Council defends use of car to stop illegal school parking

Barnsley Council has defended its use of a vehicle, which has number plate recognition, to stop illegal parking outside of schools in the town.

The council has come in for criticism with both the AA and RAC warning it to use the car carefully while Big Brother Watch, an offshoot of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, has claimed that it is simply a money making scheme.

However the council denies the charge and says that the vehicle is solely used to stop dangerous parking in key areas such as near schools. Councillor May Noble says: “The vehicle has been proven in other parts of the country to change the behaviour of inconsiderate drivers. It is hoped the new vehicle will provide a similar deterrent to discourage illegal parking in Barnsley.”

The Renault vehicle, which was bought with a grant from the government, will also be used to discourage parking in other problem areas such as bus stops and taxi ranks, with those breaking the law being photographed and sent a fixed penalty notice.

However Daniel Hamilton, director of Big Brother Watch, has called the council’s justification for using the car disingenuous and says that it is on the streets largely to make money with safety just an afterthought. He added: “Across the UK CCTV care have netted councils in excess of £10m in the last 18 months. The coalition government must act now to prevent these unwanted stealth taxes.”