Business

Drivers face fine as 82,000 agents deployed across England to catch them

AnyFans 2025-09-29

By James Rodger

Britain now has more parking wardens than full-time soldiers as fines and charges on drivers reach £2.3billion a year. The UK has more parking wardens than full-time soldiers – with fines and charges hitting £2.3billion a year, figures have shown. Nationwide, there are estimated to be about 82,000 traffic enforcement officers patrolling Britain’s streets, the British Parking Association said. This eclipses the number of regular soldiers in the British Army, which has shrunk in recent years, with the latest figures saying there are about 73,490 full-time troops. READ MORE UK households told to stock up on heating essential before October 1 Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: “Making £1.2billion in profit, from an income haul of £2.3billion, out of people’s pockets and potential consumer spending is where we are now with so many English city and town councils and their unrestrained costs and fines. “Originally, council parking charges were supposed to cover the cost of controlled and ordered provision. The benefits were to encourage shoppers and other visitors into town and city centres and stimulate commercial activity. “On-street charges might encourage turnover of spaces and permits were supposed to protect residents’ parking from hogging by outsiders. “Charges were supposed to cover the cost of providing and enforcing this parking, with some profit from fines and reward for successful parking and commercial policies. Anything above that is tax.” Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Council parking has become big business and for some local authorities it is very lucrative. “Many drivers will rightly feel that they are paying more through tolls and charges to use their cars, and paying more through parking charges and residents’ permits to leave them stationary. ‘”Drivers feeling the pinch from public parking charges should take a close look at how their local authority justifies them – the money raised is supposed to be spent on improving local transport, not bale out other budgets.”