Parking | LocalGov


RAC fears private parking firms are escaping scrutiny 25/04/2025 Private firms that run local car parks are set to issue a record 14.5 million tickets to drivers this year.
Hackney’s blue badge assessments ‘flawed’ 11/04/2025 Drivers in Hackney have been urged to reapply for a blue badge after an investigation revealed flaws in the council’s scheme.
Parking charges driving people away from high street 25/02/2025 Almost two thirds of drivers are put off visiting their local high street due to parking charges, a new survey has revealed.
Car driven into council officer outside school 20/02/2025 Police have joined local authority staff on school parking patrols in a Kent borough after a car was ‘driven deliberately’ into a council officer.
Gritters blocked by double-parked cars in Peak District 13/01/2025 Derbyshire County Council’s gritting team was unable to access a road near a popular hiking spot at the weekend because of visitors’ parking.
Thousands sign petition against Haringey parking fare rise 13/11/2024 A petition urging Haringey Council not to scrap daily parking permits for visitors has received 3,700 signatures.
Councils raise £1bn in parking fees 25/10/2024 Local authorities across England collectively raised just over £1bn in parking fees and charges for the 2023/24 financial year, a new study has found.
Council set to pay out £357,000 over incorrect fines 09/10/2024 Reading Borough Council expects to reimburse drivers £357,000 after discovering it had incorrectly issued more than 6,000 parking fines.
Traffic wardens ticket prop cars on Daniel Day-Lewis film set 07/10/2024 Traffic wardens have issued parking tickets to prop vehicles being used to film Daniel Day-Lewis’ come back film.
Brighton cuts parking fees to attract drivers 30/09/2024 Brighton and Hove City Council is set to slash parking fees in bid to attract more drivers and boost income.
Manchester parking fees highest in UK 26/09/2024 Drivers entering Manchester could face an annual fee of up to £538 for parking permits in 2024, the highest in the UK, according to new research.
Council faces backlash over near-600% parking hike 20/08/2024 ‘Ridiculous’ parking charge increases in a coastal Kent town have prompted complaints from residents and a petition with more than a thousand signatures.
Ealing set for ‘parking chaos’ during strikes 15/08/2024 Three weeks of ‘parking chaos’ await Ealing during planned strikes by 40 traffic wardens, Unite has warned.
Council set to trial motorhome parking ban 09/08/2024 North Yorkshire Council is set to trial a ban on overnight motorhome parking at coastal hotspots because of ‘safety fears’ and escalating complaints from residents.
Plans to boost Teesside Freeport vehicle and access approved 22/07/2024 Plans for new transport facilities to support the growing number of vehicles entering the Teesworks site on Teesside have been given the green light.
Councillors back £88,000 parking revamp 12/07/2024 Unreliable parking ticket machines in Rugby will be replaced as part of the council’s mission to regenerate the town centre.
Requests for driver details rise 18/06/2024 Councils and parking companies are increasingly requesting details about a car’s registered keeper, which allows them to fine drivers, according to a car sales firm.
London sees 400% increase in blue badge thefts 04/06/2024 A fourfold increase in the number of blue badge thefts in London is partly the result of local authority cuts, warns London Assembly Member.
Council parking income set to top £2bn 10/04/2024 English Councils received nearly £2bn in income from on and off-street parking in 2022-23, but paid out nearly £1bn in running and enforcement costs.
Changing lanes: why moving to an Open Market model for parking is the right choice for councils 08/02/2024 Peter O’Driscoll, Managing Director at RingGo, makes the case for an Open Market model for parking.
Westminster revamps emissions-based parking charges 30/01/2024 Westminster City Council will revamp its parking schemes so that residents and visitors are charged based on their vehicles’ tailpipe emissions.
Edinburgh first to enforce pavement parking ban 29/01/2024 Edinburgh City Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to enforce a ban on pavement parking.
Council referrals to bailiffs up 20% 24/01/2024 Referrals to bailiffs in England and Wales to recover council debts have risen by nearly 20%, a BBC investigation has found.
Council’s parking fine income up 50% 08/01/2024 Buckinghamshire Council brought in £1.4m from parking fines in 2023, a 50% increase compared to 2022.
