Spy cars to be banned

Rochdale Council spy car

The use of 'spy cars' with cameras to catch drivers who park illegally is to be banned, the government has announced.

It says spy cars are being used as a "cash cow" by councils, and it wants to end the "plague" of parking fines being sent in the post.

Instead traffic wardens will have to fix penalty notices to windscreens.

Councils will still be able to use the cameras near schools, in bus lanes and bus stops.

Rochdale Council deployed a spy car in April saying the use of the spy car is to tackle "inconsiderate, dangerous and often illegal parking outside schools". However, it also admitted that "it may be used to tackle hotspot restrictions which are difficult to enforce, such as bus stops, taxi ranks and where a loading restriction is in place." Contraventions captured by the spy camera car will result in a £70 penalty charge being issued.

The government says nine million parking fines are now issued every year by local authorities in England and wants to rein-in "over-zealous parking enforcement practices".

The ban follows a three-month consultation.