Local authorities granted new powers to swap traffic wardens for Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras

PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 29, 2008 – From next month (April 2008), the Traffic Management Act will give local authorities the power to swap traffic wardens for Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras. London authorities have enjoyed these powers since 2004 and issued over six million PCNs in the last financial year.

The new rules are set to make it almost impossible to dodge parking tickets.

Wily motorists have traditionally been able to escape fines by steering clear of traffic wardens, or speeding off before they have slapped a note on their windscreen. But those days will soon be gone.

And footage of motorists caught flouting the rules of the road will be all the evidence councils need to issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) by post. Mov-ing traffic offences, such as blocking box junctions or making banned turns at junctions, can also be captured on film from 31 March and enforced with fines.

Managing Director of Cape Plates, Bob O'Donnell commented "This has been coming for a long time now. With advances in number plate recognition technology the process of identifying a car and issuing a ticket can be fully automated. If I were a traffic warden I'd be getting a little bit worried at this news!"