29,705 parking fines

THE number of fixed penalty notices issued in Oldham is steadily increasing.

According to figures from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, penalty charges have risen from 29,024 issued in 2008-09 to 29,705 in 2009-10.

Motoring and breakdown firms the AA and RAC have challenged councils across the country over the number of parking tickets issued.

Under the Traffic Management Act, councils are forbidden to use parking fines as a means of raising revenue, but motoring groups believe this is regularly flouted by local authorities.

Professor Stephen Glaister, of the RAC Foundation, said: “The law does not allow local authorities to use parking as a means of making money — however hard-pressed their budgets.”

However, a council spokesman said: “The income for penalty charge notices must go to the running of the service, which it does in Oldham.

“Any surplus must go traffic/parking-related schemes.”

According to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, Oldham Council is one of 272 councils which has the power to keep the cash raised from parking fines.

The council has a joint venture with NSL Ltd to manage parking in the borough.

According to figures in January, the firm receives around £1.3 million a year for handing out parking fines and bailiff services, while the council has collected £800,000 a year.