Parking fines increase

Local authorities outside London want the right to increase their car parking fines from £70 to £120, to match those issued in the capital, the Telegraph has reported.

The British Parking Association (BPA) is backing a campaign led by local authorities, proposing that current fines are not enough of a deterrent to motorists committing parking offences.

BPA claims in some areas the cost of a parking fine is only slightly more than the cost of parking for the day.

Individual local authorities control car parking charges throughout the country, however outside London the level of fine they can impose on motorists who break the rules is set by the government.

In some areas the number of parking penalties issued has risen by up to 700 per cent since councils took over the control of parking charges.