Three London councils raking in highest amount from parking tickets in England

New data shows councils are raking in millions of pounds from parking tickets and three London boroughs are leading the way.

Westminster council earned £72million in profit from motorists between 2022 to 2023 – the most of any local authority in the country. 

It was followed by Kensington and Chelsea – £41million – and Hammersmith and Fulham where profits have risen to £35million.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, said: “Once again official statistics show that councils have turned parking into a huge cash cow, not just a service to stimulate local trade and support workers and visitors.

“However, hikes in parking charges by councils have contributed and helped to drive more shoppers online. In effect, many local authorities are killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

“At the same time, cash-strapped councils are walking a tightrope of their own making.

“While asking drivers to use their cars less, they are dependent on parking fees to fill their coffers.”

Westminster Councillor, Paul Dimoldenberg, said Westminster’s high rates were caused by its “unique position” at the heart of London which attracts “millions of visitors each year”.

He said: “There is huge demand for parking spaces and the council manages the largest parking operation in Europe, with more than 45,000 parking spaces across the city.”

For some local authorities, like Kensington and Chelsea, the costs coming in from parking tickets can be attributed in part to recent changes brought in to base parking tariffs on emissions.

Kensington and Chelsea Councillor Cem Kemahli, said: “Kensington and Chelsea is in the centre of London – with world class tourist attractions and extremely high land values. Our parking tariffs are based on emissions – the lower the vehicle’s carbon emissions, the less the driver pays.”

A study published last month by the climate campaign group, Possible, shows that one in three new cars bought by residents in Kensington and Chelsea are large SUVs. SUVs are the second largest source of increasing emissions worldwide after power generation and have 20 per cent higher CO2 emissions than conventional cars, according to the charity.

Money from parking tickets is often ring fenced by councils and can only be used in certain areas.

Both Kensington and Chelsea council and Westminster council spokesmen said that revenue raised through parking charges is reinvested in services for local residents.

The rise in council income from parking tickets comes after parking wardens in Kensington and Chelsea had to fight for a pay rise earlier this year.

After 19 days of strike action, traffic wardens employed by NSL Ltd in Kensington and Chelsea settled their dispute with contractors with an agreed to a £1.55 per hour increase for this year, in July.

The dispute was related to low pay for staff in the borough, who earned less than traffic wardens working for the same company in other London boroughs. 

Local authorities nationally have seen a 10 per cent rise in income from parking fees since 2017 and are now making £962million a year, according to Telegraph analysis of government data.

Hammersmith and Fulham council have been approached for comment.

(Picture: Jacob Phillips)