Nearly half of Ipswich Borough Council parking tickets were unpaid

Last year, 2,812 Penalty Charge Notices were written off as untraceable

Nearly half of the parking fines given out by a council last year were unpaid.

Ipswich Borough Council issued more than 27,000 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) in 2022, however, 12,012 were never settled.

Out of the fines not paid, 2,812 were later written off as untraceable.

Labour councillor Sophie Connelly said drivers who regularly evade fines had their vehicles clamped if spotted by enforcement officers.

She added that a legislative process is in place to chase any unpaid parking tickets and the council had a process for so-called "persistent evaders".

"When a vehicle has been issued with three or more PCNs and they still remained unpaid, and we were unable to make contact with the registered keeper - we classify this as a persistent evader," she said.

"If one of our enforcement officers found this vehicle parked in contravention again, a PCN would be issued and immediately following that, the vehicle would be immobilised."

According to Councillor Sophie Connelly, there must be two enforcement officers present to immobilise a vehicle

Ms Connelly, said 18 enforcement officers regularly visit Ipswich "hotspot" areas, such as school roads, and 108 vehicles have been clamped.

"Any income from PCNs is by law ringfenced, so that can only be used for transport-related funding," she added.

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However Scott Dixon, a motoring disputes expert, said the amount of people who dodge the fine is "unfair on those who have paid".

"We do need parking enforcement but we need a level playing field as well," he said.

"The council have not put enough resources into chasing unpaid parking fines."