LOSSES on Warrington’s controversial parking warden service are expected to rises again, Town Hall bosses have been told.
The borough council’s executive board – which last week heard that losses for 2009-10 were more than £142,000 – has been warned that the deficit is projected to increase still further for 2010-11.
Dwindling income from the council’s pay and display car parks caused by the economic recession and an increase in 
competition from privately run car parks are thought to be to blame.
Councillors have only just considered the annual report on parking but, with the current contract due to run out soon, will study the next annual report in January.
Officers have already started work on updating parking strategy.
Council chiefs stress that the parking warden service is intend to improve traffic management and road safety and not to make money.
But nevertheless, a continuing deficit puts significant pressure on the council’s budget at a time when savings are crucial.
Cllr Linda Dirir (pictured), executive member for highways and transportation, said a range of options for the future of on-street and council off-street parking enforcement would be fully examined.
“It is intended that a draft parking strategy will be consulted on during the early part of 2012 and will be presented to the executive board for approval in the summer,” she said.
If the council did not have a robust on and off street parking enforcement operation there would be considerable problems for the public arising from an increase in inconsiderate, illegal and dangerous parking, leading to a worsening in road safety and levels of traffic congestion.
In 2009-10, the council spent £1,034,397 on its parking service and received an income of £892,344 – a loss of £142,053.
Parking losses set to rise again
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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If the part of the problem is competition from private car park operators then what WBC need to do is to CUT prices and RAISE service levels to INCREASE useage, and therefore total revenue. Of course our typically short-sighted councillors and council officers will end up doing is bound to be just the opposite, they’ll RAISE prices, CUT service levels and then act all surprised when useage and revenue falls still further!
Isn’t the idea of parking enforcement to put yourself out of a job eventually?? Seems the good motorists of the town have now seen the light and changed their parking behaviour resulting in less tickets being issued- if they ever issued no tickets there would be no need for wardens at all.