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| Councils make extra £60m from parking charges and fines | Councils make extra £60m from parking charges and fines |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The amount of money councils in England generated from parking charges and fines has risen by more than £60m in the past year, research has found. | The amount of money councils in England generated from parking charges and fines has risen by more than £60m in the past year, research has found. |
| The RAC Foundation said local authorities made a surplus of £756m in 2015/16 - 9% higher than in 2014/15. | The RAC Foundation said local authorities made a surplus of £756m in 2015/16 - 9% higher than in 2014/15. |
| Director Steve Gooding said the "eye-wateringly large" amounts reflected growing competition for parking spaces. | Director Steve Gooding said the "eye-wateringly large" amounts reflected growing competition for parking spaces. |
| The Local Government Association insisted councils did not make a profit from parking. | |
| The surplus figure was calculated by looking at the income councils received from parking charges and penalty notices, minus their running costs. | |
| Income was up by 4% and costs fell by 2% in the past year, according to the RAC, while the surplus figure was 34% higher than in 2011/12. | Income was up by 4% and costs fell by 2% in the past year, according to the RAC, while the surplus figure was 34% higher than in 2011/12. |
| 'Cash cow' | 'Cash cow' |
| Mr Gooding said: "Parking charges are one of the tools councils use to keep traffic moving whilst also allowing people reasonable and affordable access to High Street shops and other facilities. | Mr Gooding said: "Parking charges are one of the tools councils use to keep traffic moving whilst also allowing people reasonable and affordable access to High Street shops and other facilities. |
| "The good news is that any profit generated by councils from on-street parking must by law be spent on transport-related activities, and as every motorist knows there's no shortage of work that needs doing." | "The good news is that any profit generated by councils from on-street parking must by law be spent on transport-related activities, and as every motorist knows there's no shortage of work that needs doing." |
| The largest surpluses came from London, with its 33 local authorities accounting for 44% of the country's total. | The largest surpluses came from London, with its 33 local authorities accounting for 44% of the country's total. |
| The biggest amount outside of the capital was the £20.1m surplus in Brighton and Hove, followed by Nottingham's £13.6m. | The biggest amount outside of the capital was the £20.1m surplus in Brighton and Hove, followed by Nottingham's £13.6m. |
| Nottingham City Council said its surplus came from the Workplace Parking Levy (WPL). | |
| The scheme - introduced in 2012 - charges businesses based in the city centre a fee for having more than 10 parking spaces. | |
| Nottingham's WPL has helped fund the extension to the city's tram network. | |
| Brighton and Hove Council said it was not clear how the RAC Foundation got its figures and that its surplus from on-street parking operations was actually £12.7m. | |
| But the council did say the surplus reflected the fact Brighton was a large city and that nearly all of its parking surplus was used to buy bus passes for the elderly or disabled people. | |
| Top 10 | Top 10 |
| The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said local authorities must "strike a balance" when setting charges to ensure there were parking spaces available and traffic was not held up. | The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said local authorities must "strike a balance" when setting charges to ensure there were parking spaces available and traffic was not held up. |
| Transport spokeswoman Judith Blake added: "Income from on-street parking charges is spent on running parking services and surpluses are spent on essential transport projects, such as tackling the £12bn roads repair backlog, creating new parking spaces and providing subsidised bus travel for children or elderly residents." | Transport spokeswoman Judith Blake added: "Income from on-street parking charges is spent on running parking services and surpluses are spent on essential transport projects, such as tackling the £12bn roads repair backlog, creating new parking spaces and providing subsidised bus travel for children or elderly residents." |
| The Department for Communities and Local Government said it was supporting a private member's bill by Conservative MP David Tredinnick to make it easier for English councils to lower parking charges at short notice. | The Department for Communities and Local Government said it was supporting a private member's bill by Conservative MP David Tredinnick to make it easier for English councils to lower parking charges at short notice. |
| A spokesman added: "We've been clear councils shouldn't use parking as a cash cow and many recognise the benefits that reduced or free parking has on encouraging footfall on the High Street." | A spokesman added: "We've been clear councils shouldn't use parking as a cash cow and many recognise the benefits that reduced or free parking has on encouraging footfall on the High Street." |