Moscow region authorities will punish violators of parking rules independently

The authorities of the Moscow region are preparing to fine and evacuate violators of parking rules on their own, without resorting to the services of the traffic police. The corresponding powers are provided for by the amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation adopted by the State Duma last year, and on Wednesday a decree of the government of the Moscow region came into force, according to which the regional Ministry of Transport received the right to adopt the corresponding “legal acts”. This measure could lead to a more than sixfold increase in the number of evacuated cars, authorities previously said.

Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, giving the authorities of the Moscow region the right to independently consider cases under Part 4 of Art. 12.16 of the Administrative Code (parking and stopping a car in the area of ​​a prohibitory sign or marking), was adopted by the State Duma back in June 2023. On January 22, 2024, the Russian government approved an agreement transferring to the region from the Ministry of Internal Affairs the authority to consider relevant offenses. On February 7, a decree of the Moscow region government came into force No. 86-PP, according to which the regional Ministry of Transport received the right to adopt legal acts necessary to perform new functions. The Main Directorate of Regional State Housing Supervision and Maintenance of Territories of the Moscow Region received similar powers.

Fine for violators of Part 4 of Art. 12.16 of the Code of Administrative Offences, let us remind you, is 1.5 thousand rubles. If the sign is equipped with a “Tow Truck Operating” sign, the violator’s vehicle will be taken to the impound lot. The media reported that as of February 7, the region will begin administrative activities within the framework of the agreement, but this does not follow from the document entering into force.

The Code of Administrative Offenses states that the administration must be handled by a designated “executive authority”, and a protocol will be drawn up upon “direct detection” of a violation, that is, automatic cameras cannot be used.

The government of the Moscow region told Kommersant that more than 200 employees will fight against violators of stopping and parking rules, who will take control of the situation on public roads, as well as in intra-block and intra-yard driveways. Inspectors have video recorders, tablets for recording offenses and drawing up administrative cases, and portable printers for printing protocols on site. “Administration is carried out using the Moscow Region Checks mobile application, where all information is entered from the moment of recording to the issuance of a fine,” the regional government added.

Previously, the authority to record illegal parking had already been transferred from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the authorities of Moscow and St. Petersburg (in 2013 and 2020, respectively).

This step was explained by the need to relieve the burden on traffic police inspectors and strengthen the fight against violators. Amendments granting similar rights to the Moscow region were introduced to the State Duma at the beginning of 2022. The explanatory note said that the regional State Traffic Safety Inspectorate detains only about 300 illegally parked cars every day, but more than 2 thousand are needed. The shortage of parking in the Moscow region arose as a result of “wrong urban planning policies,” and now the authorities want to “rip off people at the expense of affiliated tow trucks,” at the same time, deputy Nikolai Kolomeytsev (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) spoke. The bill was adopted despite criticism from deputies.

The head of the Probok.net expert center, Alexander Shumsky, believes that such measures are long overdue. “Fixing such violations is an exclusively civilian function of the parking police or municipal service,” the expert believes. “Police with weapons should not do this. The more regions receive such powers, the faster we will put things in order with parking.” It was previously known that Sevastopol and Tatarstan also lay claim to the right to independently record violations: the corresponding amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses should be submitted to the State Duma.

Ivan Buranov