FLEETS are hoping a proposed Government shake-up of the way traffic wardens issue fines will ease the problem of falsely-issued parking penalties.

Under a consultation due next month, ministers will ask traffic wardens to take a more relaxed approach to fines, with variable levies for drivers on yellow lines and an extension of the period before a vehicle is clamped.

Dermot Coughlan, transport manager at cabling and road maintenance firm the Kelly Group, who spends almost £20,000 a month on fixed penalties because drivers need to park directly in front of job locations, said: ‘Any measure to relax parking regulations will help fleets such as ours. Some boroughs already offer a yellow line waiver but any leeway will be good.’

Other measures expected to be announced in the consultation include a maximum fine of £120 in London and an initiative to ban councils from setting targets for the number of tickets issued by wardens.

David Dippie, chairman of the London West region of Acfo, the fleet operators’ association, said: ‘We would welcome such an introduction, especially for delivery fleets.

‘Businesses cannot operate if they can’t deliver so if wardens become intelligent in the way they issue fines, businesses will be able to drop and unload, which will speed up deliveries and make them more efficient.’