Parking tickets rise by 100,000

By Johnny Caldwell
BBC News

NCP took over parking enforcement in NI on 30 October 2006

NCP traffic wardens have given out 100,000 more tickets than were dispensed in the PSNI's last year in charge of the service.

In the first year that NCP was responsible for parking enforcement, 163,500 tickets were given out.

This compares to 61,488 in the previous 12 months when the PSNI was in charge.

NCP, a private company, has a continuing contract with the Development for Regional Development to deploy traffic wardens across NI.

Talking about the 102,012 difference, a department spokeswoman, said traffic wardens were "solely responsible for parking enforcement" and had no additional duties.

NCP took over parking enforcement in Northern Ireland on 30 October 2006, but gave drivers a two-week grace period during which only warning tickets were dispensed.

Previously, all PSNI officers had the power to give out parking tickets. This was in addition to the traffic wardens whom they oversaw.

Contract

The DRD and NCP has repeatedly said that wardens who give out the most tickets are not given bonuses.

Earlier this year, BBC News revealed that one traffic warden had given out 1,000 more tickets than any of his colleagues.