WIREDGOV

LGA Environment spokesman Cllr Peter Box, responded to an RAC Foundation report on council parking operations

"This is a wholly inaccurate and misleading report, which peddles the myth that councils make a profit from parking. The reality is income is spent on running parking services and surpluses are spent on essential transport projects, such as tackling the £12 billion roads repair backlog and creating new parking spaces.

"Councils are on the side of hard-pressed motorists. The average motorist is paying 30 times more to Whitehall in charges and taxation each year than they do to their town hall through parking.

"The RAC Foundation also fails to take into account a likely growing demand for parking from traffic increases on our roads and the important role parking services play in reducing congestion and keeping pedestrians and motorists safe as a result.

"Local authorities have to try and strike a balance when setting parking charges to ensure there are spaces available for everyone at all times of the day and we can keep traffic moving. If charges are too low, high street spaces can be filled by commuters making it impossible for shoppers to park and having a negative knock on impact on local businesses. Residents and businesses expect councils to enforce the law."

Related documents:

http://www.racfoundation.org/media-centre/english-council-parking-profits-new-high-2013-2014-press-release

http://www.racfoundation.org/assets/rac_foundation/content/downloadables/Local_Authority_Parking_Finances_England_2014_David_Leibling_December_2013-14.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing