Council income from parking during the last financial year exceeded pre-covid levels, closing in on a £1bn cash haul, according to the AA.

Council profit from parking rose above pre-covid levels in 2022-23 although the figure for off-street car parks was down

Its analysis of new government data for 2022-23 shows that councils in England made a profit of £962.3m, comprising a £673.1m surplus from on-street parking and £289.2m surplus from off-street parking.

Profit had fallen to £317.6m in the previous financial year (2021-22), when lockdowns were in force. In 2018-19, English councils saw a surplus of £936.1m, made up of £572.5m from on-street parking and £363.6m from their car parks.

The latest statistics from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show that London borough councils profited to the tune of £551.3m from parking in the street.

“Once again official statistics show that councils have turned parking into a huge cash cow, not just a service to stimulate local trade and support workers and visitors. However, the nearly £75m or 20% crash in the surplus from car parks must be particularly worrying for cash-strapped councils,” said Jack Cousens, the AA’s head of roads policy.

“While the covid fallout, such as people working from home, and the economic downturn are factors in the decline, hikes in parking charges by councils have contributed and helped to drive more shoppers online. In effect, many local authorities are killing the goose that lays the golden egg.”