ALMOST 11,000 parking fines were issued in Barnsley in one year - but that still didn't cover the cost of employing the 18 traffic wardens who issued them.
In the past financial year the wardens dished out an average of 603 tickets each.
A total of 10,853 penalty charge tickets were issued costing each driver £25 - or £50 if not paid within 14 days.
While the service costs the council £327,000 to
run, the fines netted them just £280,000 - because so many drivers paid promptly, and 2,300 of the tickets were challenged. Of those 1,644 fined were dropped because of extenuating circumstances, including occasions when motorists had a valid parking ticket which the warden had not noticed.
Thirty three motorists had their fines dropped because of illegal signs or yellow lines which the council says were "not fit for purpose".
The council says it expects the service to break even in this financial year.
The council took over responsibility for running the parking enforcement service from the police three years ago and at the time said there was a five-year plan at the end of which the service would make a surplus.
Alan Carnall, assistant director of Highways and Engineering said: "Of course the driving force for parking enforcement is not financial but to improve road safety, traffic circulation and access for loading and unloading and those with mobility difficulties by reducing illegal parking."
What do you think? Add your comment below.READ MOREMain news indexLettersCheck out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic sectionLatest sport.The full article contains 285 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
