Are we missing the point re parking?

[supermono]

All this selfish parking / ripoff private companies profiteering etc. If every council stopped making a profit out of parking and instead provided ample free on and off road parking in our towns the problem would disappear.

As regards paying for it, make a tiny adjustment to council tax bills and sack all the gimps wandering around our streets issuing tickets. We'll all pay slightly more on CT and the world will be a nicer place.

Don't forget some of the biggest losers since these morons in the council decided to get their noses in the car-fleecing trough are small retailers who pay a fortune to the business rates scam.

Private parking companies are only here because of the squeeze.

[supermono]

Sorry for being unclear. I'm not suggesting providing any additional parking just not charging people to use what's there. It may cost slightly more in CT but savings made sacking a load of traffic wardens and processing clarks administering the collection of fees and fines. Sure keep double yellows where necessary and have a small team of folks making sure traffic is moving.

[supermono]

Street view is definitely your friend here. I have a number of free spots lined up where I normally go shopping or use train stations away from my local one. It's simple especially since I have a folding bike. This morning I'm parked two minutes from a train station on faulty double yellows that were there for no good reason and am harming nobody. That's probably at least 6 quid saved. Last month I got a speculative ticket which I had turned over so maybe I'll get another today but if you know the law it takes seconds to post a standard email.

Sheep who park in paid for carparks must waste hundreds a year, and when you can park without inconveniencing anyone for free and get two or three free tanks of petrol or your annual road tax paid for you'd be daft not to.

However, my point remains about the council causing the issue of selfish parking.

[supermono]

RobinOakapple said:

And your point remains unproved. It would help if you could suggest a motive for their (on the face of it, according to you) self defeating behaviour.

Not entirely sure if I care that I've proved it to you or not. But the motivation is to create public sector employment and get cash off the motorist. Two obvious points that all lousey public sector money pits do all the time. It's not self defeating because people are dumb enough to a)park in council run parks and pay through the nose b) fail to challenge speculative tickets on faulty "restrictions" and c) as shop keepers continue to pay huge business rates in the face of council parking restrictions harming their trade.

It's hard to know what to do about c) but I pity hardworking shop keepers who are paying the very employees who's job it is to crucify the high street!