“Common sense” rules for Jersey traffic wardens

Friday 13 March 2015

There’s no need to change the law to make sure drivers get an extra ten minutes after their scratchcards have expired in Jersey, because Traffic Wardens are already told to use their discretion and give people a little extra time to get back to their cars.

Transport Minister Eddie Noel says that Jersey doesn’t need to follow the UK in changing the law to guarantee an extra ten minutes, because his department’s Parking Control Officers are already doing just that.

But he says that when Traffic Wardens see regular parking offenders overstaying their welcome they book them straight away.

Last week the UK government announced that they were making the change to clamp down on overzealous traffic wardens issuing £80 fines to drivers who are just a minute late. They have also banned CCTV “spy cars” which are used to spot drivers parking on double yellow lines and told Councils that they are not allowed to profit from parking enforcement in a pre-election bid to cut the £350 million in parking fines handed out last year.

But Deputy Noel said that here in Jersey, the Traffic Wardens already use their discretion.

He said: “We already do this without having to write it into the law – our team are told to use common sense, not rely on bureaucracy and red tape.

“They use their discretion. They know the repeat offenders because they’ve got very good memories – so if you are a habitual parking offender they are less tolerant than if it’s just a one-off.

“They are certainly not told ‘if they’re a minute past their scratchcard limit, book ‘em’. They are not told to be over-zealous.”