Parking Charges- It’s Officially a RipOff

Some Scottish Councils Profiteer at Your Expense

Have you ever wondered why you are penalised when you park the car and go shopping, maybe overstaying by a tiny bit and then the might of parking enforcement descends upon you in the only bit of Scots law that allows a disproportionate response to the offence, i.e. the parking fine. Wracked by the Council It’s because councils are racking up the charges to fill their dwindling coffers. A leading motoring organisation, lets’ call it the RAC because that’s who it is, has revealed council profits from parking charges have risen by a fifth in recent years.

Who Pays Dares

When analysed the returns of the Scottish authorities showed they generated £36.1 million in surplus revenue from parking activities in 2014-15, compared with £30.1m in 2011-12. The capital Edinburgh had the biggest surplus with £17.4m, then followed by Glasgow with £11.4m and granite hearted Aberdeen at £4.5m. These three villains of the piece generated almost all of the surplus generated in Scotland.

An Umbrella Body That’s Short of a Heart

There is a council umbrella body called Cosla, no doubt paid for by you and me, which mouthed something about managing demand, no doubt with a behind your back ‘because we are skint!’ In Scotland there were 17 local authorities in surplus on parking and 13 in deficit. The RAC thought that some councils were keen on shoppers spending their pennies locally and held down parking charges, but not the grabbers of the three major cities in the nation. Cheers pal! The removal of Police Scotland traffic wardens have meant that each council has gone its own way.

Don’t Get in the Car

Now if you want to avoid unnecessary parking charges and don’t want to line the pockets of the council, just when spring seems to be getting a shift on then why do it? Stay at home and shop on line, that’ll teach them! And the best way to do that is with a bargain. Nay a treasure trove of half price offers. Check out the prickly offers that will thistle their way into your house, without ever leaving the drive. Now that’s just sense.

https://www.jamespirie.com/flower-of-scotland-thistle.html