Councils have been slammed for treating drivers like “cash cows” as new data shows authorities are benefitting from millions of pounds in higher parking profit margins. New analysis from the BBC shows councils in the East of England enjoyed £38m in profit over 2024-25.
This was up from the £36m profit generated by the region in 2021-22, with some areas generating massive fees. In total, 20 councils in the East made more than £1m in profit from parking fees alone. Milton Keynes tops the list, and analysis suggests authorities were making £10million in profits, double what they made the year before.
The council is majority controlled by Labour, which holds 30 seats, compared to 18 for the Liberal Democrats and nine for the Conservatives. The BBC said the headline figure is how much councils generate through parking fees alone, not by penalty fines for those parking illegally.
Richard Rout, Conservative Councillor at Suffolk County Council, stressed motorists were on the receiving end of unfair treatment.
He told the BBC’s Politics East: “For too long councils have treated motorists at best like a cash cow and at worst like the enemy frankly. And we need to do far more to encourage people into our town centres… we need to stop punishing the motorists, encourage people onto our high streets.”
The issue isn’t just a problem in the East. Experts at the AA suggesting the issue is a national one. According to the AA, official data shows that councils in England have made £1.2bn from car parking charges.
Richard added: “I think the user should pay for that service, it shouldn't just be subsided by everybody else across the district, the user should pay.
“But you do need churn you need a reasonable charge that covers the cist of operation that insurers shoppers can come in and find a space, that those people who work all day can park for a reasonable amount,"
Milton Keynes Council said it receives parking revenue from around 20,000 city centre spaces. However, they confirmed that money generated through parking was being re-invested into infrastructure.
A spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “Milton Keynes has a unique city centre structure, and Milton Keynes City Council receives parking revenue from around 20,000 city centre spaces. This revenue is ring-fenced, meaning it legally has to be used on specific transport-related services and infrastructure.
"This means investment into areas like road safety, public transport, bus fare concessions, sustainable travel schemes and more. The recent rise in revenue relates to parking use returning to pre-pandemic levels rather than e.g., increased charges."
