The 19 areas where car parking charges have skyrocketed by 100% revealed – is your location on the list?

The Sun

a day ago

MOTORISTS are being clobbered by skyrocketing on-street parking charges in cities across the country, The Sun can reveal.
New data reveals that some councils have doubled their rates over the past year, forcing drivers to pay up to 100% more.
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The research, carried out by NetVoucherCodes on behalf of The Sun, compared hourly parking costs in city centres from this year to last.
Milton Keynes leads the pack with a jaw-dropping 100% rise.
Drivers now pay £1 an hour in some locations - up from 50p last year.
While still one of the cheapest places to park, the council says the increase is necessary to manage demand and fund local services.
Liverpool isn't far behind, with a 67% surge in charges.
Rates jumped from £2.40 to £4 an hour, sparking outrage from local businesses.
Liverpool has seen a 67% jump, with prices rising from £2.40 to £4. York follows closely with a 56% hike, increasing from £3.10 to £4.85.
In Cardiff, hourly parking charges have gone up by 35%, from £2.60 to £3.50.
Manchester has also introduced a significant rise of 33%, taking its hourly charge from £3 to £4.
Leicester saw a 25% increase, moving from £2 to £2.50.
Major parking change for ALL drivers in England
Oxford continues to be one of the most expensive cities, with a 15% rise pushing its rates from £6.60 to £7.60.
Birmingham and Bristol both saw a 13% hike, with charges climbing from £3.80 to £4.30 and £4 to £4.50 respectively.
Glasgow 's hourly rate went up by 13%, from £6.40 to £7.20.
Plymouth experienced a smaller increase of 12%, with charges rising from £1.65 to £1.85.
Doncaster followed with a 10% rise, moving from £2 to £2.20. Edinburgh, now the most expensive city for parking in the UK, raised its already high rates by 10%, from £8.20 to £9.
Coventry saw a modest increase of 9%, with hourly fees going from £1.10 to £1.20.
Nottingham and Newcastle both increased their charges by 7%, with Nottingham rising from £2.80 to £3 and Newcastle from £2.90 to £3.10.
Brighton and Hove also saw a 7% rise, with fees going up from £1.50 to £1.60.
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Peterborough and Luton introduced smaller increases of 4%, with Peterborough rising from £2.50 to £2.60 and Luton from £2.80 to £2.90.
Leeds saw the smallest increase, with a 3% rise taking its hourly rate from £3.30 to £3.40.
Consumer experts warn that these rising charges could harm city centres by driving people away from high streets and impacting local businesses.
Rebecca Bebbington from NetVoucherCodes called the increases unfair, especially as the cost of living is already rising.
Meanwhile, consumer rights expert Martyn James said: "Councils are clearly cash-strapped, but the massive price hikes and confusing signs are leaving drivers frustrated.
"While parking fees are rising, there's evidence that they're not always applied fairly."
Councils argue the increases are necessary to manage congestion, encourage greener travel, and support local economies.
Private parking fines on the rise
PRIVATE parking firms are on track to issue a record 14.5million fines in Britain this year, costing drivers up to £4.1million per day.
The RAC found five companies, including ParkingEye and Euro Car Parks, are responsible for nearly half of all tickets.
Between April and September, firms made 7.2million requests to the DVLA for driver details, a 12% increase from the previous year.
Tickets, often issued for alleged parking breaches at shopping centres and service areas, can cost up to £100.
Critics accuse companies of using confusing signs, faulty machines, and unfair fees to trap drivers.
Although a government-backed code of practice was approved in 2019, it was withdrawn in 2022 after legal challenges.
The RAC warns that without proper regulation, drivers are being treated unfairly.
The DVLA charges parking firms £2.50 per record but claims it does not profit from the process.
The British Parking Association argues only 0.3% of drivers in private car parks are fined, attributing the rise in tickets to more managed car parks.
Newcastle City Council said their fees, ranging from 70p to £3.10 an hour, are reviewed annually to promote sustainable transport.
Edinburgh Council defended its high charges, stating parking income is reinvested into roads and transport infrastructure.
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: "When setting parking charges, councils will take local circumstances into account including the impact on business, residents, visitors, other road users and modes of travel as well as rising costs of providing parking services.
"Income raised through on-street parking charges and fines is first spent on running parking services, with any surplus spent on essential transport improvements, including fixing local roads, reducing congestion, tackling poor air quality and supporting local bus services."
How do you appeal a parking ticket?
IF you receive a parking ticket, whether from a private company, the council, or the police, it's worth appealing.
Data shows two in five tickets are cancelled after an appeal.
Here's what you need to know...
The first step is to identify the type of parking ticket you have received:
Parking Charge Notices are issued by private parking companies like National Car Parks or Parkingeye
Penalty Charge Notices or Excess Charge Notices come from the council
Fixed Penalty Notices are issued by the police
Private parking fines
Check if the company is a member of the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community (IPC).
If they aren't, Citizens Advice suggest waiting for them to contact you, as non-members often cannot access DVLA records.
If they do contact you, respond quickly. Companies must send notices within 14 days of the parking incident if no ticket was left on your car.
Start by complaining directly to the company using their formal process. Find BPA member details at britishparking.co.uk and IPC member details at theipc.info.
Gather evidence, like photos of unclear signs or proof of payment, to strengthen your case.
If your complaint is rejected, you can appeal. BPA members use Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA), and you have 28 days to appeal. IPC members use the Independent Appeals Service, with a 21-day deadline.
If your first appeal is rejected, consider appealing again—Popla overturns two in five tickets at the second stage.
Council-issued tickets
Submit evidence through the council's complaints process.
If rejected, you can challenge the decision at a free independent tribunal via trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk (or londontribunals.gov.uk for London).
Police-issued tickets
Send your objection to the nearest Central Ticket Office where the charge was issued.
Always gather as much evidence as possible to support your appeal, such as photos, receipts, or witness statements.