WARRINGTON’S controversial car parking warden service which costs more than £1m to run each year, is set to under go a major review, after posting losses totalling more than £142,000.
The recession and a near 10 per cent fall in the number of tickets being handed out is being blamed on the losses for 2009/10 which were three times more than the previous year, after a £73k profit during the first year of the scheme.
A report to tonight’s Executive board meeting of the borough council states that losses are set to be the same for 2010/11.
A total of 13,909 parking tickets were issued during 2009/10 a drop of 9.5 per cent on the previous year.
While the council insists that the scheme is not being run to make money, with the emphasis on traffic management and road safety – the losses are causing concern.
Other local authorities who have been operating civil parking enforcement for a number of years say there is a national trend suggesting the public have realised they are less likely to be able to get away with illegal parking and have started to modify their behaviour.
The recession is also making people be a lot more careful about their car parking behaviour and in Warrington specifically, there has been a vast increase in private off street parking provision.
The council raised £892,344 from pay and display, penalty charges and parking contracts, off set by a cost of £1,034,397 on third party payments, support services, supplies and services, premises and expenditure.
The fact that the council’s parking account is continuing to run at a deficit is causing significant pressure on the council’s budget.
Officers have already commenced work on updating the council’s parking strategy which will now include a range of options on street parking eonforcement.
The council’s current contract with APCOA , who provide the town’s parking wardens, is now nearing its end date.
WARRINGTON'S controversial car parking warden service, which costs more than £1m to run each year, is set to under go a major review after posting losses totalling more than £142,000.
Parking warden service under review
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
