Drivers across Cumbria have paid almost £1.4 million in on-street parking fines over the last full financial year.

The figures emerged as part of a Cumbria County Council's parking services annual report discussed at this week’s meeting of the Local Committee for Allerdale.

Between April 1 2018 and March 31 2019, traffic wardens have issued a total of 34,903 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for on-street parking contraventions across the county – fewer than in the previous year.

However, parking chiefs have actually received more money, a cash increase they have attributed to the use of enforcement agents to recover unpaid PCNs.

Councillor Carni McCarron-Holmes praised the “diligence” of enforcement officers in targeting drivers who flout the rules and in pursuing unpaid parking fines.

She added: “Parking is one of the most singular biggest concerns in town centres and in residential areas because of the growing number of cars per household.

“Those streets were never built for the number of cars that populate them now.”

The meeting heard that parking enforcement measures would become an  increasingly important source of revenue as local authorities contend with “many million pounds” of cuts in central government funding.

Cllr Celia Tibble, Cabinet member for Environment, described parking enforcement as a “double-edged sword”.

The council wants people to park safely but, equally, surplus cash generated from PCNs is ploughed back into the service.

This helps to fund important parking and safety initiatives across the region.

Parents parking inconsiderately outside schools, and drivers obstructing drop kerbs for wheelchair users and prams were among the main issues raised.

Parking teams are also working to crack down on the abuse of the Blue Badge system, an initiative intended to allow disabled drivers and passengers park nearer to their destination.

Enforcement teams are working closely with schools in a bid to educate parents, with measures including traffic cones in some zonea and banners intended to encourage considerate parking.

Cllr Alan Barry, who chaired, the meeting stressed the importance of educating parents in a bid to teach them “good habits” rather than simply ticketing them in the first instance.

He said: “If they still continue to park outside then they should get a ticket, but after they have been warned.

“Some of them just don’t care. They don’t park their cars: they just abandon them without any thought or cause to any child’s health and safety or even for adults for that matter.”

In 2018/18, the council spent £21,497 compared to £64,819 in the previous year, which includes the cost of delivering the service.

Overall, the council paid out £160,182 which means the service has come under budget by £138,685.

A total of 7,086 PCNs were issued across Allerdale between April 1 2018 and March 31 2019.

And in the last seven months of the present financial year, a total of 5,470 were issued across the borough.

On-street
2017/18 income from on-street parking
Contractor’s waivers – £14,589
Penalty Charge Notices – £1,007,539
Other income – £10,933
Total income £1,033,115
2018/19 income from on-street parking
Contractor’s waivers – £27,932
Penalty Charge Notices – £1,350,208
Other income – £11,542
Total income £1,389,682
2017/18 Gross expenditure on street-parking
Employees – £861,770
Other – £236,164
Total gross expenditure – £1,097,934
Net expenditure – £64,819
2018/19 Gross expenditure for on street-parking
Employees – £1,009,405
Other – £401,774
Total gross expenditure – £1,411,179
Net expenditure – £21,497
 
Off Street
2017/18 Off-street parking income (for Cecil Street car park, Carlisle and Cumbria County Council office car park, Carlisle)
Pay and display – £103,143
Penalty Charge Notices – £1,865
Total income – £105,008
2017/18 Off-street parking income (for Cecil Street car park, Carlisle and Cumbria County Council office car park, Carlisle)
Pay and display – £126,696
Penalty Charge Notices – £1,878
Total income – £128,564
2017/18 Gross expenditure (for Cecil Street carpark, Carlisle and Cumbria County Council office car park, Carlisle)
Employees – £2,333
Other – £28,258
Total gross expenditure – £30,591
2018/19 Gross expenditure (for Cecil Street carpark, Carlisle and Cumbria County Council office car park, Carlisle)
Employees – £1,415
Other – £8,239
Total gross expenditure – £9,744