COLCHESTER Council made more than £2.6 million in parking profit in the last financial year, according to figures released by a motoring charity.

Data collated by the RAC Foundation showed the authority made a surplus of £2.608 million in 2016/17 which was an increase on the £2.5 million made in the previous financial year.

The figures are based on the income of people paying to use council run car parks throughout the borough, minus the cash spent on improvements and investments.

Colchester Council’s surplus has increased year on year since a £1.2 million profit in the 2013/14 financial year was followed up by a £2.148 profit the year after.

The authority is placed 81st overall in the country, with Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Camden councils taking the three highest positions.

Overall, English councils made a record £819 million from their parking operations, some 10 per cent higher than the £744 million which was made in 2015/16.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The upward path in profits is in part a reflection of the record number of cars and volume of traffic.

“The silver lining for drivers is that these surpluses must almost exclusively be ploughed back into transport and as any motorist will tell you there is no shortage of work to be done.”

Tendring Council made a profit on car parking for the first time in the last five years.

The authority banked a surplus of £122,000, following a loss of £26,000 in the previous financial year.

Tendring Council had also made a loss on parking in the previous three financial years, showing a deficit of £109,000, £82,000 and £70,000 respectively.

Their profit this time around ranks them 281st in the list out of more than 350 councils.

A spokesman for Colchester Council said some of the money came from other councils in the North Essex Parking Partnership.

He said: "The RAC’s £2.608m figure includes on- and off-street parking – £422k of which relates to on-street parking and therefore includes costs and income relating to other councils in the NEPP.

“All figures are taken from a return that councils provide to the Government, which excludes capital financing charges such as depreciation.

"Our accounts however, which include these charges, show a net income of £2.26m, not £2.61m.

“All money received through payment machines in our car parks is credited to the Parking Income Code and helps to meet the income target set at the beginning of the financial year – along with season ticket income and the payment of any penalty charge notices issued to vehicles parking in contravention of the car park regulations.”

The council's portfolio holder for transport Mike Lilley (Lab) said: “Our parking policy has always been about managing congestion and making it easier for residents and visitors to enjoy a safe and hassle-free parking experience.

“What the RAC report doesn’t mention is that, at a time of continuing austerity and cuts from central government, we have invested heavily to improve our parking offer.

“This includes a major upgrade to our Priory Street Car Park and improvement work at St Johns, an upgrade to CCTV at St Mary’s, leading the field with the introduction of MiPermit and ApplePay payment methods, upgrading parking machines to accept the new £1 coin, and installing speed-calming humps in St Mary’s to deter anti-social behaviour – work which begins this week and is set to be completed by early December.

“In 2016/17 alone, we spent £890k on capital expenditure relating to parking, including various vehicle and equipment costs.

“And I’m delighted to say that, for the next four Wednesdays, starting the 29 November, we’re able to offer shoppers an early Christmas present with free parking at all our town centre car parks after 3pm.”