The 10-minute rule that could save you from a parking fine
There is a surprising no-nonsense charm to 33-year-old Stacey. Born and bred in Canning Town, East London, she patrols the streets of Stratford, just two miles north of where she grew up.
We meet in a ‘load bay only’, where Stacey has parked her grey Skoda. The signage states ‘30 minutes maximum’. She smiles: ‘It’s exempt.’
Parking where others are forbidden is an ironic perk of a job.
Stacey is what most of us refer to as a traffic warden. And I’ve joined her for a day to understand the job — and to unlock the secrets to avoiding fines.
Traffic wardens have a reputation for being professional day-ruiners, endlessly patrolling the streets in search of a vehicle on which they can slap a nasty parking ticket.
On patrol: Our writer Toby Walne (pictured) joined a traffic warden on the streets of Stratford for a day
Last year, motorists were charged a record £962 million in parking fines by councils alone, and this year it is expected to top £1 billion.
There is no denying the anger that can erupt when a driver finds that yellow notice trapped under the wipers.
Stacey admits that she and her colleagues have experienced verbal assault, spitting and being chased down the street by someone wielding a screwdriver as a weapon while carrying out the job. Back at head office, letters have been received with razor blades attached inside.
So why on earth do it? ‘Not the money,’ says Stacey. ‘The idea we get commission every time we issue a fine is a myth.’
She earns less than £12 an hour for an eight-hour, 6am to 2pm shift. During this time, she might hand out penalties to two dozen motorists.
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She says excuses rarely cut the mustard if you manage to speak to a warden about to issue a fine. But if you are forced to stop somewhere with parking restrictions due to a medical emergency, you should be safe from fines, she says.
It is a good idea to leave a note on the windscreen to explain the situation — though this offers no guarantee that you will not still be slapped with a ticket. If you get a fine, then appeal, ideally with proof of the medical emergency.
Stacey also admits people who have been caught in an embarrassing situation in the car have avoided getting a ticket as well.
This includes amorous couples or those sleeping rough after being kicked out of their home. In these cases, Stacey tends to move quickly on to the next vehicle.
Rather than hide behind bushes to pounce on unexpected motorists, Stacey covers the equivalent of 12 miles (25,000 steps) on each patrol.
‘I love the sense of freedom this job brings; walking and meeting different people, being part of the community,’ she says.
‘Yes, I issue tickets, but my task is also to help motorists. It is not fair for those that do pay for their parking, or who have a disability and need a particular space to find their bay is stolen.’
Fines: Last year, motorists were charged a record £962m in parking fines by councils alone, and this year it is expected to top £1bn
I ask Stacey to update me on the latest rules adopted by traffic wardens. Firstly, the term ‘traffic warden’ was abolished a decade ago — Stacey is a parking enforcement officer.
She is employed by a private firm to patrol privately controlled streets and car parks. This is different from those employed by councils, who are called civil enforcement officers.
Stacey is part of a new breed of enforcer who no longer carries a notepad and a bundle of yellow tickets, but is armed only with a smartphone that can tell if you have purchased a ticket.
These days, many bays can be used only if you have signed up to pay via an app, such as JustPark, RingGo, or, like on Stacey’s patch, Sippi. If you do not have access to a smartphone or the app, then it is often just too bad — drive on.
Stacey’s dress code is a black fleece with a yellow ID armband. The look seems intentional as it allows her to blend in without being easily spotted.
She carries a mobile phone with a camera that enables her to catch offenders and issue a fine without having to slap a ticket on a windscreen.
Stacey says: ‘We want to avoid conflict situations that are more likely when people see you putting a ticket on a car.’
The process takes 30 seconds. First, she taps the car registration number into her smartphone, then a computer system linked to the app instantly tells her if the vehicle owner has paid for parking has logged on to the app required for that parking bay and purchased a ticket.
However, the database does not tell Stacey where a bay permit is about to expire (for now!), so she pounds the streets randomly tapping in car details to find out if a motorist has paid.
Menace: Traffic wardens have a reputation for being professional day-ruiners, endlessly patrolling the streets in search of a vehicle on which they can slap a nasty parking ticket
If they have not, Stacey takes a photograph of the licence plate, along with the front and sides of the car to show there is no parking permit or receipt on the dashboard. She also takes a photo of parking restrictions signage.
From the point that Stacey has taken that first picture, drivers have ten minutes to escape a fine by driving off or paying for parking.
This grace period demands that Stacey must hold back issuing a ticket until the time period has elapsed — giving the driver leeway to get a ticket or drive away.
If you are an hour late or parked on a double line, do not expect such lenience. Some private operators start the ten-minute grace period the moment the officer has first come across the parking offence.
So rather than issue a ticket immediately, Stacey strolls off before returning to catch her prey. She is following a new Code of Practice adopted by members of the International Parking Community, the British Parking Association, and by councils.
A black Range-Rover Sport with a personalised number plate is parked in a disabled bay without the required permit. Stacey does the initial checks.
Returning precisely ten minutes later, she issues a £100 fine. In five days the driver will receive a letter. Flash cars such as this stand out as easy targets for enforcers.
But if you return to your car to find a traffic warden has issued a ticket but not yet presented it, plead your case politely, as it is at the discretion of the operator as to whether they continue or not.
If you still get a ticket, then you should include any mitigating circumstances in an appeal, and include the name of the warden.
Three builders are leaning against a wall, watching as we look at the front of their van — its bumper is jutting out beyond the markings of the parking bay.
But Stacey says: ‘It is not causing any obstruction so it’s fine. As long as the front edge of the tyre is on or inside the bay, there’s no reason to issue a ticket.
'You also have to accept the size of the bay is not huge and the vehicle is parked as well as it can be.’
