The one-eyed 'white vulture' cars have been causing trouble amongst residents once again. There prowling and illegal antics continue to upset council tax payers across Medway, with many residents standing up against the Conservative CCTV cars which have plagued and harrassed for years.
The news that the cars have been treating residents with contempt are not new. We have had numerous examples of the cars breaking the law, from parking on double yellow lines to prowling around primary schools around the same time that parents come to drop off or pick up their children. Coincidence?
The simple fact is that Tory Councillors have planned massive increases in the amount they expect to make from the vehicles. The Council budget, passed in April, highlights starkly that they do not care at all about the plight of motorists across Medway.
Our Conservative masters in Gun Wharf are only interested in the money they can make out of previously law-abiding citizens. The morality of snooping on the same public, which also pays the Council tax rates for the vehicles are ignored.
With that in mind, the news that the all-seeing CCTV Spy Cars have issued more than 16,000 tickets in the last financial year, raking in just over £455,000 in fines from motorists must now be the final straw for many residents.
This is nothing short of a full scale Tory attack on Medway Motorists.
The stunning statistics were revealed in a report by anti-surveillance pressure group Big Brother Watch and showed that on average the authority's two camera cars penalised a combined total of 300 Medway drivers each week between April 1, 2009, and March 31 this year.
The number of tickets and overall income are both roughly four times higher than those recorded in Manchester, a city with more than 200,000 more residents.
Big Brother Watch's figures show that 54 CCTV Smart Cars, employed by 31 councils across Britain, generated more than £8 million in fines last year and fined more than £187,000 motorists.
We are now seeing residents having to take their own action to prove that the vehicle is causing distress.
One stalwart of the communuty, Bill Khan filmed the antics of the Medway Council employee who instead of offering some humility decided to argue with a member of the public for filming him at work.
The 34-year-old stalwart of the community captured the Smart car from the pavement while it was patrolling Batchelor Street, just off Chatham High Street. Mr Khan, who sent his video to the Medway Messenger, said:
"Is this how Medway Council train their employees? Not very good ambassadors for the council, are they?"
Tory controlled Medway Council said Mr Khan could not have been arrested for filming the warden, but declined to comment further.
This blog has previously commented on the CCTV car. It believes the problem stems from the very top. With arrogant and out of touch Tory Councillors in charge why are you not surprised?
Previously, Tory chief Cllr Filmer, who is in charge of the CCTV cars, happily admitted that the CCTV car parked in prohibited places about 70 per cent of the time and was above the law. He also indicated that the car "never causes an obstruction to other vehicles. It is done to ease the congestion of our towns and to provide a safer working environment. It has had a positive impact"
Make no mistake at all, the car has left a terrible legacy. Throughout its tarnished history it has merely served to highlight the total contempt of Tory Councillors towards the general public.
Last year a direct comparison was made between the illegal parking of Conservative Councillors at Gun Wharf in Disabled Parking bays (twice) vis-a-vis the fine the CCTV would have given for parking in the incorrect bays.
The CCTV car has also been spotted parking illegally outside the Conservative Party HQ in Gillingham & Rainham. The Tory group led the purchase of the despised CCTV car and has wholeheartedly supported the punitive taxation of motorists across the town by purchasing further vehicles.
Every month the press is inundated by members of the public who are sick and tired of the CCTV Car. They are tired of the car arrogantly breaking the rules and they are fed up with the insulting manner and its contempt for basic highway rules and the traffic code. There is a general groundswell of support to scrap the vehicle entirely and use the money to fund stand-alone CCTV traffic cameras outside schools, where dangerous driving could harm lives and cameras could actually save lives.
The Tories have a lamentable record on transport in Medway.
The multi-million pound two-way traffic madness in Chatham, the purchase of an unsafe Medway Tunnel which could see a Tory Toll, constant uncoordinated roadworks, disgrace around gritting during the winter months. Pothole madness in Strood and a bus station farce in Chatham which has seen the destruction of town heritage. Meanwhile we have a total lack of oversight around Arriva busses with some areas of Medway left uncovered by a basic service on Sunday's. That is not to comment on the the gerrymandering of funding for the Yellow Bus scheme and the opposition to the Freedom Bus Pass.
