Local authorities have raked in over £1billion in parking fines and charges this year alone with drivers footing the bill despite councils blaming budget cuts as an excuse for cost rises.
The latest data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government found that the sharp increase in revenue was due to price hikes in both on-street and off-street parking.
In total, on-street parking raised £698.7million for English councils, while off-street parking raised £340.4 million this year.
The price jump compares to the £962.3 million brought in from parking last year, which included £673.1million from on-street parking and £289.2 million from off-street parking.
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Councils have raised over £1billion in parking charges over the last year
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Jack Cousens, head of roads policy, said: “Councils have broken through the £1billion income barrier, showing just how vital a revenue stream it is for them.
“With budgets stretched, local authorities will pull any lever available to bring cash into the Town Hall.
“The cost of parking, as well as ease of payment, has an impact on consumers and they will ‘vote with their wheels’ if they deem the price too expensive, or a hassle if they can only pay via an app or by phone.”
Some of the most prominent parking increases made by councils this year included a 20 per cent increase in fees by Lambeth Council which moved its charges into the higher band tariff last month.
Meanwhile, the London Borough of Sutton saw prices increase by a shocking 145 per cent. Overnight parking charges in the borough skyrocketed from £2.90 per hour in 2022 to as much as £10 making it the most expensive parking spot for drivers.
Bracknell Forest Council increased its fees to £6.65 per hour, followed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London (£4.90) and Wyre Forest District Council in the West Midlands (£4.05).
Cousens added: “Now that a quarter of all retail sales are being made online, councils are seeing a drop in footfall to the High Street. In their quest to fill the coffers, they may end up driving their customers away.”
According to a Freedom of Information request, the North East of England saw the biggest increase in daytime parking charges with costs rising by 28 per cent since 2022, followed by the South East (25 per cent) and Scotland (21 per cent).
Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, noted: “We know that increased parking charges aren’t all about raising money for councils.
“Often, they are also put in place as a traffic management measure, encouraging people to use alternative transport options. With that in mind, no matter their location, drivers should check parking charges in advance of any journey and look to see where they might be able to find a cheaper rate.”
Last month Bristol City Council announced its intent to raise parking permit costs for residents which could see prices more than double.
The council said it plans to hike the annual cost of residents’ parking permits which would see prices rise from £56 to £124 in certain zones across the city, generating £620,000 for the council every year.
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Elsewhere Canterbury City Council decided to increase parking fees in School Lane, Herne, from £2.20 to £15.
Rob Davies, Canterbury City Council spokesperson, told GB News: “We accept that the change in approach to car park banding has resulted in an increase in prices at School Lane. But we have continued to allow free parking for the morning school run and in the evening for events at the Herne Centre.”
