VOTE: School run spycar to zoom in on illegal parking
7:32am Tuesday 8th September 2009 in News
The £50,000 spy car
A £50,000 spy car is to patrol outside schools to catch parents who park illegally.
Bolton Council has bought and equipped a Smart car with a CCTV camera on a 3.6m high mast, which it will use to gather evidence and then issue parking fines.
The local authority said it is taking action to crack down on parents who put children’s lives at risk by parking recklessly outside schools.
The new clampdown, set to start within the next few weeks, is aimed at those who park in keep-clear zones outside schools, on single and double-yellow lines and on loading restrictions. Cllr Ismail Ibrahim, the council’s Executive member for environmental services, said: “People may think that they are only parking for a couple of minutes but it is still causing problems both with congestion and potential for accidents.This will also allow us to gather evidence to prove that these people are parking illegally, which should stop any disputes. People can still appeal but the camera never lies.”
The car, which is equipped with two DVD writers which can produce instant evidence discs, is being tested until the end of September, finalising which areas will be targeted.
No parking tickets will be issued during this period but anyone caught parking illegally will receive a letter warning them that they are committing an offence.
Once the scheme goes live, drivers who do not heed the warning will be issued with £70 fines, which is reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.
The bespoke car, which has traffic enforcement camera logos, will cost about £4,500 to service per year.
Cllr Ibrahim said: “The car is specially equipped for the job it does but what it has cost us would be a drop in the ocean if it stopped a child getting injured or killed outside a school.
“It is not our intention to go in heavy handed. If anything, we want to get people to realise that what they are doing is potentially dangerous.”
Headteachers have welcomed the clampdown.
Andy Marshall, head of Lord Street Primary School in Horwich, said: “We do have to send letters out from time to time and we have traffic wardens coming round periodically and that works for a while but then it goes back to old habits.
“It will be interesting to see what happens with this new initiative.”
Peter Sturgess, headteacher of Bowness Primary School in Little Lever, said the school had previously taken measures to cut down on cars parking around the school, including a walking bus to see children safely to class.
“In the main, our parents are supportive and appreciate the dangers of parking irresponsibly,” he said.
“We would endorse any measure that is going to endorse sensible parking.”
The council also plans to use the car, which will be operated by parking enforcement firm NSL Services, to catch drivers who use bus lanes later this year.
A similar car was launched by Greater Manchester Police earlier this year to patrol the region’s streets catching criminals on film.
andrew.greaves@theboltonnews.co.uk
