The Taxpayers’ Alliance has published research revealing the income from parking enforcement collected by all UK councils has fallen compared to 2007-08.

However, the RAC Foundation believes that where income has actually risen from parking fines, councils should investigate why?

It says, parking rules and regulations should be clear to motorists, but areas that yield large numbers of tickets indicate this is not always the case.

Professor Stephen Glaister, RAC Foundation director, said: “Local authorities should plan for the potential offered by the car and its passengers to the local economy, not for the short term gain from parking fines.”