MOTORISTS in Winchester could face £70 fines if they leave their vehicles more than 50 centimetres (20 inches) from the pavement in a crackdown on bad parking.

Winchester City Council is one of a number of authorities in Hampshire considering implementing new Government powers to punish irresponsible motorists.

New Forest council chiefs have already committed themselves to bring in the system, while those in Southampton and Fareham say they are likely to bring in the new fines system.

Eastleigh and Test Valley are undecided.

The measures, which would come into effect next year if adopted, would give authorities the option of targeting double-parked cars that are disrupting traffic.

They would also enable councils to slap fixed penalty notices on vehicles left alongside dropped kerbs, even where there are no yellow lines.

Town halls outside London were given the powers in March this year, but so far none have used them because of the cost of installing traffic signs or road markings to warn motorists they could be punished.

Now the law will be changed to allow councils to enforce the infringements without putting in place signs or markings.

Under the proposals, which will be subject to consultation, they will simply have to mount an information campaign to alert motorists to the new rules.

The Department for Transport insisted the changes would bring the rest of England into line with London, where the fines are already imposed.

The crackdown was backed by the British Parking Association, but a spokesman warned: "We must be absolutely sure that this power, which has been used in London for a number of years, is implemented in a fair and transparent way."

Drivers in the south paid out £30m in parking charges last year.

Southampton City Council collected more in fines and fees than any other local authority in the area-almost £12m in 2006/7.

The amount collected came from parking fines, car parks, parking meters, resident permits and season tickets.

Once the costs were taken into account, the region's overall net income from parking charges stood at £11m in 2006/7. Southampton made £3.3m, the Isle of Wight £1.99m, Winchester £1.78m, Test Valley £1.14m, Eastleigh £880,000, New Forest £814,000, Fareham £720,000, Gosport £355,000 and Hampshire County just £31,000.

Last year councils were ordered not to set targets for parking tickets, or income from fines, to try to curb criticism that they were more concerned with raising revenue than keeping traffic moving.

Richard Hein, parking and concessionary travel manager for Winchester City Council, said: "We will be taking a sensible approach when considering these new powers and it is still very early days in the decision- making process.

"We recognise that when parking causes problems or safety concerns for other road users or pedestrians, it must be dealt with in a fair and consistent manner, but at the same time there may be difficulties in informing the public about new enforcement powers.

"There are a lot of issues to take into account, including the implications of any additional signage that would be required, and as a rule we try to steer clear of street clutter' in our historic city."

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