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Glasgow Times
27-07-2025
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
Parking fines generate millions for Glasgow City Council
The eye-watering figure, uncovered by the Glasgow Times through a Freedom of Information request, shows that tickets totalling £25,314,060 were paid by motorists since 2020. The money going into the council's coffers has steadily increased year on year, with the £1.9 million brought in during 2020/21 soaring to a staggering £8.9 million in 2024/25. A sum of just over £3.1m was collected in 2021/22, with just under £4.9m stumped up by drivers the following financial year. This figure rose again in 2023/24 to £6.3m. The figures for 2020/21 include periods of lockdown imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic while the numbers for 2024/25 reflect the increase to the penalty notice charge from £60 to £100, introduced on September 4 2024. The money was generated by council wardens issuing almost 700,000 penalty charge notices across the city since 2020. Again, the data uncovered through the FOI request, shows that more tickets have been dished out by the council in each consecutive 12 month period. The 46,703 issued in 2020/21 rose to 109,297 the following year, before increasing again to 145,081 in 2022/23. Wardens then slapped drivers with 183,957 tickets in 2023/24 before issuing 204,001 fines in 2024/25. In Glasgow, parking penalties, officially known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), are generally £100, but this is reduced to £50 if paid within the first 14 days. These fines apply to violations of any parking regulations, including bus lane restrictions. If a fine remains unpaid for 28 days or after an appeal is rejected, a charge certificate may be issued, increasing the penalty by 50 per cent of the original charge. Anniesland and Drumchapel councillor Paul Carey BEM says the cash brought in through the enforcement process should improve the city's roads. Paul Carey (Image: Supplied) He added: 'This is a massive amount of money and legally has to be reinvested directly into transport infrastructure. 'A sum of £25m could certainly go a long way to making Glasgow a better place to drive." Parking fines have cost Glasgow drivers £25m (Image: NQ) Motorists in Glasgow also now face a £100 fine for parking on pavements after the introduction of controversial new rules earlier this year designed to protect pedestrians, people in wheelchairs and those pushing buggies from being forced onto roads by vehicles left on kerbs. Drivers hit with fines are also currently unable to appeal them through the council's website after a provider's servers were impacted by an attempted cyber attack. READ NEXT: Parking charges to be extended to 10pm in all city zones A statement on Glasgow City Council's website says: 'Experts have investigated a cyber security incident which has affected [[Glasgow City Council]] services. 'Although the incident has disrupted council services, the loss of some web-based services was caused by the isolation of the affected servers, rather than the cyber incident itself. As a result there is currently a fault with our online appeals form. We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible. 'Wherever possible, the council put in place alternative ways to access services on a temporary basis and, in parallel, began safely restoring the affected services. 'Many of the highest priority services are now back online, with temporary workarounds in place for others. A recovery plan is in place to restore each of the affected services, with all but a handful of applications, which are dependent on external support, expected back online by mid-August. 'The council is sorry for the continued inconvenience this will cause customers. Parking appeals can be made by email.' A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said parking enforcement is vital to make sure the system is not abused. They added: 'On-street parking schemes are only introduced where it is clear there is a need to manage parking in those places. 'On-street parking schemes help to address the difficulties parking can cause in communities and improve road safety, particularly for pedestrians. 'Parking zones ensure there is a turnover in pay-as-you-go spaces and also provide easier access to streets for vehicles from the emergency and cleansing services. 'Residents are prioritised with our parking schemes and this helps to ensure residents can park close to home. 'Enforcement is essential to the effective operation of a parking zone, which helps to protect the use of the parking zone for permit holders and free-up spaces for pay-as-you-go parking. 'In line with the relevant road traffic legislation, all revenue raised by on-street parking charges must support the operation of the parking system and the wider roads and transportation system.'
Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Drivers can use just three words to get out of paying parking tickets
An expert says that he often hears parking operators say that the motorist should have read the terms and conditions - but saying these three magic words could save drivers from paying hefty fines A former judge has divulged a straightforward three-word phrase that could help you wriggle out of paying parking fines when contesting a ticket. "I knew nothing," are the magic words from ex-judge Stephen Gold, which might just be your golden ticket to dodging the charge. It appears playing dumb is the way forward, as Gold suggests drivers who believe they were oblivious to the payment specifics stand a good chance at successfully appealing. Chatting with the Daily Mail, he said: "The operator must prove that you agreed to its conditions: if and when you would have to pay, and what would happen if you did not pay. "It will be unable to do this unless it can show that the conditions were displayed on one or more notices at the car park which a reasonable motorist would have seen, even if you did not see them because you drive and walk facing the sky." One could argue they simply missed the parking signs, particularly if they're not prominently placed. There's also a chance that the signage was nowhere to be seen along the path taken by people entering or exiting. \Mr Gold continued: "The car park operator will almost certainly rely on written evidence at the hearing which will include photographs of the signs containing their conditions. But sometimes the photographs will fail to establish where exactly the signs were displayed in relation to where you were parked and the route you would have taken to reach that point." Motorists are being alerted to a spate of counterfeit Penalty Charge Notices, or PCNs, cropping up nationwide, reports Birmingham Live. These sham PCNs are equipped with scam QR codes in a worrying new trend dubbed 'quishing'. A Peckham local reported: "After examining the ticket closely, it became clear that it was a fake, designed to deceive residents into paying fines to a bogus company." In Islington, a motorist discovered a phoney ticket which claimed he had received a "parking charge notice," in contrast to the legitimate "penalty charge notice." The fraudulent notice demands payment of £120 "within the next 14 days" or a "discounted amount" of £60 for "early payments" within seven days. A Southwark Council spokesperson commented: "We are aware of the issue and will be investigating further alongside informing the police. We would urge residents and visitors to remain vigilant and please report any suspicious parking tickets directly to the council's parking team to verify by emailing parking@ or calling 0800 138 9081, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm." It continued: "Anyone who thinks they have been victim of a scam should contact their bank and the police as soon as possible." The council also noted that "the council has not received any reports of these fake parking tickets. They explained: "If someone believes that they have been given a fake parking ticket, they can get advice or report it to Trading Standards by contacting Citizens Advice or report it to Action Fraud."
Daily Record
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Scots drivers face fines for breaking new parking rules from this month
Drivers in parts of Scotland will now be fined if they are caught flouting new parking restrictions. From, Monday, July 7, motorists who park on pavements, dropped kerbs or are caught double parking in East Ayrshire will be slapped with parking tickets - also known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Drivers will be expected to pay £100 which is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. The ban applies to parked and stationary or idling vehicles on private and public roads, where one or more wheels are on the footway. The restrictions were phased in from Monday, June 2, when warning notices were issued to drivers who were caught breaking the rules. During that period, 900 warnings were handed to drivers in the area. Legislation introduced by the Scottish Government in 2019 introduced a ban on pavement parking and gave local authorities more power to enforce it. Local authorities were given permission to decide if the measures would be implemented and when. So far they have been enforced in areas including Stirling, East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, Glasgow, and Perth and Kinross. The goal behind the legislation is to ensure that pavements and roads are safer and more accessible to all as parking on pavements prevents people from walking safely down streets. Councillor Jim McMahon, cabinet spokesperson for housing, transport and communities, said: 'The council has a duty to enforce these parking regulations and we hope that bringing the enforcement into full effect will help to create a safer and more accessible environment for everyone, especially those with sight impairments, mobility issues or anyone pushing buggies or prams. 'It's every driver's responsibility to park their vehicle considerately, and in a way that will not cause an obstruction to the pavement or road. 'We will continually monitor the effects of the enforcement to ensure compliance with the Act and the continued promotion of road safety across East Ayrshire.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Ayrshire Road Alliance warned drivers of the changes on social media on Sunday, June 2. Posting alongside details about the enforcement, they wrote: "Help us make East Ayrshire a safer and more accessible place for everyone by parking responsibly." According to Ayrshire Road Alliance there is an exception in the rules that seeks to support some traders to continue making deliveries. This only applies to activity in the 'course of business' so does not apply to personal activities like unloading shopping or lifting young children out of a car. Delivery drivers can only park on the pavement when the following conditions apply: there must be no reasonable place to park fully on the road there must be 1.5m of pavement width between their vehicle and any wall, fence or bush. If these conditions apply, then the maximum length of time for that the delivery driver can be parked on the pavement is 20 minutes.
