Constitutional Court Rules Vehicular Restriction Fines Valid; Drivers Must Pay
Drivers who have refused to pay the ¢5.000 colones fine for not respecting the downtown San José vehicular restriction, will have to do so now, the Constitutional Court or Sala IV ruled.

The ruling affects the 16.000 drivers who received fines but did not pay them since the vehicular restriction began in August. The Sala IV supported the regulation that prohibits vehicles from circulating the defined downtown core between 7am and 8:3am and 4pm and 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, based on the last number of the license plate.

Mondays vehicles with the license plate ending in 1 and 2 are restricted; 3 and 4 on Tuesdays; 5 and 6 on Wednesdays; 7 and 8 on Thursdays; and, 9 an 0 on Fridays. Buses, taxis and emergency vehicles are excluded from the restriction.

The court decision means now that the Policia de Tránsito (transit police) can collect he ¢82.2 million colones (us$166.000) in outstanding fines. Drivers with outstanding fines will have 30 days to pay up or face late interest charges of 3% per month.

The vehicular restriction came into effect on August 3 by a government decree that defines the area restricted area between Avenidas 9 and 16 and Calles 11 and 22. The restriction is valid for a period of six months but may be extended if proven successful in reducing congestion and pollution.

Two people appealed the restriction to the Sala IV. Transit officials said they would continue to hand out fines - 16.646 as of close on Friday - but would wait on collection until the court ruling.

Juan Manuel Delgado, of the Transit police, says that the measures have had an effect, saying that there has been a significant decrease in the amount of congestion in the downtown core. Delgado adds that the 16.000 fines is similar to the number of fines his transit officers handed for failing to wear a seatbelt during the same period.

The fines, once collected, Delgado said, they will be distributed between the Patronato Nacional de Infancia (PANI - the child welfare agency), the Cruz Roja (Red Cross), the Consejo de Seguridad Vial, the Dirección de Ingeniería de Tránsito, the 81 municipalities and the Policía de Tránsito.

The fine is ¢5.000 colones, but at the time of payment, which can be made at any Banco de Costa Rica branch, ¢1.500 colones is added for PANI.