§ 33. Sir R. Russellasked the Minister of Transport whether he will seek to amend the law so that drivers will not have their driving licences endorsed for parking offences.
Mr. Bob BrownPurely parking offences, as distinct from leaving a vehicle where it creates danger, are not endorsable under existing law.
§ Sir R. RussellWould the Parliamentary Secretary agree that a stationary vehicle, however badly parked, is not as dangerous as a moving vehicle? Is it not unfair that the totting up process for disqualification should be the same for leaving a vehicle parked dangerously as for driving dangerously?
Mr. BrownThe hon. Gentleman must have missed the point I was making; that purely parking offences—that is, leaving vehicles stationary—are not endorsable at the present time. The categories in which stationary vehicles commit an endorsable offence are leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position—in other words, causing a dangerous obstruction, and this is not a parking offence, its essential ingredient is the causing of danger—stopping on a special road, except on the hard shoulder—this not only dislocates fast-moving traffic but causes a danger—and leaving a vehicle on or near a pedestrian crossing, and I do not think that anyone would argue about this. All of these offences attract endorsement and the court has discretionary power to disqualify.