Lambeth Liberal Democrats parking scandal hits drivers

Parking Scandal

Lambeth’s Liberal Democrats have been exposed for targeting residents with cars to raise cash. Liberal councillors, together with their Tory allies, signed a contract with private parking company Control Plus in August 2003. They tried to hush up the details, but almost immediately the number of complaints for unfair ticketing by traffic wardens sky-rocketed.

A cross-party investigation found that the contractor’s wardens were:

• issuing fines to drivers who had not committed any offence
• hiding near roads without proper signs to fine drivers who parked there
• waiting outside cemeteries to ticket the bereaved as they attended funerals

A local press story exposed why all this was happening. Despite their denials, the Liberals’ new parking contract gave the contractors financial incentives to issue more and more tickets. Control Plus were promised a profit boost if they issued more than 200,000 tickets a year. To reach this target, many traffic wardens felt pushed to issue tickets unfairly.

Since the Liberals signed the secret deal, motorists have coughed up more than £4 million extra in parking fines. Concerns remain that much of this money was taken unfairly from drivers who had not broken any rules. Labour is demanding that the unfair targets are scrapped, but the Council’s ruling Lib Dems refuse to act.

Have you been a victim of over-zealous ticketing? Let us know about you experiences in our on-line Parking Forum by clicking here, or complete the form below.