Parking meters face disruption from 2G switch off 18/12/2023 Parking meters, alarm systems and telecare devices risk facing disruption when 2G and 3G mobile networks are switched off, council chiefs warn.
Transport planners take on 'hotly contested' parking debate 15/12/2023 A report from the Transport Planning Society argues that current parking practice promotes car use and outlines policy recommendations to lower carbon travel.
Councillors reject £1.5m debt write-off 04/12/2023 Councillors in Bolton have voted against plans to write off £1.5m worth of debt owed by the local authority's parking operator.
Councils' parking revenue approaches £1bn 13/10/2023 The income councils raked in from parking surged to almost £1bn in the last financial year.
Charity calls for pavement parking crack down 25/09/2023 A charity for the visually impaired has urged the Government to do more to crack down on pavement parking.
Bristol rules out workplace parking levy 10/08/2023 Bristol City Council has ruled out introducing a workplace parking levy because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Developers to convert Cheltenham car park into housing site 02/08/2023 Cheltenham Borough Council will consider plans to transform a car park into a 150-home development.
London Councils signals hike in parking and traffic penalties 01/08/2023 Cross-party group London Councils is consulting on penalty charges for parking and traffic offences, and says current charges are not high enough.
Greenwich brings in parking charges based on emissions 31/07/2023 Parking charges and resident and business permits in Greenwich are now based on vehicles’ carbon dioxide emissions.
Town centre parking charges to be reviewed 31/07/2023 Changes to parking charges and debt recovery fees could soon be introduced as the Government looks at ways to better regulate the private parking industry.
Cash-strapped Thurrock to hike charges 08/06/2023 Beleaguered Thurrock Council is set to increase charges for its services to help deal with its cash crisis.
Car parks at risk from EV increase 05/06/2023 An increase in the use of heavy electric vehicles poses a risk to car parks, structural engineers have warned.
Council apologises for fining entire car park 17/05/2023 A local authority has apologised after all the vehicles in a car park were mistakenly issued with fines.
Counter-terrorism measures restrict blue badge parking, campaigners say 11/04/2023 A policy of restricting access to York city centre for motorists with blue badges has been slammed as ‘disproportionate’ and a human rights breach.
Don’t force drivers to pay for parking with smartphones, Gove says 06/04/2023 Levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has told councils they must not force drivers to use smartphones to pay for parking spaces.
Pavement parking ban parked after 'frustratingly slow' jibe 04/04/2023 The Welsh Government has shelved a consultation on banning pavement parking after councils apparently claimed they were too busy to engage with it.
Motorists face digital exclusion from car parks, MPs warn 30/03/2023 MPs have asked the Government to help motorists who have problems parking because of increasing use of mobile technology apps.
Council raises safety fears after Clarkson Farm row 15/03/2023 Oxfordshire council has imposed ‘safety precautions’ after death threats were made to councillors who oppose extension of a car park at Jeremy Clarkson’s farm.
Councillors’ parking tickets binned by officers in Liverpool 08/02/2023 Council officers in Liverpool binned dozens of parking tickets given to councillors without going through any formal process, according to a local newspaper.
Better use of car parks to bolster bottom lines 07/02/2023 Chris Wortley, managing director of intelligent parking company Metric Group, examines how councils can make better commercial use of their car parks.
Council drops plans for a new workplace parking levy 08/11/2022 Leicester City Council has dropped plans to introduce a workplace parking levy (WPL) in 2023 due to the cost of living crisis.
Council to take legal action over 200,000 parking payments 14/10/2022 Worcester City Council is planning to take legal action against the car park operator Flowbird over delayed customer repayments.
Councils team up to save £100,000 on parking enforcement 31/08/2022 Cherwell District Council is set to strike a new deal with Oxfordshire County Council that will see car park enforcement streamlined.
Councils accused of allowing cars to hold public space ‘hostage’ 24/08/2022 Activists have accused councils of allowing cars to hold public space ‘hostage’ by charging more for the suspension of parking spaces than for parking permits.
Workplace Parking Levy: Surviving the cost of living crisis 19/08/2022 Christopher Hammond, UK100 membership director, argues now is the time for councils to follow Nottingham City Council in introducing a Workplace Parking Levy.
