Parking fines in Angus are set to jump to £100.
Council chiefs say it’s needed because the current £60 fine isn’t enough of a deterrent to drivers.
And the increase could be in place by the summer.
It follows a similar move in Dundee which will come into force within weeks.
The proposal is to be considered by communities committee councillors on Tuesday.
If approved, the increased Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) rates will apply to both on and off-street offences in Angus.
In 2021, councillors agreed to double the free on-street parking period in the district to one hour.
There are no on-street meters in Angus.
And off-street charges in council-run car parks remain suspended since the pandemic.
What are the current PCN rates?
A parking fine is currently £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days of issue.
The value increases by 50% to £90 if the ticket remains unpaid and no appeal is submitted.
What would the new charges be?
The new charge would be £100, reduced by 50% to £50 if paid within 14 days.
The charge would increase to £150 if unpaid or unchallenged after 56 days.
If councillors agree the move, the new PCN rates will come into force on July 1.
What can you be fined for?
On-street
- parking in a restricted street (double yellow/single yellow lines)
- parking for longer than permitted
- parking in a bus/taxi/loading bay
- parking in a disabled bay and not displaying a blue badge
- parking outwith a marked parking bay
Off-street
- wrong class of vehicle parked
- parking outwith a marked parking bay
- parking in a disabled persons parking bay without displaying a blue badge
- parking for longer than four hours in a short stay car park
- parking of a prohibited vehicle class in a car park
- return within two hours to a short stay car park
- parking in an area reserved for coaches
- using car parks to sell vehicles, carry out any trading activities, or to transfer goods which are to be involved in trading activities
- canvassing for political or electioneering purposes
£100,000 income potential
Infrastructure director Graeme Dailly says: “This increase is necessary as the current rate is an insufficient deterrent to many motorists and persistent offenders.
“This is demonstrated by the number of PCNs that are being issued.
“For example, 3,913 PCNs were issued in Angus in 2022/23.”
It meant more than £85,000 was paid to the council in parking fines.
“An increase of 20% could yield £17,264 on this figure, the potential increased deterrent aspect notwithstanding,” says Mr Dailly.
“Increasing to the higher rate would mean that there would be less need to increase the charge again soon in the future.
“A change to the higher tariff would represent an approximate 20% uplift in the excess revenue potentially brought in from parking enforcement.”
Parking fines are ring-fenced for the council to operate the scheme and carry out road improvements.
Scottish Ministers told councils across the country they could increase PCN charges which have stayed the same for more than two decades.
Are off-street parking charges due to return to Angus?
The covers remain on parking meters which were controversially re-introduced to off-street car parks across the district in 2018.
But the scheme was met with strong resistance and income fell significantly short of the projected £750,000 per annum.
Charges were suspended when the pandemic struck.
The SNP administration resisted bringing back charges as part of their 2023/24 budget.
And authority leader Beth Whiteside said no decision would be made without a community consultation after the backlash to their return under the previous coalition administration.
Conversation