Bracknell council parking charges make more than £1m

Council officers have warned that the authority could lose money next year if tariffs are not increased

A council earned more than a million pounds from car parking charges last year, government figures have revealed.

Fees paid in council-run car parks in Bracknell, Berkshire, brought in a net total of £1,167,000 between April 2022 and April 2023.

More than £3,000,000 was made overall, but this was offset by costs.

Bracknell Forest Council previously said it would increase some of its parking tariffs, arguing that it would lose money if fees were not raised.

Bracknell Forest Council is raising tariffs in its town centre car parks from October

Officers estimated the authority would lose £266,000 in the 2024-2025 financial year if there were no fee increases - and that this money would have to be made back from other council departments.

Charges at The Avenue, High Street, Braccan Walk and Weather Way car parks will all rise from 1 October, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Figures also revealed the council lost £65,000 on its on-street parking scheme, which allows people to apply for permits to park on roads near their homes.

Damian James, assistant director of contract services at Bracknell Forest Council, said the authority had no plans increase fees to on-street parking, despite the loss it made.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].