A report published today by the RAC has revealed how the Council increased their profit from parking charges across the area by nearly £1 million, to £6.1 million, in the past year.
The figures, analysed by the RAC Foundation show that most local authorities in England are generating a lot of extra money from parking charges and fines.
In 2013-2014, local councils gained a £667 million surplus of funds from their street parking charges.
Bath and North East Somerset Council’s income has slightly reduced over the past few years however, pocketing £9.2 million during 2011-2012, down from a £10.1 million income during 2010-2011. Over the past year (13-14) this increased to £10.4 million.
The profit for B&NES Council during the 2012-2013 period was £5.35 million, with a 2013-2014 profit of £6.15 million.
The figures are calculated by adding up income from parking charges and penalty notices, then deducting running costs.
While some of the increase in surplus is down to rising income, there is also evidence that many councils are cutting operating costs sharply: for England as a whole councils’ operating costs for on-street parking have dropped 10%.
The data, analysed for the RAC Foundation by transport consultant David Leibling, comes from the statutory annual returns that councils make to the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Parking profits seem to be a one way street for councils having risen annually for the last five years.
“Yet over the same period spending on local roads has fallen about a fifth in real terms.
“We understand the pressures councils are under with their overall income still falling and the level of services they have to provide in such areas as social care rising rapidly.
“One sign that the escalation in parking profits might be coming to an end is that much of this year’s increase comes not from growing income from penalties and charges but cuts in the cost of parking operations.
“This suggests local authorities are making efficiency savings and should bring some good news to both drivers and council tax payers.
“The bottom line is that parking policy and charges must be about managing traffic not raising revenue.”
