Drivers warned as UK seaside town plans to double car parking fines

Parking fines are set to double at one of the UK’s prime summer tourist destinations in a bid to tackle traffic chaos. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) council will increase their minimum parking fine from £35 to £70 from August.

Charges for motorists who do not pay the penalty within the first two weeks will be told to pay £140, up from £70. The Department for Transport gave permission for the new rates, which fall into line with London fees. The new fees come into effect from August 1 and it is hoped the move will cut back on illegal parking around the local area.

According to locals, motorists desperate to get to the beach have been leaving cars on double yellow lines and against the pavement. Cars have also been spotted on verges, stopped on roundabouts and even on private driveways.

Cllr Millie Earl, the leader of BCP council, said: “We welcome the fact the Government has recognised the problem we experience in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with illegal and irresponsible parking.

“We have been asking governments for more than six years to let us impose higher fines and our parking team now await final details on the work required to implement the trial in time for the August 1 deadline.”

According to the latest data, more than 4,000 penalty notices have been issued to motorists over just three weekends per year.

It is understood that the outcome of the trial in Bournemouth could help the Government decide if they should roll-out higher fines across the rest of the UK.

Tom Hayes, the Labour MP for Bournemouth East constituency, said he hoped the new penalty would act as a “deterrent.”

He said: “The parking fine fee has been capped for 20 years, and it’s frustrating for everyone. The hope is by having such a significant increase in parking fines, it can really have a deterrent effect.”

Cllr Earl added the move was necessary as road users kept deciding to “disregard parking restrictions”.

Millie added: “Even at our busiest last weekend, there were enough parking spaces within a short walk of the seafront across our three towns and when visitors make a choice to park illegally, we know that residents, and responsible visitors, want us to take robust enforcement action.

“During our three busiest weekends of the year we have issued more than 4,000 penalty charge notices to drivers who disregard parking restrictions for the sake of a shorter stroll to the beach.”