Bedford Driving Lessons

Parking fines could nearly double as councils try to hit motorists across the country with £120 penalties. Local authorities insist the move is needed as the current £70 fine payable outside London is not enough of a deterrent. And the British Parking Association says the extra money is needed to meet the rising cost of parking management. A number of councils have already lobbied the Government for an increase. But opponents of the move say the fines are simply a stealth tax that will be used as a ‘cash cow’ – in breach of Whitehall guidelines – to fund revenue at a time of austerity cuts. Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has warned councils that they must cope with cuts of more than a quarter of their budgets without damaging services. More