Parking firm ‘fat cats’ have argued fines should be increased – with brazen claims it will ‘protect the NHS’ and help reduce CO2 emissions.
As ministers consider new rules for parking charges, some of Britain’s largest car parks have advised the Government to increase penalty charges to the £120 option being looked at in Scotland.
They have fought against proposals to cut notices to £50 with a 50 per cent reduction if paid early in some areas – instead asking the current £100 cap be boosted.
The boss of one of the UK’s biggest hospital parking firms, which has been criticised for its ‘immoral’ charges, astonishingly suggested this would ‘protect the NHS’.
Photo of the notice of penalty placed on the car’s windshield. Parking firms have argued fines should be increased amid brazen claims it will ‘protect the NHS’ and help reduce CO2 emissions
Philip Boynes, chief of Parkingeye, told the Commons housing, communities and local government committee the ‘deterrent’ of a hefty penalty ensures motorists don’t overstay and block spaces for potential patients in town centres.
He said reduced fines would see breaches ‘doubling’ and cause ‘bigger traffic jams as people struggle to park and raise CO2 levels.’
He added: ‘In effect we would probably see something in the region of £100million in lost revenue to businesses, we would see circa 80 million lost footfall to the NHS, to retail, to the high street.’
Jack Cousens, of the AA, said he was ‘sceptical’ higher fines would be a deterrent.
He said: ‘That’s not how drivers think.
‘Drivers simply just want to park, pay the rate and get on with their day.’