British drivers were hit with a record-breaking £782 million in parking fines during the last financial year, as local authorities dramatically increased their income from penalties. The staggering total represents a sharp 26 per cent rise, or an extra £160 million, compared to the previous twelve months.
A Relentless Tide of Tickets
The figures reveal the sheer scale of the enforcement, with an average of 1,500 motorists per hour receiving a penalty charge notice. This equates to more than 35,000 tickets issued every single day across the country. While the average fine sits around £60, many drivers, particularly in London, faced charges of up to £160.
Campaign groups have reacted with fury, accusing town halls of viewing drivers as little more than 'wallets on wheels' and 'cash machines' to bolster their finances. The surge in revenue follows decisions by many councils to both increase fine levels and expand the areas covered by parking controls.
Digital Divide Excludes and Penalises
A significant factor in the rising fine tally, according to pressure groups, is the widespread removal of traditional pay-and-display machines in favour of smartphone app payments. This shift has created a major barrier for those without the necessary technology or digital skills, often disproportionately affecting older drivers.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, stated: 'Council parking fine levels are only growing and drivers are being seen as wallets on wheels. With budgets stretched, one way councils can generate cash is to squeeze more from parking fees and charges.' He argued that using an app should be an option, not the only one, to avoid excluding people who wish to pay by cash or card and then support local high streets.
Dennis Reed, director of the over-60s group Silver Voices, was more blunt, saying: 'Councils are driving senior citizens off the road with their punitive parking policies... This is gross discrimination against all those without a smartphone, or the digital skills to use such appliances.'
London Leads the Revenue League
The capital was responsible for a huge portion of the record haul. All of the top 16 councils for parking ticket income were in London, with Westminster Council in central London collecting nearly £50 million alone. Outside London, Manchester generated the most revenue, followed closely by Brighton and Hove, with Leicester, Leeds, Liverpool, and Newcastle also featuring in the top ten.
The true national total is likely even higher, as nine local authorities – including Birmingham – failed to submit their data in time for the analysis.
Hugh Bladon, a founder of the Alliance of British Drivers, criticised the trend: 'Councils are relying on taking money out of the motorists' pockets to subsidise the running of their authorities. The motorist is seen as an easy target.' This sentiment was echoed by Benjamin Elks of the Taxpayers' Alliance, who said the figures looked less like traffic management and more like using drivers as ATMs.
In response, a spokesman for the Local Government Association defended councils' actions, citing a massive increase of ten million more vehicles on the roads over 25 years. They stated councils take their duty to manage parking demand and enforce against illegal parking seriously, amidst growing challenges.
