Yahoo News Foreign drivers owe £1m of parking fines in Westminster – and the French are the worst offenders
Drivers from abroad owe Westminster City Council racked up more than £1m in unpaid parking fines over the past 12 months, according to figures released today.
French motorists are the most prolific parking offenders, accounting for around £356,000 in unpaid penalties - roughly a third of the total.
In comparison, Qatari vehicles accrued £191,105 in fines and the United Arab Emirates £116,030. Perhaps unsurprising given how much further these cars have had to come.
Romania and Germany come fourth and fifth in the rankings, with £114,235 and £103,375 respectively. Belgium, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Ireland are each responsible for less than £100,000 of unpaid penalties.
Cllr Danny Chalkley, Cabinet Member for City Highways, said: “We gladly welcome visitors from abroad who wish to visit our iconic roads and landmarks.
“However, drivers who park irresponsibly are a nuisance for our residents and visitors alike. This should be a reminder that a foreign number plate does not give you immunity from the law.
The figures do not include fines accrued by diplomatic or embassy vehicles, which are known to flout parking restrictions and the Congestion Charge zone.
France looks set to top the chart next year too, having already racked up £111,570 in fines in 2017 alone. It's not clear why French drivers are so inclined to incur penalties when parking in London, though the ease with which London can be accessed from France means that there are a higher number of French cars in the capital than other foreign-registered vehicles.
It can be hard for local authorities to contact foreign motorists once they have returned to their home countries, and Westminster City Council is calling on the government to establish a "system of international co-operation" which could allow councils to trace offending motorists abroad.
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