Eric Pickles announces plans for double yellow line 'grace period'

Date: 30/7/2013

Drivers could soon be allowed a 15-minute ‘grace period’ during which they will be permitted to park on double yellow lines without receiving a ticket.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told the Daily Telegraph that the move would allow for people to park up on the side of the road and pop into shops, which would boost trade on the country’s languishing high streets.

"The high street is in danger of shrinking or dying off, and over-aggressive parking enforcement is part of the reason why," he told the publication.

"If people are worried about paying a fortune in parking fines, it will make them more likely to do their shop online or go to out of town shopping centres. For too long parking has been a revenue raiser. It’s time to end that."

He added that it is dangerous parking that is the problem, not people who leave their car at the side of the kerb briefly while they carry out an errand.

Brandon Lewis, the Local Government Minister, has said that parking enforcement in urban areas is "over-zealous" and, therefore, there should be a "common-sense approach".

There has been opposition to the grace period proposal from the other side of the Coalition Government, with the Liberal Democrat Transport Minister suggesting it weakens the point of double yellow lines.

The Local Government Association has said that many double yellow lines are in place for safety reasons and to remove them would have its risks for pedestrians and road users.

To try to boost support for the plans, it has been suggested that parking fines outside of the capital be lifted. At the moment, the most someone will be charged for illegal parking outside of London is £70, while in the capital it is £130.

Edmund King, AA’s President, suggests that rather than allowing a grace period on double yellow lines, there should be a review of existing lines to see if some can be removed.

"There is plenty of opportunity to ease back on the signs and lines in many places, giving drivers short-term waiting bays instead, so they can stop briefly to buy a paper or loaf of bread," he said.

Posted by Mary Treen

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