Police to protect wardens

Police are to guard parking attendants in London after a wave of attacks.

Wardens are being subjected to violence by motorists, some armed with baseball bats and knives. Three attendants a day are attacked in the capital.

For the first time uniformed officers will join wardens on some of the most dangerous beats to provide protection.

In return attendants will become the "eyes and ears" of the Met - tipping off police about street crime and suspicious vehicles.

Attendants will also provide back-up for Met traffic operations such as crackdowns on illegal minicabs.

The move comes after the Standard revealed a "significant" rise in violence against parking attendants in February.

Figures from the Association of London Government show wardens have been shot at and driven over by irate motorists in the past year.

It followed anger from motorists who claimed parking attendants were being "over-zealous". They were accused of issuing unfair £100 tickets, pouncing on drivers within seconds of parking meters running out, and issuing record numbers of penalties to compete for bonuses. Westminster council said the Met will mount daily, high-visibility motorised and foot patrols. Police will also be on hand when attendants summon tow trucks to deal with illegallyparked vehicles.

"We are very concerned about the level of attacks on our attendants who are simply carrying out their job," said a council spokesman.

"Police will not be with every attendant every minute of the day, but it will prove a deterrent to motorists who believe they can take the law into their own hands."

Alastair Gilchrist, Westminster's parking director, said: "This will increase the benefits to our communities of having parking attendants on the street.

"Although they clearly have a primary role in enforcing parking it is definitely the case that as a uniformed presence on the street they can play a part in creating well-run and orderly civic spaces.

"Attendants can be the eyes and ears of police and in return the police can help them with some of the more difficult challenges they face."

Bob Macnaughton, chief executive of parking contractor NCP, said: "It will help us to further reduce the level of assaults and abuse our parking wardens receive while carrying out their duties.

"We hope we will be able to give something back to the police by providing more formal support in terms of observing and recording street crime and disorder."

Westminster declined to pinpoint key trouble spots or say how many police officers will be involved.

One area known to be feared by attendants is Soho, where illegally- parked minicab drivers frequently resort to violence when attendants attempt to ticket their cars.

In February the wave of attacks was condemned in an official report.

It said: "Parking attendants work in difficult circumstances, frequently on their own.

"While the outcome of their work is beneficial to London, those receiving penalties are rarely appreciative of this and many are abusive. On average more than three attendants are assaulted every day in London, a shocking statistic."

Westminster recently published full details of its parking rules to demonstrate it was being fair to motorists.

It told attendants that drivers could park on double yellow lines when dropping off children at school and that they had three minutes' grace if they stayed too long at a meter.