John Culatto
GIBRALTAR police are now giving out much higher fixed fines for parking and road traffic offences, the British territory’s government said in a statement.
Minister for Transport Paul Balban said the increases would keep up with inflation while helping ‘make our streets safe for the most vulnerable road users in our community’.
“As a result of listening to the views of the Royal Gibraltar Police and especially the Commissioner of Police, it was clear that our level of fines had become relatively insignificant and were no longer a real deterrent to help tackle inconsiderate and even dangerous road use,” Balban said.
“These changes are just a small part of the various road safety strategies which will be introduced in the coming months aimed at reducing offending and in particular, the possibility of road traffic collisions with the dangerous consequences these create,” he added.
As a result, parking and waiting offences doubled to £50, with a 50% discount if they are paid within two weeks.
Police will fine people £300 for road traffic offences like speeding, instead of £100.
As part of the changes, any use of a mobile phone while driving will now be punished, even making a call or checking the time.
The increases followed revelations that the police gave out more that 900 people fines for speeding in the last policing year.
“The RGP pressed for changes to the scale of fines because we felt that the old fines were not being effective as a deterrent. For example, all parking fines were £50 – a sum that could then be reduced to £25 if it was paid promptly,” Commissioner of the Police Richard Ullger said.
“For many people, the possibility of being fined £25 did not stop them from parking irresponsibly.”
Balban said he was planning to pass a new law that will introduce a points system to further help police officers enforce traffic laws.
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