Wiltshire: Driver with 150 unpaid parking fines hit with £3,000 bill as car seized in major crackdown

A motorist who has ignored more than 150 parking tickets has been fined over £3,000 and had their car seized by the council.

Wiltshire Council took action after the vehicle, based in Salisbury, was linked to hundreds of unpaid parking fines over a long period.

Officials said the car had become one of the worst cases of repeat offending in the area.

An investigation by the council's Parking Services team found the car had been registered using false information. This included using the address of a real business that had no connection to the offences.

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The current registered owner has had the car since October last year and has built up more than 140 unpaid parking tickets, worth over £3,000.

Before that, the vehicle was linked to another person who had already collected more than 150 unpaid fines. Earlier this month, enforcement agents seized the car to stop further offences.

The council said: "Although the council always considers whether enforcement action is proportionate to the value of a vehicle and the level of outstanding debt, in this case the decision to seize was taken to prevent continued offending and remove a nuisance vehicle from the street."

Councillor Martin Smith, who is responsible for highways, said the case shows how seriously the council treats repeat offenders.

"We have a small number of motorists who repeatedly refuse to pay to park, either in car parks or on the public highway, and instead allow large numbers of PCNs to accumulate," he said.

He added: "In this case, the driver has been a complete nuisance to neighbours and the wider area, and our priority was to remove the vehicle from the road and send a clear message that persistent evasion will not be tolerated."

The council detailed how the unpaid parking fines do not just affect the driver but also create problems for others. They place pressure on council finances and can disrupt residents and local businesses.

"We are particularly concerned about a growing pattern of vehicles being registered using false names and the addresses of genuine businesses without their knowledge or consent, unfairly implicating owners who have no connection to these offences," Mr Smith warned.

He said the council will continue to take firm action against people who avoid paying fines or try to trick the system in the area.

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"It's essential that parking is managed fairly and legally so everyone can use our roads and town centres safely and responsibly," he shared.

If the owner does not pay the outstanding fines, the seized car could be sold at auction to recover the money owed, in line with enforcement rules.

The case comes as the council considers increasing parking charges across the county. A public consultation is currently underway on the proposed changes.

Plans include an average 20 per cent rise in parking fees this year, followed by another five per cent increase in 2028. Other proposals include extending charging hours from 7am to 7pm, introducing Sunday charges in line with weekdays, and bringing back on-street Sunday parking charges in Salisbury.

Mr Smith said the council wants people to share their views. "We are encouraging residents, businesses and community groups from across Wiltshire to share their views on these proposed changes to parking tariffs," he detailed.

He added that prices have not changed since 2022, despite significant inflationary pressures during that time, "so we feel that these proposals are fair and that they remain in line with charges in nearby authorities."

The consultation will run until Wednesday, May 5, and drivers are being encouraged to give their feedback before the deadline.

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