MONMOUTHSHIRE’S car parks earned a surplus of almost £1 million a year for the local authority according to figures released recently which show the county sitting sixth in a league table of Welsh councils’ parking incomes.

For the financial year 2016-17, Monmouthshire made a surplus of £929,000 from parking - a stark contrast to neighbouring Blaenau Gwent, where the local authority lost £836,000 in the same period, and Torfaen who lost £72,000.

The figures, released by the RAC Foundation show Monmouthshire’s income from parking has remained static for two years but is more than double what it was five years ago.

The latest data shows there have been above-inflation increases in both council-parking income and expenditure across Wales. This has led to a relatively small rise in overall profits.

Unsurprisingly Cardiff and Swansea top the table with the capital netting more than £3.5 million from parking charges - underlining the high demand for spaces.

Sitting just below Monmouthshire in seventh place, Powys made £895,000 from parking according to the new figures.

Monmouthshire’s Head of Operations Roger Hoggins said, ‘Surplus income is directed to the authority’s revenue budget but is redistributed towards traffic management as well as car park and highway maintenance. We are now investing car park income into extra car parks, new equipment and refurbishment’.

The figures show that the 22 local authorities in Wales made a combined surplus – or ‘profit’ - of £14 million on their parking activities in the last financial year. The figure, which includes on and off-street parking charges and penalty charges, for 2016-17 was 1.4 per cent higher than the £13.8 million surplus made in 2015-16 and represented the fourth consecutive annual increase.

Between them, the 22 councils in Wales had parking income of £37.4 million in 2016-17, 4.5 per cent higher than the previous financial year. Total expenditure on running parking activities was £23.4 million, a 6.4 per cent increase on the previous financial year.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said, “The latest data shows there have been above-inflation increases in both council-parking income and expenditure across Wales. This has led to a relatively small rise in overall profits.

“Unsurprisingly the big numbers are associated with Cardiff and Swansea and underline the high demand for spaces in larger cities with more traffic to regulate.

“Places like Cardiff will not only be attracting local people but guests from around the country and beyond, so it is important that policy makers balance the management of congestion through parking charges with the need to make the city accessible and affordable for first-time and returning visitors.