Nov 2009 24

TaxPayers' Alliance exposes the £328 million parking fines council cash cow6

Including information on every local authority

  • £328 million received in parking fines in the last year
  • Kensington and Chelsea dish out most parking fines of any UK council, with an average of £85 per person
  • For the first time ever, a full national breakdown of parking fines received has been compiled by the TPA/DA

Many people perceive parking enforcement as a money spinning scheme and the right of councils to retain the proceeds from parking enforcement is a major source of friction between councils and the public. This research note provides, for the first time, the amount collected by all UK councils, to produce a national estimate of the amount raised in parking fines.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1991 local authorities were permitted to assume responsibility for on-street and off-street parking enforcement, a power until then held exclusively by the police. In return local authorities were permitted to keep all proceeds generated.  Any surplus income from parking enforcement is ring fenced for local transportation improvement and – under the Traffic Management Act 2004 – local environment improvements.  However local authorities rated as high performing (4 star) have the freedom to spend the surplus in any way they wish. 

 

To read the full report, which includes detailed information on every local authority, please click here (PDF). 

 

Key Findings

  • For the 99 percent of Councils who responded, a total of £328 million for on street parking and off street parking fines was received in the year 2008-09.
  • This is a 16 per cent decrease from total parking fines in 2007-08, which was £379 million.  Although it is not clear why there has been such a large decrease the recession in 2008-09 could have made motorists more cautious about incurring charges such as parking fines.
  • The UK and English council that charged the most in fines relative to their daytime population is Kensington and Chelsea, with an average of £85 per person in 2008-09. The average income per daytime population for English councils was £6.14 in 2008-09.
  • The council that charged the most in fines relative to their daytime population in Scotland is Edinburgh, with an average of £12 per person in 2008-09. The average income per daytime population for Scottish councils was £1.71 in 2008-09. 
  • The council that charged the most in fines relative to their daytime population in Wales is Denbighshire, with an average of £5.62 per person in 2008-09. The average income per daytime population for Welsh council was £1.57 in 2008-09.
  • In Northern Ireland the average amount of fines compared to daytime population was £3.50 per person in 2008-09. Parking fines in Northern Ireland are dealt with by a single authority called the Northern Ireland Road Service.
  • Of the top ten councils with the highest level of ‘fines per daytime population’, six were rated as 4 star councils by the Audit Commission, permitting them to spend a surplus in any way they wished. 

To download the full report, please click here (PDF).

Peter Roberts, Chief Executive at the Drivers’ Alliance, said:

“Parking enforcement has become a massive money making industry and we are seeing unscrupulous and target driven enforcement of parking laws where the penalties far outweigh the offence. This report shows that some local authorities are treating drivers unfairly and cashing in on parking fines.”

Jennifer Dunn, Policy Analyst with the Drivers' Alliance and the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:

“For many councils parking fines have become a lucrative source of income. But while revenues are being made at the cost of the motorist, taxpayers haven’t seen their council tax fall, or their local services improve. Motorists are being treated like cash cows, but the only people that appear to be benefiting are wardens and their bosses.”

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  • Steve Robson

    Funnily enough I’ve never had a parking fine.
    Now why would that be?
    Oh I know, its because I don’t park illegally and inconvenience everyone else.
    Now why don’t right wing tax avoiders do the same thing as they seem to think this is some kind of tax?
    Surely a better solution than writing daft reports about it.
    God help us if we have to drive round all your badly parked Hummers when your mate Dave gets into power.

  • Steve Robson

    …and another thing…Jennifer Dunn appears obsessed with parking and speeding fines. Can you publish her driving whereabouts, so I can keep out of her way as she drives at 100mph and then parks in the middle of the road, just so she can complain about being “taxed”.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/nickleaton Nick Leaton

    Why shouldn’t parking be put out for tender?
    Well, it is, but the problem is that the aim of the tender is maximising the money raised.
    Instead, parking should be put out for tender where the winner is the firm that provides the lowest cost to the end user.
    Isn’t that what government is supposed to do? Provide services that are cheaper when centrally provided.
    Nick

  • Donald Mitchell

    The £7m parking income results from Edinburgh show another reason why the city centre continues to decline. While accepting that the enforcement wardens are doing nothing illegal, ‘over zealous’ are the words that would describe them. Edinburgh is the only city I have ever parked in, where, after rigorously checking the vehicle position within the lines, the local rule signs, paying for my ticket correctly, I’m still surprised when I return to my vehicle and it hasn’t been ticketed! Edinburgh citizens, businesses and The Peoples Republic of Edinburgh Council need to ask themselves where did it all go wrong? even without the Tram debacle (Scottish Parliament Mk2)- the early 90′s and a certain David Begg might be a clue. As an out-of-town occasional visitor I am now confronted with signs on all the main routes into the city proclaiming “Edinburgh City Centre for Leisure and Entertainment”. After 20 odd years of being unwanted, am I now being invited in? Too late for me and many others I’m afraid. Ok, Park and Ride helps but is too little too late, people sometimes do have to drive into the city but in the main will carry out their business or shop elsewhere if at all possible. There are plenty of other opportunities and welcoming local places to spend money these days – even apart from on-line.

  • C Bruce

    is it me, or has income per council fallen by around 10% from 07/08 to 08/09? Can’t see this point being made.
    Also impressed by Camden’s £26 million fall in payments…

  • Jerry Williams

    I have held a driving licence since 1973, have worked as a truck driver and in that time recieved only one parking ticket when i took a chance. Being a mature responsible person i paid up and accepted responsibility that i had taken a gamble, rather than “throw my sweets out the pram” and blame local councils and traffic wardens.
    To suggest it is a tax is an insult to all us law abiding citizens. Just because you have a car it does not give you the right to be transported every where door to door.To some of you this may seem a radical idea but perhaps at times you may need to walk a bit or even use public transport.
    Perhaps you should get your head out the Daily Mail and see the world as it really is!!!