Revealed – Number of parking fines issued by St Helens Council

Fine notices are issued when drivers violate parking regulations, e.g. B. by parking on double yellow lines or on a single yellow line at a prohibited time.

Figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests to Churchill Motor Insurance show that St Helens Borough Council issued 1,161 fine notices in the six months to June 2022 – the equivalent of six per day.

That was a drop of 15 per day for all of 2021 – although seasonal fluctuations and coronavirus lockdowns may have contributed.

“Always check parking signs carefully”

Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: “Motorists across the UK are regularly caught off guard by tightened and sometimes complicated parking restrictions.

“We would like to encourage motorists to always check parking signs carefully to ensure they avoid expensive fines.

“When drivers receive a parking fine, they have 28 days to pay it or appeal to an independent court,” he added.

A total of 230 councils across the UK responded to the freedom of information requests.

Among those who provided data, the figures show an increase in the average daily number of parking fines from 17,500 in 2021 to 19,600 in the first half of last year.

The RAC Foundation, a motoring charity, said there is a reason for parking rules – but the added “overzealous parking enforcement” could also play a role in the increase across the UK.

Steve Gooding, director of the organisation, said: “Whichever direction they turn and wherever they stop, on or off road, drivers are threatened with parking penalties.

“Between the 20,000 tickets issued daily by municipalities and the 30,000 issued by private parking companies, motorists appear to be facing a positive barrage of fines and charges – roughly every two seconds.

“Receipts spent on the operation of parking services

A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, said: “Receipts from on-street parking and parking fines are spent on running parking services.

“Any surplus will be spent on important transport projects, including tackling the £11 billion road repairs backlog, reducing congestion, tackling poor air quality and supporting local bus services,” they added.