In a sign of the motoring future that could face us all, more than 600 people have been fined for parking illegally on a busy road outside Stoke-on-Trent railway station, after being caught out by a new controversial CCTV camera car.
A regular sight on the congested roads of London, the cars – usually a small supermini with a long telescopic pole sticking out of the roof – are largely unseen outside of the Capital.
However, Stoke council has now introduced them to relieve traffic problems caused by bad parking, after initial plans to used fixed cameras were beset by technical issues.
622 motorists have been caught since its introduction in April, with the car able to appear on a street, record video evidence of illegal parking and be away again in a matter of seconds.
The majority of those fined were caught parking on the double-yellow lines outside the station, mostly at rush hour.
Unsurprisingly, the new camera car hasn’t gone down well with local motorists.
Taxi driver Vikas Alyas, said: "I think it is a disgrace,” reported ‘This Is Staffordshire’.
"They often park at the bus stop and they have got the authority to do that or park on a double yellow line – if we do that, we get ticketed.
"It is a busy road and there is nowhere to drop customers off or pick up from. I stopped on the double yellow lines, just while I reversed into one of the short stay parking spaces, and I got a £35 fine.”
Others also had issues with the car flouting traffic regulations itself.
Local resident Andrew Kay commented: "It is one rule for the enforcement car and another rule for everyone else.
"I think they are far too quick to come down on people over parking."
Do you think CCTV camera cars are a good way of enforcing parking restrictions, or just another way of fleecing already beleaguered motorists? Have your say below.
Picture: Fotolia