Daily Record
03-07-2025
- Daily Record
Skye tourists slapped with £400,000 fines over illegally parked cars at beauty spot
The Highlands council is cracking down on poorly parked motors. More than £400,000 of fines were issued last year at one of Scotland's most iconic beauty spots in a council crackdown on illegal parking. Special teams of wardens were drafted into Skye to tackle what the council describe as "problem parking" by both tourists and locals. A total of 7,011 parking penalties were issued in 2024 - more than double the 2,784 served to motorists in 2020. Poor parking has been a long-standing problem on Skye, with cars and other vehicles often abandoned at the roadside or parked illegally in passing places near attractions such as the Fairy Pools and the Storr. There were 2,797 penalty notices issued in 2021, 3,545 in 2022 and 5,563 in 2023. Already this year more than 2,670 have been issued up to May. Skye is one of the Highland's and Scotland's most popular destinations attracting thousands of visitors each year from across the world. For most the easiest way to get there is by car. Fines totalling £430,000 were handed out in the most recent financial year - April 2024 to March this year. At a car park at The Storr 948 parking tickets were issued totalling £56,350, while 184 notices totalling £10,250 were given out at the Fairy Pools. Another parking blackspot for motorists was the Quiraing on the north of Skye A Highland Council spokesperson said:'There are a number of factors that have contributed to the increase of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued on Skye over the last five years which include an increase in the regulated parking areas, an increase in parking restrictions and no waiting restrictions in key locations to prevent routes being obstructed and an increase in the number of Parking Enforcement Officers. 'Areas that generate high PCN numbers are around key visitor locations, and it is likely that a significant proportion of the PCNs issued on Skye are to visitors at these locations "'Parking rule breaking is a concern and the seriousness of this can depend on the area and frequency. In many areas, it can cause safety issues, block traffic, and create challenging situations for pedestrians and drivers." Fines cost £50 but can rise to £150 if not paid after 70 days. A report to Highland Council Isle of Skye and Raasay committee said an average 70% of parking fines were paid with others having to be written off or pursued through legal or court action. The worst offending area last year was in a car park in Skye's capital Portree where 1,346 tickets were issued totalling £81,850. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. However concerns were expressed yesterday that the parking crackdown could deter tourists from visiting Skye and contributing to the local economy. Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The Automobile Association, said; "Local councils need to get the balance right when it comes to parking enforcement. "Clearly, illegal and anti-social parking should be punished, but if there is concern that drivers are picking up fines due to issues, such as unclear signage or non-working payment machines, then that needs investigating. "Tourism, particularly in Skye, is vital to the local economy and aggressive parking management could deter visitors from returning in the future." Scottish Tourism Alliance chief executive, Marc Crothall, said tourists made a "significant contribution" to island economies like Skye He added:" Total tourism spend in Scotland last year was £10.5bn and this helped to support local shops, pubs, restaurants, and 245,000 jobs across the country. Many of those who visit and stay in rural destinations also donate to good causes too."
Daily Record
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Pavement parking enforcement in East Ayrshire starts next week with 900 warning dished out to locals
More than 900 warning notices were issued to motorists in East Ayrshire ahead of the enforcement of the new pavement parking rules. East Ayrshire Council are set to begin enforcing new pavement parking restrictions from Monday, July 7. More than 900 warning notices have been issued to drivers since Monday, June 2 after the council announced they would phase in the enforcement of the new legislation in May. Parking tickets - also known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) - will now be issued to motorists who park on pavements or dropped kerbs or are caught double parking from Monday. Drivers caught flouting the rules will be liable to pay £100 which is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days. Legislation introduced by the Scottish Government in 2019 introduced a ban on pavement parking and gave local authorities more power to enforce it. The goal behind the legislation is to ensure that pavements and roads are safer and more accessible to all as parking on pavements prevents people from walking safely down streets. Pavement parking can also prevent access to pavements for people with disabilities or those pushing prams or buggies and it can cause damage which is expensive to repair. Double parking makes it more dangerous for vulnerable people or people pushing buggies or prams to cross the road safely as well as causing traffic congestion. Councillor Jim McMahon, cabinet spokesperson for housing, transport and communities, said: 'The council has a duty to enforce these parking regulations and we hope that bringing the enforcement into full effect will help to create a safer and more accessible environment for everyone, especially those with sight impairments, mobility issues or anyone pushing buggies or prams. 'It's every driver's responsibility to park their vehicle considerately, and in a way that will not cause an obstruction to the pavement or road. 'We will continually monitor the effects of the enforcement to ensure compliance with the Act and the continued promotion of road safety across East Ayrshire.'