Council launches review into HMOs in Northampton 22/06/2022 West Northamptonshire Council yesterday launched a review into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Northampton after complaints by local campaigners.
Council defends controversial ditch 18/05/2022 A local council has defended its decision to dig a ditch alongside a car park after residents said it blocked their access to the beach.
Council chiefs call for action against ‘scourge’ of pavement parking 18/05/2022 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to give councils the freedom to ban pavement parking in their own areas.
Cap parking provision at one space per property, charity says 14/03/2022 A charity has called for car parking provision at new housing developments to be capped at a maximum of one space per property.
New greenfield developments encouraging congestion, report argues 08/02/2022 New housing developments on greenfield land are locking local communities into car dependency, a report has argued.
Cowboy parking firms targeted by new Code of Practice 07/02/2022 Drivers are set to benefit from the launch today of a new Code of Practice aimed at cracking down on cowboy private car parking firms.
Leicester aims for workplace parking levy by 2023 07/01/2022 Leicester City Council has announced plans to introduce a workplace parking levy based on the Nottingham model.
City council considers bringing in parking levy 21/12/2021 Leicester City Council has launched a consultation over a scheme that could see companies charged for car parking spaces.
Worcester named best city for accessible parking 25/11/2021 Worcester is the UK city with the most accessible parking, according to the results of a new survey.
Councils call for increase in parking penalty charges 31/08/2021 Local authorities across the UK have called for an increase in parking penalty charges to make them a more effective deterrent.
County to get new powers to tackle illegal parking 14/07/2021 The Government has approved Oxfordshire County Council's plan to take responsibility for all civil parking enforcement across the county.
IoT technology: Benefitting local authorities and councils 02/07/2021 Nick Sacke outlines some of the primary challenges being faced by local authorities and how technology can help.
Government rejects council's bid to extend lorry parking ban 30/06/2021 The Government has rejected a bid by Kent County Council to extend its lorry parking ban pilot by a further six months.
Why innovation and collaboration are key to the next generation of parking 19/03/2021 Hannah Fuller calls on councils to take a multi-vendor approach to touchless parking.
Councils report nearly 5% dip in parking profits 25/01/2021 Local authorities in England have reported a slight dip in parking profits, which they warn could impact their ability to fix potholes and tackle congestion.
Insurer compares the market for parking fines 19/01/2021 Councils are issuing fines worth an average of £850,000 a year for parking offences, with one raking in more than £10m, according to new research.
Council given power to tackle antisocial lorry parking 11/12/2020 Kent County Council has been given new powers to clamp and fine lorries that are illegally or inappropriately parked.
Councils urged to provide free parking over the Christmas period 30/11/2020 Town hall chiefs have rejected calls that all local councils should provide free town centre parking over the festive period.
London council to end outsourcing of parking enforcement 11/11/2020 Hackney Council is set to bring parking enforcement officers back in-house when its current contract ends in March 2022.
Maximising income from car parks 23/10/2020 Ron Buck explores the different ways councils are making the most of their parking facilities as a means of driving revenue.
Welsh councils to get pavement parking enforcement powers 15/10/2020 Councils in Wales could have greater powers to prevent pavement parking by 2022 after ministers backed recommendations from an independent taskforce.
Ministers seek middle path on pavement parking 01/09/2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a consultation setting out three options to tackle the issue of pavement parking.
Jenrick announces ‘crackdown’ on parking fines 01/09/2020 The Government has proposed a new code of practice aimed at eliminating unfair fines issued by private car parking firms.
Council to review its Blue Badge process after investigation 13/08/2020 A London council has agreed to review the way it assesses applications for disabled parking permits following an investigation by the ombudsman.
Selling off government car parks could deliver 110,000 new homes, study finds 15/07/2020 Public sector owned car parks have the potential to deliver more than 110,000 new homes while maintaining parking services, a new study has revealed.
Glasgow to cut a third of parking and 'won't miss it' 05/06/2020 Glasgow city centre is set to suspend around a third of its on-street parking spaces to increase space for social distancing.
