Parking tickets targets scrapped

Motorists complained about overzealous traffic wardens

A local authority has scrapped its system of targets for traffic wardens to issue parking tickets.

Lambeth Council in south London will now offer wardens incentives to be fair and polite to motorists.

Councillors said that "overzealous" parking attendants have often been too quick to issue fines.

The council will use mystery shoppers to monitor the behaviour of attendants, who will be penalised if they hand out tickets unfairly or are rude.

Fresh start

Cllr Lib Peck said the move was a fresh start on parking policy after listening to disgruntled residents.

"For too long, the parking policy in Lambeth has not offered fairness to residents," he said.

The new scheme being put in place by the council was "firm but fair".

Under the old system, the council's parking contractor was penalised if a certain number of tickets were not issued.

The contractor will now be rewarded if parking attendants are helpful and respectful to drivers.