Overview

• A Churchill Motor Insurance survey shows the average annual cost of UK residents' parking permits is £128, but fees in Islington reach up to £1,073 for older diesel vehicles.
• Councils across Britain collected £360 million from residential parking permits over the past five years, with revenue reinvestment mandated under the 1984 Road Traffic Regulation Act.
• Watford Borough Council will increase controlled parking zone fees on June 2, citing rising contractor costs, with the first permit rising from £31 to £34 and the second from £66 to £73.
• Dover District Council recently aligned electric vehicle (EV) permit fees with standard rates, reducing incentives for low-emission vehicles as part of broader policy shifts.
• The inconsistency in permit fees nationwide has sparked concerns over affordability, environmental equity, and the lawful reinvestment of surplus funds into transport infrastructure.