Fuel Card News Motoring Updates: Councils benefit from high parking charges

Between 2008 and 2010 local authorities across England raised an extra £184 million from parking charges, according to new figures.

Data obtained by the Co-operative Motor Group under a freedom of information request revealed that local council income from parking services generates £1.35 billion a year.

The group said that excluding penalty charge notice income, English local authorities raised an extra £184 million for parking charges between 2008 and 2010, compared with 2007. Including car parking penalty charges, the figure rises to £227 million.

The increase comes at a time when drivers are already facing higher petrol prices on top of their car insurance costs.

According to the data, Wigan has the top council for off-street parking charge rises. Over the last three years they have increased by 92 percent.

The council with the biggest rises for on-street parking charges was Doncaster, up 125 percent.

In contrast, Wolverhampton decreased off-street parking charges by 33.3 percent between 2008 and 2010, while they fell by 15.8 percent in Hull.

In other news, FairFuelUK goes to the House of Commons today for the MPs debate about lower fuel prices.

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