Eric Pickles gets backs up by speaking out against traffic wardens

Local Government Secretary, Mr. Eric Pickles, stated that he wants stop the ‘overzealous’ culture of wardens and asked that ‘officious’ wardens be more flexible when it comes to matters that might help the economy. While local councils will clash with Pickles since they depend on the revenue that comes from parking fines, Mr. Pickles warned that persecuting motorists is hurting many small businesses across the nation.

Ministers are looking at new regulations that would stop parking wardens from giving out penalties to people who briefly stop to go into local shops or the shops on high streets. Mr. Pickles also asked Town Halls to make more off street parking lots so that busy roads would have less pressure on them.

The Whitehall planning guidance formed by Labour back in 2001 restricted the amount of parking spaces that could be placed in new developments. The move actually led to more people being forced to park their cars on the streets which in turn increase the amount of parking permits that were handed out. At the time of the Whitehall planning guidance, councils were also warned away from setting pricing charges lower but instead told them to heighten the prices of parking.

Mr. Pickles on the other hand stated that parking rules need to change and indicated that lower prices would actually help encourage people to come into the town centres. He explained that for 13 years this war on the motorists has not gone anywhere. At the same time, it has effectively hurt many small shops that depend on the traffic. He added that they need to give people the ability to stop by a corner store to get a newspaper, loaf of bread, or other small item without worrying about getting assigned a £70 fine.