Parking fines set to rise 50% to €17

PARKING fines are set to increase by more than 50 per cent, the first increase since 1986, when they cost 75 francs.

Newspaper Le Figaro revealed the plan, which comes after months of complaints from local councillors that the present €11 fine was too low.

Budget minister François Baroin is in the middle of preparing the change and admitted on the Télématin breakfast TV programme that they were looking at increasing the cost of a procès verbal to €17.

During last autumn’s budget debate, MPs had proposed that the fines be increased to €20, although the measure was not adopted.

Mr Baroin said the €11 fine had not changed in 24 years and it would provide extra funding for local councils.

A final decision will be taken in the coming weeks and no date has yet been set for the new fines to come into force.

Photo: Frog 974 - Fotolia.com