Hancock announces free parking for NHS staff 26/03/2020 The Government has announced NHS trusts are to receive financial support to provide health care workers with free car parking during the coronavirus pandemic.
Councils in London urged to increase cost of residential parking permits 18/03/2020 Councils in London are under-charging for residential on-street parking spaces, a think tank has found today.
Councils back ban on pavement parking 12/03/2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has pledged to set out new plans to tackle pavement parking, which it said would make streets safer for parents and disabled people.
Council clamps down on idling drivers by removing coach parking spots 23/01/2020 Westminster City Council is removing prime parking spots for coaches after drivers ignored previous warnings to turn off their engines while parked.
Over 12,000 Blue Badges granted to people with ‘hidden disabilities’ 02/01/2020 Thousands of people with hidden disabilities have benefitted from the Government’s extended Blue Badge scheme, new figures reveal.
Prosecutions for Blue Badge fraud up by 18% in past year 05/12/2019 A third of councils in England do not have a policy in place to prosecute people for Blue Badge fraud, new figures have revealed today.
Councils make £930m profit from parking 18/11/2019 Councils in England made a profit of £930m last year from their parking operations, new figures have revealed.
Council broke its own blue badge assessment policy, Ombudsman finds 24/10/2019 Sheffield CC has agreed to review its process for dealing with blue badge applications after an investigation revealed it was breaking its own policy.
Green number plates considered for electric cars 22/10/2019 The Government is considering introducing green licence plates to help councils identify and incentivise the drivers of the cleanest cars.
Blue Badge: Achieving a citizen-first approach 18/10/2019 Paul Tomlinson explains how councils can balance the lack of standardisation with the Blue Badge service with their need for flexibility in designing and processing applications.
Council apologises after motorist denied right to challenge parking ticket 26/09/2019 Cherwell DC has apologised ‘unreservedly’ after an investigation revealed that motorists were being denied the right to challenge parking tickets.
MPs call for a ban on pavement parking 09/09/2019 The Government should introduce an outright ban on pavement parking across England, MPs have said today in a new report.
Blue Badges offered to people with non-visible disabilities 30/08/2019 The Government has today implemented the expanded Blue Badge scheme which will now include people who have non-visible disabilities.
London boroughs eye £750 workplace parking charge 25/07/2019 Several London boroughs are considering introducing workplace parking levies (WPLs) of at least £750 a year to cut pollution and encourage active travel.
Council to refund hundreds of incorrect parking fines 04/07/2019 Hundreds of parking fines are to be repaid after a council discovered it had imposed them on motorists using free car parks.
Councils set to make £1bn profit from parking 01/07/2019 Local authorities in England are predicting that they will make £913m of profit from their parking activities this financial year, although the real figure might be nearer £1bn.
Review launched into Blue Badge fraud 17/06/2019 A new task force to help councils tackle the fraudulent use of Blue Badges has been set up by the Government.
Ombudsman welcomes move to streamline complaints 31/05/2019 The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has welcomed a decision by the trade body representing bailiffs to give up dealing with complaints from members of the public.
Age of the parking machine ‘could be coming to an end’, says minister 30/05/2019 The UK is 'on verge of revolution to make parking easier', according to a government announcement.
Council told to consult residents over free parking 23/05/2019 Stockport Council has been told to consult residents over their right to free parking permits after the ombudsman found it had been unfairly refusing them.
Councils raise £242m from parking permit applications 10/05/2019 Local authorities have raised hundreds of millions of pounds over the last three years thanks to applications for parking permits, according to a new study.
Bringing efficiencies to the new Blue Badge digital service process 16/04/2019 With the Department for Transport’s new Blue Badge digital process now live, Hannah Buckley talks through the council’s strategy and transformative approach in responding to the challenges and timeframes.
Westminster inaction prompts pavement parking inquiry 08/04/2019 The Transport Select Committee has launched an inquiry into pavement parking.
Councils set for £1bn parking income 11/03/2019 Latest trends suggest councils in England could be set for a £1bn parking income by the end of the decade.
Scottish Tories slam car park tax as ‘disgrace’ 21/02/2019 Scottish Conservative council leaders have criticised a proposed car park tax that could be introduced in Glasgow and Edinburgh as a ‘total disgrace’.