London drivers shelling out for parking tickets dubbed "cash cows"

Car insurance policyholders in Kensington and Chelsea may be dishing out more in parking fines than anywhere else in the UK.

According to the latest findings from the TaxPayers' Alliance, motorists in the London boroughs shell out an average of £85 each on parking tickets, making them the country's top spenders.

In the last year, drivers have been charged to the tune of £328 million for on and off street parking fines, prompting the alliance to suggest motorists are being treated like "cash cows".

Jennifer Dunn, policy analyst with the Drivers' Alliance and the TaxPayers' Alliance, commented that parking fines have become a money-spinner for some councils, while no declines in council taxes have been announced and local services have not been seen to improve as a result.

"Motorists are being treated like cash cows, but the only people that appear to be benefiting are wardens and their bosses," she added.

Despite the results, the organisation also discovered that parking fines issued in 2008-09 decreased in number by 16 per cent and by over £50 million in value.

Car and van insurance policyholders shelling out less could have been spurred on to take extra care over their parking during the recession to avoid surprise bills.

According to consumer group Which?, there are more than 70 reasons for which motorists can be given a parking fine, including not having a pay and display ticket in certain areas and parking on yellow lines or without a permit.

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The views expressed within the article are entirely those of Adfero Ltd and are not those of the BGL Group