127,000 tickets issued...but only 75,000 have been paid

The top 10 roads in Brent where drivers are most likely to be given a parking fine have been revealed by the Times.

Harlesden High Street, Brondesbury Road, Kingsbury Road, Capitol Way, Neasden Lane, London Road, Ealing Road, Willesden High Road, Rucklidge Road and Victoria Road are the most likely places to pick up a hefty parking penalty.

We can also reveal that in the past year a whopping 127,289 tickets have been issued across Brent, yet only 75,726 have been paid.

The revelations, obtained through a Freedom of Information Request, also show that cash-strapped Brent has written off nearly three quarters of a million pounds since July 2010 from people who have not paid their fines.

Michael Maurice, of Carlton Avenue East, Wembley, campaigns for fairer parking in Brent. He said: “If the council is so keen to slap fines on people, why has nearly �700,000 been written off so easily in one year?

“If they are going to write them off, what is the point of giving people a ticket in the first place?

“A lot of people are fed up with parking fines. Parking charges have already gone up in the borough – fines shouldn’t be another way of raising money.”

The chances of getting a parking ticket depends on where you are in the borough and can cost drivers up to �130 if they do not pay within two weeks.

Cancelled

In the past year, more than 8,400 drivers have challenged the local authority after receiving a ticket, resulting in nearly 5,000 being cancelled.

Mr Maurice added: “I am surprised that more than half have been cancelled. Why are so many tickets handed out incorrectly?”

The council recently introduced pay and display across all shopping areas in Brent, costing motorists 60p for 20 minutes, �1.50 for 40 minutes and �2.40 for an hour. The maximum length of time drivers can park will be two hours at a cost of �6.

Last year it also voted to increase residential parking permits by up to 300 per cent in Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ) depending on the size of your car’s engine.

But Councillor Jim Moher, (Labour), lead member for highways and transport, said: “People may see this is a way of the council making money but it isn’t. This is to regulate parking and make sure people can park near homes and keep congestion down.”