New driver news - Young driver car insurance holders free from fines in Wales

Driving news - Aberystwyth young driver car insurance holders parking

For many experienced motorists, and those with young driver car insurance, the thought of a world without traffic wardens may seem bright.

However, Aberystwyth, a seaside town in Wales, has been free of traffic wardens for a little over one week and already a negative impact has been felt.

Ceredigion council is in the process of phasing out all police-employed traffic wardens, replacing them with council parking attendants to enforce its new civil parking powers. The problem is that the hand-over will, according to the authorities, take about a year.

"It's only a week since the wardens were laid off and Aberystwyth is in chaos, and things can only get worse," said the chairman of Aberystwyth Chamber of Commerce.

Given the freedom to park anywhere, without the threat of a fine, new drivers and the older generation of motorists in the town have been participating in high levels of illegal parking.

Many vehicles are now using double-yellow-lined areas, junctions and even disabled spaces as parking bays – which is reportedly blocking the roads.

A spokesman for the council commented, "As stated in the Highway Code (Rules 238 to 252), it is the responsibility of all motorists to park sensibly and, where issues arise, the police should be contacted to take any necessary enforcement action."

Young driver car insurance holders and more experienced road users should try to maintain their positive driving skills, and should not let the lack of penalty enforcement tempt them into parking irresponsibly on dangerous areas of road as, if an accident is caused due to illegal parking, their car insurance may be invalidated.