stuck to the windscreen on the drivers side but placed on the passengers side dashboard. The judge said that in here opinion the council were nothing short of bullies for pursuing the matter and that she wished she could be on my side. However although the council were not acting within the spirit of the law, they had the letter of it on their side. I can't afford to pursue it any further but anyone defending these greenback ******** should not be so quick to assume they are only dealing with blatent breaches of the rulings, they are out to get all of us.

[On the edge]

I received a ticket almost a year ago for failing to pay and display, (I had bought a ticket and displayed it), and have been fighting it ever since. In court despite having the original ticket still I was found guilty and ordered to pay the fine and all the costs (over £200). The reason for this is that the ticket was not stuck to the windscreen on the drivers side but placed on the passengers side dashboard. The judge said that in here opinion the council were nothing short of bullies for pursuing the matter and that she wished she could be on my side. However although the council were not acting within the spirit of the law, they had the letter of it on their side. I can't afford to pursue it any further but anyone defending these grenback ******** should not be so quick to assume they are only dealing with blatent breaches of the rulings, they are out to get all of us.

I think that's shocking. If the Council had any sense of decency or indeed justice, then given the Judges comments, they'd have paid you back. Its these petty fogging mean minded attitudes that get local government such a bad name. They are there to serve.

[regor]

Talking of injustice, perceived or real, I also got a ticket a couple of years ago.

I had bought an hour ticket and failed to get back in time, 13 minutes overdue.

Well. OK, a minor crime, but fair enough, I was guilty and paid the fine. It was only afterwards that it was pointed out to me that the fine would have been exactly the same if i had not bought a ticket at all and left my vehicle there all day.

Is there no sense of proportionality in these matters?

[JeffG]

Strafin - that's really mean.

On the other hand there are some councils that are more accomodating. Visiting Windsor one day, I bought a pay-and-display ticket, and put it on the dashboard on the driver's side. When I shut the door it must have blown over, because when I got back, it was upside down and I had a parking ticket.

I wrote to Windsor & Maidenhead council to apologise, explaining what must have happened. I enclosed my ticket as proof that it was valid at the time the parking ticket was issued and they rescinded the fine.

[Chesapeake]

Strafin - that's really mean.

On the other hand there are some councils that are more accomodating. Visiting Windsor one day, I bought a pay-and-display ticket, and put it on the dashboard on the driver's side. When I shut the door it must have blown over, because when I got back, it was upside down and I had a parking ticket.

I wrote to Windsor & Maidenhead council to apologise, explaining what must have happened. I enclosed my ticket as proof that it was valid at the time the parking ticket was issued and they rescinded the fine.

I think the key to this matter JeffG is the fact that you wrote an appology to the council concerned. They are more likely to be sympathetic if you write an appology rather than writing in anger and start quoting the usual "I pay my taxes, I pay your wages, This is a disgrace, This is a waste of tax payers money Etc. etc. etc........"
Strange that!

[Iommi]

Just do what I do, don't shop in Newbury. The Retail Park and Tesco cover most bases.

[Strafin]

I think the key to this matter JeffG is the fact that you wrote an appology to the council concerned. They are more likely to be sympathetic if you write an appology rather than writing in anger and start quoting the usual "I pay my taxes, I pay your wages, This is a disgrace, This is a waste of tax payers money Etc. etc. etc........"
Strange that!

How do you know that I didn't? Do you work there? Was it you who pursued it and put me and my wife through months of worry? Wouldn't suprise me, you seem the vindictive type.