Figures have been released showing how much the City of Cardiff Council has earned through parking enforcement and the Moving Traffic Offences Scheme (MTO) in the last financial year.

From April 2016 until April 2017, provisional figures show a £390,325 profit. The total amount of money received was £4,721,125 but the costs to deliver these schemes reached £4,330,800.

Figures show the average amount of money received for each quarter of the financial year was £1,180,281, with the most income received between October and December 2016 when the authority received £1,421,337.

Matthew Wakelam, Head of Infrastructure and Operations, who manages the scheme, said: “As with all schemes delivered by the Council, the costs to deliver services are often overlooked and some choose just to focus on the amount of money received. This can be misleading.

“These provisional figures - which will be audited - clearly show that the net financial gain for the last year is well under half a million pounds.

“Those who receive a penalty notice for parking illegally are putting other road users and pedestrians at risk, so it is only right that they receive a financial penalty.

“With the moving traffic offences scheme, we wouldn’t have to issue financial penalties if road users abided by the Highway Code.”

He added: “To improve public transport, we have to have dedicated bus corridors, so that travel by bus becomes quicker and easier for commuters and visitors to the Welsh capital.

“Recently, we have extended this scheme to enforce against road users who take banned turns. This is important to ensure that these irresponsible drivers are not putting others safety at risk.

“We ask all road users to abide by the Highway Code so we can keep Cardiff moving, reduce congestion and further improve public transport infrastructure across the city.”

Notes to Editor:

• The provisional figures are as follows:
• Quarter 1 (April 2016 until June 2016) – Parking enforcement revenue received was £457,036 with £638,352 received through the MTO scheme.
• Quarter 2 (July 2016 until September 2016) – Parking enforcement revenue received was £461,444 with £632,979 received through the MTO Scheme.
• Quarter 3 (October 2016 until December 2016) – Parking enforcement revenue was £415,061 with £1,006,276 received through the MTO Scheme.
• Quarter 4 (January 2017 until March 2017) – Parking enforcement revenue was £349,357 with £760,620 received through the MTO Scheme.
• The total income received in parking enforcement was £1,682,898 with £3,038,227 received through the MTO Scheme. Total income received was £4,721,125 and the costs reached £4,330,800, so the profit received was £390,325.

(Ends)