Britons to have vehicles towed for driving offences amid plans to launch seasonal charges in tourist hotspot
Drivers have been warned they could have their vehicles towed away for parking in a popular tourist area under new proposals.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has started consulting on proposals to introduce paid-for parking on seafront roads in two areas, with drivers facing the prospect of having their vehicles towed if they park illegally.
The authority launched the consultation for areas covering Canford Cliffs, Branksome Chine and West Cliff, as well as Boscombe and Southbourne.
The proposals aim to tackle what the council describes as a “significant problem” with illegal and inconsiderate parking during the peak summer season, including vehicles left on pavements, across driveways, on double yellow lines and double-parked.
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The council has launched a consultation on introducing new parking measures across the region
If approved, revenue from the new charges would fund additional parking enforcement, including increasing the number of vehicles that could be towed away in the worst instances of illegal parking.
The consultation, which runs until 11.59pm on August 1, covers Area 1, comprising Canford Cliffs, Branksome Chine and West Cliff, and Area 2, including Boscombe and Southbourne.
Local shopping areas such as Southbourne Grove and Canford Cliffs Village are excluded from the proposed paid-for parking zones.
Under the draft plans, lower tariffs would apply from November 1 to March 14, while higher charges would be introduced from March 15 to October 31.
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Under the proposals, the council would introduce higher parking charges during the summer months
Councillor Richard Herrett said Sandbanks surface car park was full by 9am on Saturday, with the area particularly busy due to the Sandpolo and SandFest events.
The council posted on social media throughout the weekend, highlighting how many vehicles officers were finding parked illegally in the seaside towns, with multiple vehicles requiring removal.
The council’s parking teams currently have limited powers to address illegal parking due to a lack of restrictions in some areas and budget constraints limiting resources.
Parking charge notice fines are set by the central Government, preventing the council from increasing them to cover enforcement costs.
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The council towed away thousands of vehicles in June which failed to follow key parking rules
The authority stated this would enable teams to enforce illegal parking across a wider area, keeping roads near the seafront “safer and more welcoming for everyone”.
Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Vikki Slade raised the issue in Parliament this week, revealing to MPs that 1,700 tickets were issued with “the most dangerous cars towed away and fines fixed for 20 years”.
She asked Parliamentary Under-Secretary Alex Norris: “Does the Minister believe that it is reasonable that council taxpayers should pick up the bill of up to £200 per towed away car for the sake of an illegal driver?”
Norris responded that “it is incumbent on all of us to park with a degree of responsibility, particularly at peak times”.
