According to new statistics, drivers spend £2 billion annually on council parking, or £38 every day every driver. Parking fees are expected to increase by up to 60% in some locations this month in an effort to combat inflation and boost revenue. The Department for Levelling Up reports that, in the year ending in April 2023, drivers paid £1.93 billion in fees and fines, an increase from £1.76 billion the year before. In the UK, about 50 million people are licenced drivers. Councils imposing steep rises have been accused of deterring tourists and squeezing small local businesses by putting off shoppers who decide it is easier and cheaper to shop online. In Kirklees, the West Yorkshire council for Huddersfield, Holmfirth and Dewsbury said short-stay parking fees would increase from 70p an hour to £1.10 per hour this month. Fees in Dewsbury and other areas of Kirklees would also go up from 5p to 50p per hour. Long-stay parking across the borough as a whole would increase from £4 all day to £6.50 all day. In East Grinstead in the south of England, parking charges are going up by almost 30 per cent while North Yorkshire Council will be increasing its parking charges by 20 per cent from April 19. In London, a public consultation process is currently underway to consider whether parking penalties should rise from £160 on roads managed by Transport for London and £130 on borough roads. The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, told the Sunday Times: “Income raised through parking charges is spent on running parking services. “Any surplus is spent on essential transport projects, including fixing the £16 billion road repairs backlog, reducing congestion, tackling poor air quality and supporting local bus services. “Motorists can avoid fines by ensuring they observe parking and traffic rules that are only there to help all drivers get around and find parking safely, smoothly and fairly.”