Forum Topic

Parking Enforcement in Hounslow

Can't say it is a great surprise to read in the article on the front page that Hounslow has been unsympathetic to those Good Samaritans who have been given a PCN.It seems to be implied that some of the people fined were in designated parking bays. This is hard to square with the stated reason for the continuation of enforcement to ensure that traffic flow is not obstructed. Can anyone confirm how they are enforcing the restrictions at the moment?

Francis Rowe ● 2378d11 Comments

I don't think the council actually have the power to change the way parking is enforced because the function is contracted out. If they said to their operator that they should only give out tickets in limited circumstances they would be expected to make up any financial shortfall. Parking attendants are not tasked with ensuring the free flow of traffic but issuing a certain amount of tickets every day. They will go where they are most likely to catch people out. Enforcement is continuing because it would be too expensive for the council to stop.

Paul Corcoran ● 2378d

Francis, Please  seet following link.https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/news/article/997/council_offers_parking_permits_to_over_1000_nhs_and_critical_workers_within_boro

John Todd ● 2378d

Cllr Todd, when it states 'Volunteers supporting vulnerable or self-isolating people (extension of the ‘stop & shop’ 30 min parking scheme)' do we know exactly what this means? It seems the problem is that it is exactly this category of person who are getting tickets.

Paul Corcoran ● 2378d

Thanks for that John. As far as I can see from the streets around where I live and on my shopping trips to the High Road there are an ample number of spaces so there doesn't seem to be any reason for someone to park outside a designated bay. It is nice to know that health or care workers would get their fines refunded but is the council saying that this dispensation only applies to salaried workers and that anyone volunteering still has to cough up.

Francis Rowe ● 2378d

Simple answer yes. Follow the link provided by Cllr Todd. Your Conservative Cllrs havecouncillors raised this with Hounslow Council in our correspondence and virtual meetings. We reluctantly accept that suspension of the parking enforcement regime could on balance cause more problems than it solves. We are understand your frustration.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2377d

Apologies - typing on my mobile phone. But I hope that you get my drift.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2377d

Can't police officers issue PCNs for parking violations that potentially cause an obstruction? In which case the suggestion that there would be no parking enforcement is incorrect. What we seem to be getting is a 'business as usual' parking enforcement which is focused on revenue maximisation.

Paul Corcoran ● 2375d

Paul, I checked today.The number of PCNs issued by LBH is currently down by approx 70%.

John Todd ● 2375d

That probably has more to do with the decline in number of car journeys than a more liberal policy on parking from the council. Do we have any data on the number of tickets that have been handed out by area?

Dan Evans ● 2375d

Dan,Less journeys less bays available perhaps?Please see the LBH link I posted on the 1/5/20 which may assist.

John Todd ● 2375d

I was cycling along Chiswick Common Road earlier today. Plenty of spare bays, hardly anyone around other than a Hounslow parking attendant issuing tickets.

Francis Rowe ● 2374d