The news that the cars have been treating residents with contempt are not new. We have had numerous examples of the cars breaking the law, from parking on double yellow lines to prowling around primary schools around the same time that parents come to drop off or pick up their children. Coincidence?
The simple fact is that Tory Councillors have planned massive increases in the amount they expect to make from the vehicles. The Council budget, passed in April, highlights starkly that they do not care at all about the plight of motorists across Medway.
Our Conservative masters in Gun Wharf are only interested in the money they can make out of previously law-abiding citizens. The morality of snooping on the same public, which also pays the Council tax rates for the vehicles are ignored.
With that in mind, the news that the all-seeing CCTV Spy Cars have issued more than 16,000 tickets in the last financial year, raking in just over £455,000 in fines from motorists must now be the final straw for many residents.
This is nothing short of a full scale Tory attack on Medway Motorists.
The stunning statistics were revealed in a report by anti-surveillance pressure group Big Brother Watch and showed that on average the authority's two camera cars penalised a combined total of 300 Medway drivers each week between April 1, 2009, and March 31 this year.
The number of tickets and overall income are both roughly four times higher than those recorded in Manchester, a city with more than 200,000 more residents.
Big Brother Watch's figures show that 54 CCTV Smart Cars, employed by 31 councils across Britain, generated more than £8 million in fines last year and fined more than £187,000 motorists.
We are now seeing residents having to take their own action to prove that the vehicle is causing distress.
One stalwart of the communuty, Bill Khan filmed the antics of the Medway Council employee who instead of offering some humility decided to argue with a member of the public for filming him at work.
The 34-year-old stalwart of the community captured the Smart car from the pavement while it was patrolling Batchelor Street, just off Chatham High Street. Mr Khan, who sent his video to the Medway Messenger, said:
"Is this how Medway Council train their employees? Not very good ambassadors for the council, are they?"
Tory controlled Medway Council said Mr Khan could not have been arrested for filming the warden, but declined to comment further.
This blog has previously commented on the CCTV car. It believes the problem stems from the very top. With arrogant and out of touch Tory Councillors in charge why are you not surprised?
Previously, Tory chief Cllr Filmer, who is in charge of the CCTV cars, happily admitted that the CCTV car parked in prohibited places about 70 per cent of the time and was above the law. He also indicated that the car "never causes an obstruction to other vehicles. It is done to ease the congestion of our towns and to provide a safer working environment. It has had a positive impact"
Make no mistake at all, the car has left a terrible legacy. Throughout its tarnished history it has merely served to highlight the total contempt of Tory Councillors towards the general public.
Last year a direct comparison was made between the illegal parking of Conservative Councillors at Gun Wharf in Disabled Parking bays (twice) vis-a-vis the fine the CCTV would have given for parking in the incorrect bays.
The CCTV car has also been spotted parking illegally outside the Conservative Party HQ in Gillingham & Rainham. The Tory group led the purchase of the despised CCTV car and has wholeheartedly supported the punitive taxation of motorists across the town by purchasing further vehicles.
Every month the press is inundated by members of the public who are sick and tired of the CCTV Car. They are tired of the car arrogantly breaking the rules and they are fed up with the insulting manner and its contempt for basic highway rules and the traffic code. There is a general groundswell of support to scrap the vehicle entirely and use the money to fund stand-alone CCTV traffic cameras outside schools, where dangerous driving could harm lives and cameras could actually save lives.
The Tories have a lamentable record on transport in Medway.
The multi-million pound two-way traffic madness in Chatham, the purchase of an unsafe Medway Tunnel which could see a Tory Toll, constant uncoordinated roadworks, disgrace around gritting during the winter months. Pothole madness in Strood and a bus station farce in Chatham which has seen the destruction of town heritage. Meanwhile we have a total lack of oversight around Arriva busses with some areas of Medway left uncovered by a basic service on Sunday's. That is not to comment on the the gerrymandering of funding for the Yellow Bus scheme and the opposition to the Freedom Bus Pass.
Next year you can make a difference and vote to kick this lot from office
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