Councils make £819m from parking charges

A study done by the RAC has suggested that English councils generated £819m from parking fees and fines in 2016-17, an increase of 10% on the previous year.

This figure represents income from parking charges and penalty notices with running costs deducted.

The Local Government Association said parking charge surpluses were spent on "essential transport projects".

Income collected by the 353 English local authorities was up 6% and costs rose 2% compared with 2015-16, when the surplus was £744m.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said the rise in profits reflects the "record number of cars and volume of traffic".

Martin Tett, the Local Government Association's transport spokesman, said parking charges keep the roads clear, help pedestrians, motorists and cyclists safe and enable people to park near their homes.

They also go towards tackling the UK's £12bn roads repair backlog, he added.

An annual report from the Asphalt Industry Alliance this year found that almost a fifth of roads in England and Wales were in "poor" condition.

Top 10 councils in England with the largest parking operations surplus:

1. Westminster £73.2m
2. Kensington and Chelsea £32.1m
3. Camden £26.8 m
4. Hammersmith and Fulham £23.1m
5. Brighton and Hove £21.2m
6. Wandsworth £20.5m
7. Islington £19.1 m
8. Haringey £14.6m
9. Hackney £14.5m
10. Hounslow £12.0m

Source: the RAC Foundation 

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