Eric Pickles and CCTV for Parking

With that logic, concern for good governance and respect for local democracy that is so typical of him, Eric Pickles has announced that he wants to ban the use of CCTV for enforcing parking restrictions.  What will the effects of this?

Firstly, what is the logic?  If it is legitimate for a parking warden to issue you with a ticket and probably photograph your car (as they almost all do these days), why should an automatic camera be discounted?  We are told that cameras will continue to be used on bus lanes.  Why, if they are unacceptable in other contexts?  No plans have been announced to get rid of cameras on buses or trains.  Why not, if they are so illegitimate?  How does this central government diktat fit in with so called Localism?

Now, what will be the effect?  One option is for a Council to employ more parking wardens, ensuring that they spend more money administering the system, and thus become less efficient. Why does Eric Pickles see that as a good thing?  They can then accept that any surplus in their parking account is lower, which means less money spent on repairing potholes and broken pavements.  This seems unwise given the UK's acknowledged backlog in road repairs.  Certainly driving over lots of potholes is unlikely to do much for motorists who then have to pay to repair their cars.  An alternative is that Councils can up the amounts they fine people for offences to compensate for fewer tickets issued or higher costs in issuing them.  Is that what Eric Pickles wants?

Of course, the reason Parliament enacted all these laws in the first place was to benefit road safety and the free movement of traffic.  That is why removing traffic wardens is sometimes controversial. 

Brent will face a specific problem.  A joint parking contract has been negotiated and awarded alongside Ealing and Hounslow Councils.  Just the sort of shared service contract government ministers often praise.  It takes advantage of CCTV cars by having them patrol the streets instead of traffic wardens.  The wardens then follow up on mopeds to confirm that each car is indeed breaking the rules.  The entire contract's pricing has been built around this model.  Changing it will be hugely expensive and arbitrary.  I do hope some one takes Mr Pickles to Court for the way he gratutiously wastes money in ill considered populist gestures.