Parking fines set to increase

by Rob Benneian

Fines for parking violations in Windsor are set to increase Oct. 1, marking the city’s first fine increase since 2004.

Per a City of Windsor news release, fines will increase from $15 to $17 for parking violations at meters and in city lots. The increase is part of the 2012 budget established by the city.

Four violations will be affected by this change: parking with a fee payment in default, parking at a meter where time has expired, parking at a meter that is out of order and shows “FAIL” and parking at a meter that has no display or reads blank.

Windsor’s manager of traffic operations, John Wolf, said the city issued its greatest number of tickets for parking offences in 2003, prompting the fine increase in 2004.

“(Tickets issued) have steadily decreased (since 2004),” Wolf said. “Last year we issued around 85,000 tickets. In the mid-2000s, they were issuing around 110,000 tickets (per year).”

Wolf said the city collected nearly $2 million in parking tickets in 2011, or an average of $23.51 per ticket issued.

The four affected violations are the least expensive fines a motorist can incur for a parking violation. The most expensive is $350 for parking or stopping in a handicapped parking space.

For a complete list of the parking fines, visit cityofwindsor.ca and search for “parking enforcement.”