London Councils wins prestigious transport awards 

London Councils won two prestigious awards last night (Wednesday) for the introduction of the country's first city-wide two-tier parking penalty system.

The pioneering scheme, introduced last July, received the Most Innovative Transport Project - Road Infrastructure, and the overall Most Innovative Transport Project awards at the London Transport Awards 2008, held at the Hilton, Park Lane. The awards were hosted by BBC Radio and Television presenter Jeremy Vine.

Under the two-tier scheme motorists causing the most disruption, frustration and danger to other road users through their illegal parking receive higher penalties than those committing other contraventions. The government is following London Councils' example and is now seeking to roll this approach out across the country from 31 March.

The system was introduced in London following extensive consultation with the public, motoring groups and other organisations. More than 80 per cent of those who responded said people committing the most serious acts of illegal parking should be penalised more heavily than others.