Dismay over UK parking

• Government told to sort out parking mess
• Motoring groups dismayed at Government response
• Motorists were fined more than £1.2 billion in 2005

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Motoring groups have reacted with dismay following the Government's defence of its parking policy.

The RAC Foundation and AA Motoring Trust both say the Government's response to criticism from the Transport Select Committee is poor.

The Committee had blasted the Department for Transport for its failure to properly govern parking. It suggested a range of far-reaching changes, but few have been adopted by the DfT.

The Government said it supported the committee's call for councils to take over parking enforcement from the police, but said it would not impose the responsibility on them.

It also rejected the committee's calls to licence wheel clampers, but has agreed that a sliding scale of penalties should be used.

With motorists shelling out more than £1.2 billion in parking fines last year, the Transport Select Committee said nationwide standards for enforcement were long overdue and recommended a broader range of penalties that better reflect the seriousness of offences.

The committee's damning report also said councils used parking penalties as a revenue generator, and called for all local authorities to develop strategies that squarely focus on congestion and safety.