From the BBC UK website:
‘Councils in England could make a record surplus of £1bn from parking charges and penalties this year, a study says. An analysis of budgets commissioned by the RAC Foundation found authorities expect to make a total surplus of £913m from parking activities in 2019-20. Westminster council had the largest estimated surplus of £72.1m. This was followed by five other London councils – Kensington and Chelsea (£36m), Camden (£28.3m), Islington (£25.9m), Wandsworth (£25.9m) and Hammersmith and Fulham (£25.6m).’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48809174
Asked for comment, Jackson Carlaws said: ‘No to Indyref2!’
Talking-up Scotland 
Unfortunately not just Tory councils and not just in England. Scottish councils are slowly becoming aware of the potential for income generation by increasing parking charges and extending the areas covered by parking charges.
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EVERY Council should be controlling parking and charging for the privilege. These roads are owned in common and are for enabling us to get from A to B. They existed for thousands of years before the motor car was ever invented. Why should people be able to store a piece of their private property in places owned by all of us?
There certainly is no ‘Ripping Off’. You have revealed your own selfish prejudices Messrs Robertson and Legerwood!
PS The Tory privatisers actually have a consistent argument for charging for parking. Most Tories have garages on their own properties so, it is mainly the oiks – in their perception – who will be paying
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‘Selfish prejudices’ really? ‘Roads existing for thousands of years’ really? That sounds a bit Neil Kinnock-ish does it not.
Your PS is ridiculous. The pay and display areas are not being extended into residential areas where people of whatever political hue will, by and large, have off-street parking of some description.
Councils provide car parks in town centres. Retail outlets in town centres are struggling, and they employ a lot of people in total. Councils are increasing the parking charges in town centres putting them under further pressure and putting jobs at risk.
Councils are cutting bus services meaning more use of the car at the same time as Councils are putting up parking charges. Save on the cost of bus contracts while taking it in from parking charges
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