Unpaid parking fine vehicles removed in clampdown

The council said none of the removed vehicles so far had had fewer than eight outstanding tickets

A council's new vehicle removals policy for drivers who do not pay their parking tickets has netted 23 vehicles in just one week of operations.

Slough Borough Council has removed the vehicles from the streets including in Chalvey, the Diamond Road estate, from the High Street and surrounding areas since the policy came into force on 28 July.

It said that of the removed vehicles, one had racked up a total of 134 unpaid tickets, another had 117 tickets outstanding, and seven others had more than 30 tickets each still waiting to be paid.

All of them are being stored at a secure compound until the original fines and storage costs are paid before releasing them to their owners.

The local authority said that some of the types of parking that would warrant a penalty charge notice include:

• parking in a restricted street during prescribed hours;

• parking in a special enforcement area more than 50cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place;

• stopping in a restricted area outside a school when prohibited.

It said that none of the removed vehicles so far had had fewer than eight outstanding tickets.

Paul Kelly, lead member for planning, parking, highways and transport, called illegal parking was "antisocial".

"The policy we have brought in tackles this problem by literally removing those offending vehicles from the streets, forcing drivers to pay the fines they owe or lose their cars forever," he said.

"The vast majority of people, if they are caught parking illegally, put their hands up and pay the fine.

"But as the first week's figures show, there are repeat offenders who think they can park where they want, when they want and not pay any price."