Wigan below average on parking fines but still takes in £189k

Data from Compare The Market shows the huge scale of penalty charge notices (PCNs) and financial penalties which motorists across the country are racking up.
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Wigan Council took £189,436 in fines in a 12-month period between August 2019 and July 2020, issuing 9,925 PCNs.

This works out at the equivalent of just over 27 fines per day.

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In the big scheme of things, though, this is a comparatively small amount and nowhere close to the figures at the top of the national league table.

Wigan Council took almost £200k in PCNs for parking, which is well below averageWigan Council took almost £200k in PCNs for parking, which is well below average
Wigan Council took almost £200k in PCNs for parking, which is well below average

Local authorities on average racked up £850,000 in the 12-month period surveyed using Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

And some councils in areas like London took in millions of pounds while issuing more than 100,000 tickets a year, or hundreds a day.

Wigan was placed just within the top 100 of local authorities which replied to Compare The Market’s FOI on the number of PCNs it issued.

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But it was outside the top 100 in terms of the amount of money drivers cough up.

More PCNs were issued on Wigan Lane than any other road in the boroughMore PCNs were issued on Wigan Lane than any other road in the borough
More PCNs were issued on Wigan Lane than any other road in the borough

Wigan Lane was also revealed in the FOI request to be the borough’s worst hotspot for motorists picking up parking fines.

The average parking fine issued by councils across the UK is £37 but Wigan was also significantly below this, with the average driver caught shelling out £19.09.

Wigan also compared favourably to other local authorities in the North West.

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Salford, Trafford and Bolton councils were all in the national top 50 for revenue gained from PCNs, with drivers there shelling out eye-watering amounts of between £817,019 and £906,046 in the 12 months surveyed.

Paul BartonPaul Barton
Paul Barton

The council said Wigan’s figures could be attributed to a policy of only hitting drivers in the pocket as a last resort.

Paul Barton, director of environment, said: “In Wigan, we look to use an education over enforcement approach where possible.

“Following the first lockdown in March 2020, we worked in partnership with Greater Manchester Police to issue warning notices rather than PCN’s and we prioritised cars that could have impacted access for emergency or essential services as well as cars in disabled bays.

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“Throughout the year, we reintroduced the issuing of PCN’s. Any income generated is always reinvested in local services and goes towards the cost of maintaining the local road network, road safety, highway improvements and essential transport projects.

“This revenue also allows the council to offer free weekend parking in Wigan and Leigh town centres.

“Wigan Borough’s PCN revenue is one of, if not the lowest in Greater Manchester.

“Having sufficient parking provision supports our town centres and local businesses to thrive.

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“Parking enforcement is used appropriately to deter motorists from parking indiscriminately and often in locations where they compromise public and highway safety or cause obstruction.

“It can be a necessary deterrent to anyone who chooses to ignore community and safety concerns.”

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