A recent incident at the NET Forest Tram Park and Ride in Nottingham has sparked discussions regarding parking enforcement practices. The respective vehicle owner later discovered that their car had been clamped while it was parked at the facility. Now, they are hit with a £140 release fee to retrieve it. This unfortunate event raises important questions about how clear or accessible the site’s parking regulations really are. When this important information is buried in fine print, consumers are rightfully concerned.
Nottingham City Council is the operator and owner of the NET Forest Tram Park and Ride. Since then, they have adopted bylaws enabling them to tow cars for repeat parking offenders. Nottingham Tramlink operate the park and ride sites under a private finance initiative contract. This specific drafting gives them authority to enforce the bylaws. In 2012, the use of clamps on private property was made illegal across the country. Nottingham’s park and ride sites were not spared from this ban, however.
The appalled car owner, suddenly clamped without warning, paid the £140 fine to have their vehicle released. Nottingham Tramlink has contracted with a private, third-party enforcement firm to collect this fee. They haven’t named the company. Drivers parked illegally elsewhere in Nottingham would receive a £50 penalty. If they pay on time, their penalty is reduced by 50 percent.
Drivers are required to buy a tram ticket on arrival. This requirement is actually buried in small print on the green posters dotted around this massive park and ride location. With this method, users are left very frustrated as they frequently cannot see the signage in time. This occurs when they become aware only after the fact.
Tim Hesketh speaking on behalf of Nottingham Tramlink, raised this fear of an enforcement quagmire.
“The option of amending the bylaws to allow the introduction of a parking, or penalty charge notice, has already been explored extensively by Tramlink before deciding on our current process which we believe to be the most fit for purpose.” – Tim Hesketh
This last statement implies that the current clamping system was chosen after careful consideration of all other possible options.
Concerns remain about overzealous parking enforcement at Nottingham’s park and ride facilities. Now, some of those same users are asking us if we should be doing more to use transparency as a default and to require transparency. The situation highlights the importance of clear communication regarding parking regulations to prevent misunderstandings and potential financial penalties for drivers.