Drivers rack up 36 parking tickets a day

Figures obtained by Churchill Motor Insurance through Freedom of Information requests show 6,480 penalty charge notices were handed out by South Tyneside Council in the six months to June 2022 – equivalent to 36 each day.

That was a fall from 44 a day during the whole of 2021 – although seasonal variations and coronavirus lockdowns may have affected the figures.

The data also shows the council brought in £163,600 in revenue in the first half of 2022 from penalty charge notices – £909 a day – and down from £1,034 a day during all of 2021.

Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: “We would encourage drivers to always check parking signs carefully to ensure they avoid any expensive fines. If motorists do receive a parking fine, they have 28 days to pay it or appeal to an independent tribunal.”

The RAC Foundation said parking rules are “there for a reason” – but added that “over-enthusiastic parking enforcement" may also be playing a role in the data.

A spokesperson for the Local Government Association, who represent councils in England and Wales, said: “Income raised through on-street parking charges and parking fines is spent on running local parking services.

"Any surplus is spent on essential transport projects, including fixing the £11bn road repairs backlog, reducing congestion, tackling poor air quality and helping to support local public transport services.”