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DRIVERS in a major city have been warned of a surge in parking tickets being handed out – with nearly 300 issued in a single day.
On Tuesday, Public Works in Columbia, Missouri, issued a shocking 289 parking citations.
Drivers in Columbia, Missouri have been warned of an influx of parking tickets after the city upped the ante[/caption]
In one day, nearly 300 tickets were issued with around 2,500 handed out since October[/caption]
Parking enforcement in the downtown of the city has been ramped up since October, when Public Works regained control of parking enforcement after four years.
Previously, enforcement was run by the Columbia Police Department.
In the three months since, Public Works have issued nearly 2,500 tickets – in stark contrast to the 4,000 issued by Columbia police in the entirety of their final year in control.
That means Public Works is issuing between two and three times as many tickets, with the total dollar amount from citations issued since October coming to nearly $39,000.
About 100 of the citations Public Works has issued were warnings with no fees attached.
In late December, enforcement agents began issuing citations with fines of $15.50.
What’s more, revenue collected from permits, meters and Park Mobile has amounted to over $1.2 million.
Public Works spokesperson John Ogan stressed the need for proper parking enforcement.
He said: “It allows people to come downtown and know that they can have a parking space more often.
“It eliminates cruising so vehicles don’t have to drive around looking for a free parking space, and that cuts down on traffic congestion and pollution — and it also makes for a more walkable downtown area.”
The current process allows residents 15 days to pay off their ticket to the municipal courts once they’re issued.
If left unpaid, the courts will then issue a $31.50 court fee and a court date.
Locals say they have noticed the increase in fines.
One Columbia resident, Willy Maxwell, said: “I’m pleased that it’s slowly coming back, and they need some more people too.”
In a warning to other residents, he added: “You’re going to get nailed if you don’t feed that thing.”
Katie Hertel, who’s lived in Columbia since 2019, said: “It’s definitely word around the street; I’ve definitely heard about the parking maids.
“It’s definitely been a change because I think for a while it was known that no one was going to be enforcing anything.”
This comes as drivers across the country have been warned of a host of major changes that could hit them in the wallet – as an expert warns of price hikes.
Policy changes set to be brought in by the new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, could see potential financial and environmental impacts on car users across the country.
