5,000 more parking tickets were issued on the Isle of Wight last year, than the year before.
Recent figures from the Isle of Wight council have revealed just how many fines parking wardens dished out between April 2022 and March 2023, and why.
Over the 12 month period, 26,886 penalty charge notices were issued to motorists, compared to 21,595 the year before.
The Isle of Wight council made nearly £4.5 million from its parking services between April 2022 and March 2023, through fines, permits and parking fees.
It is £500,000 more than it made between the same period in 2021 and 2022.
What they were issued for
The top penalty charge notices were issued for:
- Parking in a car park without paying – 6,253
- Parking in a restricted street during the prescribed hours – 4,377
- Parked on-street for longer than permitted – 3,496
- Parked on street without paying – 2,875
- Parked in a car park without clearly displaying a valid ticket, voucher or parking clock – 1,687
- Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid permit or clearly displaying one – 1,203
- Parked in a car park after the expiry of paid time – 1,164
- Fines were also issued for the following offences:
- Stopped in a restricted bus stop or stand – 194
- Parked causing an obstruction – 17
- Parked beyond the bay markings in a car park – 345
- Not parked correctly within the markings of a bay or space on a street – 192
- Parked in a disabled parking space without displaying a valid badge on a street – 563
- Parked in a disabled parking space in a car park without displaying a valid badge – 418
- Stopped on a pedestrian crossing marked by zigzags – 71
- Parked in an electric vehicle charging space, on the street, during restricted hours without charging – 13
- Parked in an electric vehicle charging space, in a car park, during restricted hours without charging – 26
Enforcement officers
On average seven ‘civil enforcement officers’ are deployed on the Island a day, out of a team of 14.
In its annual parking report, the council says parking enforcement has become a contentious issue and is often said to be ‘just a money-making exercise’.
It goes on to say,
“In a perfect world, we would be in the position of not having to issue [fines].
“However, this will only happen if drivers comply with parking regulations, traffic regulations and road signs and are never late back to their vehicle.”
Allocated to highway schemes
The money made from fines is allocated to various highway schemes on the Island.
The civil enforcement officers have worn body cameras since 2018, and the council says the incidents of violence and aggression towards the officers has decreased.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
