'HAPPY New Year to all readers. As many will know I spent much of 2017 campaigning for fairer private parking laws, and in December I formally lodged a proposal to regulate the industry in the Scottish Parliament.

My Christmas wish was for private parking to be clear, fair and understandable.

We have all been there, hit by a ticket as a result of either an honest error or for failing to understand the complex terms and conditions on parking signs. In Scotland, there is no standardised appeals process and parkers are left at the mercy of companies who act as judge and jury. Unfortunately, the law is as clear as mud in this area and my proposed Bill aims to bring clarity through five basic controls.

First off, the proposed Bill will create a fully independent appeals process that will allow parkers to appeal their ticket, not to the parking provider, but to a fully independent panel.

Secondly, I want fines grounded in reality, where rules breaches are punished proportionately. Tickets handed out by local councils traditionally range between £30 and £60, but private firms charge as much as £160. This is not on.

Thirdly, I want to introduce rules to ensure that signage in car parks is written in plain English and is clearly signposted to parkers. Motorists shouldn’t need a law degree or a microscope to fully understand the terms for parking their car.

Fourthly, fines should not resemble, in appearance or title, penalty notices from the police of council traffic wardens.

The final concept that my bill seeks to bring forward is “keeper liability” to ensure that rules are uniform across the UK. In England and Wales private parking charge notices are liable for payment by the registered keeper and I suggest that this should be considered in Scotland.

First up is the public consultation. This phase does exactly what it says on the tin, and I am calling for both the public and industry to have their say on my plans, good or bad. The consultation document outlining this Bill in depth can be viewed and responded to online- http://www.parliament.scot/gettinginvolved/106912.aspx This document can also be returned through traditional mediums and if anyone would like a hard copy, please get in touch with my office who will be happy to supply one.

You can be sure that the private parking industry will respond to this consultation and it’s important that a balanced view emerges from the first stage in the Bill process. This is your chance to shape legislation and you have until March to get your responses in.

As we bring in the new year, let’s hope that 2017 was the last year of a shoddy parking laws and 2018 heralds a new era of fairer parking for all.'