A bill is being discussed in Russia that would allow regions to independently fine drivers for parking violations, bypassing the traffic police. The initiative was proposed by the Legislative Assembly of the Perm Territory and supported by four other regions. Currently, only Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Moscow Region, and Sevastopol have the right to administer parking violations.
The authors of the bill argue that the traffic police are not coping with the increasing number of violators, and the regions should be able to independently control the situation. The explanatory note to the bill states that in large cities, the number of drivers brought to justice is significantly less than the actual number of violators. For example, in Perm, the traffic police issue about 17-18 thousand fines per year, while the real number of violators in the city center is 20 times higher.
The bill assumes that regions will be able to record violations using road cameras and enter into agreements with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to transfer powers. The initiative was supported by the authorities of the Krasnodar Territory, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, and Tula regions, which are also ready to take on new functions.
However, experts warn of possible risks. In their opinion, the transfer of powers to the regions may lead to abuses, when fines will be used as a way to replenish the budget. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko previously pointed out the lack of data on the readiness of the regions for such changes.
Despite the initial lack of support from the government, the new version of the bill takes into account the comments, and its fate remains uncertain. Experts emphasize that it is necessary to create a control system to avoid mistakes by inspectors and ensure the protection of drivers' rights.
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