Bromley parking profit of more than £1m (From News Shopper)

Bromley Council's parking profit of more than £1m

10:42am Thursday 13th November 2008 in Search

PARKING enforcement across the borough in the last year has generated almost £3m.

But to run the service it costs Bromley Council just £1.8m, leaving a profit of £1.1m.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show in the financial year 2007/8 Bromley Council handed out 67,948 penalty charge notices making a total of £2,898,650.

In 2006/7 there were 67,494 penalty notices issued generating £2,585,675.

Money made from parking enforcement is then pumped back into transport schemes such as freedom passes, maintaining car parks, installing traffic lights and building roundabouts.

In July last year, a new two-tier system of fines was introduced London-wide, for “more serious” and “less serious” parking offences.

The more serious offences include pavement parking, parking on yellow or zigzag lines or at bus stops.

They attract a higher charge than less serious ones such as parking outside a bay or overstaying on a meter.

Serious offences in Bromley town centre attract a £120 fine while less serious offences are given a £80 fine.

In the rest of the borough, serious offences receive a £100 fine and less serious offences £60.

A council spokesman said: "The number of penalty charge notices issued are ultimately determined by the numbers of motorists parking illegally.

"The enforcement is ultimately about getting motorists to comply with the parking restrictions.

"There are clear legal guidelines where any monies raised can be spent - this must be on transport related projects.

"The precise amount is shown in our annual statement of accounts but the majority of the monies are spent on concessionary fares.”