Gransnet forums

News & politics

Page 1 of 1
Flip | Customise

Parking enforcement staff

(3 Posts)
Add comment | Report
Cumbrianmale56 Sun 18-Jan-26 13:00:08

NotSpaghetti

Do private parking companies actually have "on the ground" staff these days?
In our area I think it's all done remotely with number plate recognition.
Then of course things such as fines come in the post.

Maybe the warden type officers are still walking about in larger cities?
I expect they are employed by the council.

There are some local car parks managed by the Harbour Commissioners that have pay and display machines and they use car park staff from a contractor, same as the local hospital. Supermarket and shopping centre car parks use ANPR cameras as they don't charge.
On street car parking and council car parks do use what are called parking officers, who are the successors to police traffic wardens and car park attendants. They tend to be more reasonable than the private contractors, although one locally is known for being stricter than the others.

Add comment | Report
NotSpaghetti Tue 06-Jan-26 08:56:11

Do private parking companies actually have "on the ground" staff these days?
In our area I think it's all done remotely with number plate recognition.
Then of course things such as fines come in the post.

Maybe the warden type officers are still walking about in larger cities?
I expect they are employed by the council.

Add comment | Report
Cumbrianmale56 Sun 04-Jan-26 15:18:14

I did see a feature on one of the news channels about one of the country's most disliked groups of workers, parking enforcement staff( traffic wardens in an earlier era). I did see an interview with a parking warden who said he had been subject to violence, threats and abuse, and said there was a high turnover of staff because of this.
My view is that this is unacceptable, and someone who is parking on double yellow lines or a loading bay deserves to be fined, but some people in these jobs love the power and can be unreasonable, particularly in private car parks. There are 2 car parks locally patrolled by a private parking company where people have been fined for being a minute late or for typing a digit incorrectly when they enter their registration number. This sort of thing is petty and gives parking enforcement a bad name.
I think if people accepted that parking has to be regulated because there are so many cars on the road, this wouldn't be a problem, and assaulting parking staff is wrong. OTOH the pettiness of private parking companies, who are clearly out to make money( this includes parking cameras), does make people react unfavourably.

Page 1 of 1
Flip | Customise