A council in London has come under intense pressure after a number of drivers were slapped with parking fines by learner drivers on mopeds.
Civil enforcement officers (CEOs) are hired by councils to issue parking notices on their behalf, they are employed and paid through taxes.
Fury rose in the past week as a number of CEOs across the capital were spotted issuing parking fines on the back of mopeds, with one strapped with a learner plate.
Councils have been advertising CEO roles for years, but the twist of using a moped is a more recent feature. Under CEO hiring guidelines, unqualified drivers can make up to £26,000 in some regions, the same as a nurse, for undergoing “basic training” on a moped to give out parking fines.
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A number of drivers were hit with fines by wardens on mopeds
GETTYAccording to the National Careers website, there are no set qualifications to become a civil enforcement officer.
The site detailed: “Experience of working in a customer service role is highly valued and could help you get into this job.
“Once you start work, your employer will provide training. This will cover subjects like parking enforcement policy, traffic regulations, evidence collection, permits, waivers and exemptions."
While the site did explain that some jobs will require a licence, training people to drive can be costly. However, using a moped is a loophole as the UK has more relaxed restrictions and tends to be a far cheaper option.
Compulsory basic training is a course anyone over 16 needs to take before riding a moped or motorcycle on the road. However, CBT is not a test that has a pass or fail. After a person completes a CBT, they can ride a moped if over 16 and a motorcycle up to 125cc and with a power output of up to 11kW.
Lambeth Council recently came under fire after one of its CEOs was seen handing out parking tickets while on a moped with a learner plate.
The Telegraph revealed how an enforcement office on a learner moped handed out a penalty to an unoccupied car just two minutes after it arrived, not allowing the 10-minute grace period to try and find the driver.
The enforcement officer on the moped was reportedly parked in a suspended bay with a learner plate which was noted as partially upturned on the back of the vehicle while handing out the parking fine.
Lambeth Council is using learner drivers on mopeds to hand out tickets
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Under normal driving circumstances, the driver could have been handed six points on a licence for the unclear L plate.
A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “Our parking services help to keep the streets of our busy inner London borough safe and convenient.
“We use foot patrols and electric scooters to efficiently achieve that, all in line with relevant legislation. Penalty Charge Notices are only issued to people breaking the rules, and there are no targets attached to this work.”
Lambeth Council has a contract with APCOA parking company which sends out officers on behalf of the authority.
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A spokesperson for APCOA stated that its CEOs operate on foot or by various forms of transport including e-bikes, scooters, vans and cars depending on the requirements of the client.
They said: “Scooters offer a low emission and versatile means for CEOs to carry out their duties within a large borough – 80 per cent of the APCOA mopeds operating in Lambeth are electric. These vehicles are driven in accordance with licence and DVLA regulations and all the APCOA fleet is insured under a commercial agreement.
“As the Borough's parking contractor, CEOs are permitted to park safely within parking bays while issuing penalty charge notices. CEOs issue PCNs for breaches of Lambeth Council's parking regulations and are not offered any incentive or reward based on the number of PCNs they issue.”
According to the Code of Practice for CEOs in London, if parking regulations need to be enforced, the local authority must ensure that they are right and properly indicated.
The move has been slammed by drivers
PAThe code stated: “CEOs must be readily identifiable and must wear an easily recognisable uniform. They need to be trained and equipped to a sufficiently high standard to allow them to carry out their duties professionally and competently.
“Although enforcement policy is a matter for each individual authority, in order to ensure a minimum level of satisfactory operation, the duties and responsibilities of CEOs are set down in the Civil Enforcement Officers Handbook. This is not, however, prescriptive in every detail.”
Isaac Occhipinti from the British Parking Association remarked how vital it is that councils enforce traffic and parking rules.
He stated: “This is to ensure traffic flow, reduce congestion and shorten journey times for commuters and visitors. They are not there to generate revenue as some organisations wish to depict them.
“Councils are on the side of motorists; they want to ensure that the roads are well run and efficient. Properly enforcing our roads is a vital tool to enable this."
