WATCH: Steve Fowler blasts Labour for 'war on motorists'

joining me. It's a very simple question. What the hell is going on

Yeah, I'm almost tempted to say what the hell just happened, but I'm much happier talking about

Eurovision. He's much happier. Oh, not again. I mean, us poor motorists every time. Wouldn't it

be lovely? I love coming on GB News. It'd be lovely to hear from the government saying

we're going to do something for motorists. But no, bash, bash, bash every time. And this is

frankly ridiculous. I mean, they're trying to encourage people to get back into town centres

to get out there, to go shopping, to support businesses. And yet, if we stay for a little

bit longer than we anticipated, and we haven't paid the right amount for the parking, we're

going to get stung with a fine that, as you quite rightly said, is greater than somebody

committing criminal damage. This is criminal damage, as far as I'm concerned, as far as

what the government's doing to motorists. Exactly. As I understand it, at present, parking tickets issued by councils are capped at £60 or £70 outside of London, depending on the category of fine

And most councils will offer you, you know, if you pay up quicker, you'll get a lower fine

But the Department of Transport is not ruling out increasing that to more than for local authorities outside of London And this is coming from the Local Government Association and the British Parking Association

Now, Stu, we're reassured constantly that there isn't a war on the motorists. But this does seem to be like motorists are being forced to pay for everything that local councils are doing wrong

Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. And there most definitely does seem to be a war on the motorists, whether it's congestion charges that are supposed to reduce congestion in town centres

And it certainly doesn't to parking permits. Every single opportunity to just squeeze a little bit more cash out of the motorists

These are law abiding citizens, people who might just, as I say, overstay their parking by 10 or 15 minutes because they're doing something

They're supporting a local business. yet they're going to be stung once again. And, you know, frankly, maybe we should take a leaf

out of the French book and just start blockading things or whatever

You know, we take it on the chin a little bit too much as motorists, and maybe we shouldn't

Unfortunately, we've got a little while before we can take it out of the ballot box. Well actually yeah Steve actually that a very good point The French would be up in arms of having a right and going on strike wouldn they about this But we terribly British and we go OK right OK well let just pay up But I mean this is basically I mean we know that many many local councils have not handled their budgets well in any way shape or form

We've got several bankrupt councils around the country at the moment. So this is just, it's nothing to do with a green issue of reducing pollution or reducing traffic flow

It's all about making money, isn't it? Yeah, it's what you said, bad budget management

You know, if some of these councils manage their budgets better, then they wouldn't have to go looking for extra cash and normally from the motorists

Yeah, maybe we do need, and I'm sure to say this, and it may be controversial

maybe we need our own Elon Musk to go in there and get rid of the waste

save the cash that is being thrown down the drain in local councils on silly little programs

because they could just do that, waste money, and then go to the motorists and say, we're going to charge you a little bit more now for five minutes over staying in your parking

It's just not good enough and frankly not fair. You know, let's say the fact that I could be a shoplifter or I could tear the wing mirror off a car

not that I would obviously but I going to find less than if I stay 15 minutes too long in a parking space That doesn make any sense whatsoever And obviously it very easy to target someone who parked and not paid for the full amount

because they're maybe two minutes over the limit or something. But meanwhile, we're letting shoplifters, I mean, proper criminals, going to shops

and walk out with £200, £300, £400, £500 of goods and we're not doing anything about it

Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. I mean, everybody's blood will be boiling at this

It's absolutely outrageous. Just wouldn't it be great if local councils say, come to your town centres, park for free, come and use the shops

You know, we all want to do that. We want to support local businesses. But it's certainly where I live in the neck of the woods where I am

People are frightened to go and park for fear of getting a big ticket. And people do just pay it. I mean, I would always argue the toss just to try and delay the payment and make it awkward for people

But, you know, you get the thing through. It's very formal for a lot of people. It's very worrying

They feel like criminals, and all they've done is just outstay their welcome, shall we say, in the car park

But, you know, let's put it this way. It's certainly not a vote-winner

We've just had the local council elections, haven't we, in many places. So no surprise the bad news comes after that

Yeah, well, yeah, timing. It's all in the timing. Steve, thank you so much. That's that motoring journalist Steve Farrell