Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will become the only place in the country to trial significantly higher parking fines this summer, after the government approved a one-month pilot for August.
The pilot follows record levels of parking fines and towed vehicles during the weekend of 12 and 13 July, with over 4,000 penalty notices issued across three peak weekends. The Department for Transport has agreed to the trial, which will see fines and enforcement charges rise to London levels, including a £280 release fee for towed vehicles.
Bournemouth East MP Tom Hayes, who campaigned for the change, said the town could be “setting an example for national change”. Labour MP for Bournemouth West Jessica Toale and Liberal Democrat MP Vikki Slade also backed the move.
BCP Council must meet a number of conditions before the pilot can begin, including proving that enough legal parking is available and ensuring residents and visitors are properly informed.
Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Councill, said: “We welcome the fact the Government has recognised the problem we experience in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with illegal and irresponsible parking.
“The Department for Transport has confirmed they will accept the Council’s proposals for a trial of greater powers.
“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.
“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.
“We want to encourage and support visitors to our wonderful area but just ask them to consider the safety of others when parking; and a level of fines that reflects the true costs of patrolling and enforcing will help us to do this.
“We’ve consistently asked the Government to let us do more, and a number of MPs have backed the proposals we submitted, so it is pleasing that Ministers have now decided to act.”