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- Councils in England have surpassed the £1 billion barrier in parking revenue
Councils in England have collected just over £1 billion in parking charges in a single financial year; It is the first time this figure has been recorded, according to the AA.
New analysis by the motoring organization found that councils have made most of their income from on-street parking.
The total figure of £1bn is an increase on the 2022/23 financial year, in which parking revenue stood at around £960m.
Councils in England have collected just over £1 billion in parking charges in a single financial year.
The AA analyzed data published by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government and found that on-street parking raised a huge £698.7 million across English councils for the 2023/24 financial year.
Meanwhile, off-street parking raised £340.4 million.
In comparison, in the 2022/23 financial year English councils raised less money from parking, although it is still a considerable sum.
Local authorities raised £962.3 million in total, of which £673.1 million was on-street parking and £289.2 million was off-street parking.
Jack Cousens, head of highways policy, said; “The cost of parking, as well as the ease of payment, has an impact on consumers and they will ‘vote with their wheels’ if they consider the price too expensive, or a hassle if they can only pay via an app or by phone. “.
Jack Cousens, head of highways policy, said; ‘Councils have surpassed the £1bn revenue barrier, showing how vital a source of income is for them.
‘With budgets tight, local authorities will use any lever available to get cash to the council.
‘The cost of parking, as well as the ease of payment, has an impact on consumers and they will ‘vote with their wheels’ if they consider the price too expensive, or a hassle if they can only pay via an app or by phone . ‘
How councils make more money from parking fees
Councils are making more money by charging higher parking costs to people who drive bigger, more polluting cars.
Bath now has ULEZ style rules where owners of diesel cars and some high-emission petrol models are charged more to use municipal car parks in the city centre.
It was introduced by Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) to encourage a “shift towards cleaner, more sustainable travel in the city”.
Drivers of diesel vehicles are charged differently: the cost of parking in the eighth place is now more expensive
The new rates for gasoline, hybrid and electric models starting September 8 were proposed last September and are now in effect
When it was introduced last year, it was estimated that 66 per cent of car park users would pay additional parking charges, approximately a 47 per cent increase from £1.70 per hour to £2.50.
Only petrol drivers and models with emissions below 131 g/km CO2 did not experience any price increase, which is also the case for electric vehicles.
Individual charges will be calculated automatically by pay and display machines when drivers enter their license plate number.
Lambeth, like other London boroughs, bases the cost of a resident’s parking permit on the vehicles’ carbon emissions.
Councils such as Hammersmith and Fulham also add an on-street parking charge to the most polluting vehicles.
