NEW figures revealed today that York's income from parking charges and fines almost doubled in only five years - increasing faster than any other local authority in Yorkshire.

The rise - from £3.7 million in 1997/98 to £6.6 million in 2002/03 - covers a period when City of York Council was controlled by Labour, before the recent introduction of controversial evening and on-street charges by the new Liberal Democrat administration.

The Department of Transport statistics reveal that revenue rose by 51 per cent nationally to almost a billion pounds in 2002-03.

The Lib Dem's national transport spokesman, John Thurso, claimed that charges were punishing motorists without reducing congestion.

"These figures make clear that increasing parking charges simply punishes motorists without achieving any impact on reduction in congestion," he said.

"Tackling congestion requires two integrated policies. First, we need a safe, reliable and affordable public transport system.

"And secondly, we need to concentrate more on charging for car use rather than ownership. The most effective way to do this would be to look at introducing a national road charging scheme."

The figures, published in response to a Parliamentary written question from the Liberal Democrats, revealed that North Yorkshire County Council raised £91,000 from parking meters and penalties, compared with nothing in 1997-98.

Revenue soared by 43 per cent in Ryedale from £430,000 to £617,000, while Harrogate saw a ten per cent rise from £1.8 million to £2 million.

Parking receipts rose by 36 per cent in Scarborough, from £2.7 million to £3.7million, Selby's rose seven per cent from £167,000 to £179,000, Hambleton rose from nil to £50,000 and East Riding of Yorkshire by 62 per cent from £1.2million to £1.9million.

Coun Ann Reid, York's executive member for planning and transport, said the city had bucked the national trend, in that raised charges had been accompanied by other measures such as expanded Park & Ride services, which together had helped reduce congestion.

Labour group leader Dave Merrett said that in the Local Transport Plan consultation in 2000, the York public had supported measures including increased parking charges to tackle congestion, but Labour had always been conscious of the potential impact on the city centre economy, and avoided evening charges because of the effect on the evening economy.

Updated: 10:51 Thursday, July 08, 2004