NEARLY 1,800 parking fines were handed out in East Staffordshire during the final three months of 2012, new figures have shown.
Wardens employed by East Staffordshire Borough Council gave out 1,788 tickets between October 1 and December 31 — 338 on-street and 1,450 off-street.
Of all these fines, 903 were paid at the discounted rate for early payment, 77 were paid at the full rate, 158 were cancelled and 312 are still in progress.
Council officer Andrew Wainwright said in a report presented to the East Staffordshire joint parking committee this week: “A total of 1,788 penalty charge notices have been issued to vehicles parked in contravention of loading and waiting restrictions, of which 19 per cent relate to on-street and 81 per cent relate to off-street offences.”
The report said the number of fines given for on-street parking offences was low.
Illegal parking outside schools, Mr Wainwright said, had been subject to a clampdown by wardens in recent months. He wrote: “Although the on-street issuance is low, officers have also focused resources on inconsiderate parking outside schools.
“These exercises have yielded very little in terms of actual parking fines, but have acted as an education for parents and residents and have been supported by all as a ‘clear streets’ programme.”
The report said the borough council had joined forces with Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire Police to raise awareness of the dangers of parking around schools.
Mr Wainwright also wrote that the number of tickets issued and then cancelled by wardens was low, accounting for nine per cent of all fines handed out.
“The cancellation rate remains low at an average of nine per cent, which demonstrates a sound level of quality issuances in the enforcement operation,” the report said.
The document was discussed at a parking board meeting this week, chaired by Robert Hardwick, during which members noted its findings.
