Top streets revealed for parking penalties

It is the risk all drivers run when leaving their cars on the street for a few minutes or staying a little longer than they had paid for.

And today the top streets in the boroughs and districts of Staffordshire and the Black Country for parking fines can be revealed.

Drivers parking in roads including Mill Street in Stafford and Bird Street in Lichfield have been caught more than 2,000 times in less than two years. West Bromwich High Street alone netted Sandwell Council well over £100,000 in under two years.

Parking wardens slapped tickets on 3,894 vehicles between April 2010 and January 2012.

Councillor Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said fines did not swell councils' coffers. "It's a mixed bag across the county," he said. "In South Staffordshire car parking is free and they don't have attendants.

"Where districts do make a profit, that money is used on projects such as traffic calming." He added:?"If people abuse short-term parking, which benefits people who cannot walk very far, then they will get a fine."

In Wolverhampton the wardens are most active on the short-stay Fold Street car park in the city centre.

But they will soon spread out across the city using a camera-fitted spy car.

Traders have complained that the threat of a fine, ranging from around £30 to more than £60, puts people off shopping. Nik Papanicodemou, 38, of N.E. Sandwich in Ablewell Street, Walsall, said trade had fallen since last March when on-street parking charges were introduced. He said: "We've been here 12 years and survived the recession but this situation with parking is a whole new ball game."

Sandwell councillor Derek Rowley defended the high number of fines in West Bromwich and Smethwick.

"People have not been respecting the rules and we have to be hot on that," he said.

Money generated from parking fines

Tickets issued Income

Cannock Chase

Market Place 1251 £31,571

Church Street, Cannock 1142 £26,545

Anson Street 396 £10,368

High Green 395 £8,527

Market Street, Hednesford 327 £7,972

Stafford

Mill Street Stafford 2,133 £65,757

North Walls Stafford 732 £19,822

Margaret Street Stone 703 £22,779

Station Road Stone 627 £16,273

Eastgate Street Stafford 624 £16,868

Lichfield

Bird Street Car Park 2,221 £45,276

Friary Inner Car Park 1,149 £21,954.90

Lombard Street Car Park 822 £16,351

Redcourt Car Park 606 £10,481

Levetts Field Multi-storey 560 £10,447

South Staffs

Market Street, Penkridge 289 £8,526

Church Road, Penkridge 228 £6,726

Market Place, Brewood 155 £4,573

Crown Bridge, Penkridge 144 £4,248

Clay Street Car Park, Penkridge 121 £3,570

Walsall

Station Street 1,593 £69,991

Lichfield Street 1,551 £56,267

Bradford Street 768 £22,603

Hatherton Street 754 £22,257

Goodall Street 739 £23,632

Freer Street 682 £43,419

High Street (Walsall) 581 £48,167

Bridge Street 559 £37,393

Lower Hall Street 487 £25,562

Stafford Street 367 £10,882

Gallery Square 359 £10,731

Ablewell Street 296 £9,819

Tower Street 281 £24,655

Lower Forster Street 221 £7,968

High Street (Pelsall) 195 £4,827

High Street (Aldridge) 164 £11,670

Walhouse Road 143 £6,026

Market Place, Bloxwich 130 £5,680

Elmore Row 121 £3,335

Sandwell

High Street, West Bromwich 3,894 £116,820

High Street, Smethwick 2,502 £75,060

Little Lane, West Bromwich 2,354 £70,620

Anderson Road, Smethwick 2,194 £65,820

West Brom Bull St, Zone C 2,060 £61,800

Bearwood Road, Smethwick 2,036 £61,080

Morrisons, W'bury 1,608 £48,240

Wattis Road, Smethwick 1,475 £44,250

Queen Street/Walsall Street 1,173 £35,190

Cape Hill, Smethwick 1,164 £34,920

Victoria Street, West Brom 1,135 £34,050

Short Street, Rowley Regis 1,133 £33,990

High Bullen, Wednesbury 1,080 £32,400

High Street, Cradley Heath 965 £28,950

Edward Street, West Brom 945 £28,350

Lyndon, West Bromwich 937 £28,110

Waterloo Road, Smethwick 842 £24,360

W.brom.Victoria St Zone A 825 £24,750

Poplar Road, Smethwick 814 £24,420

Lodge Road, West Brom 802 £24,060

Dudley

Wolverhampton St, Dudley 1233 £39,305.70

High Street, Pensnett 883 £26,625

High Street, Stourbridge 881 £29,067

Castle Street, Dudley 838 £28,907.50

High Street, Dudley 790 £23,481.50

High Street, Brierley Hill 511 £18,548

Great Cornbow, Halesowen 498 £15,791.99

Queensway, Halesowen 429 £11,228

Stone Street, Dudley 361 £10,792

Lower High St, Stourbridge 341 £9,153

Pool Road, Halesowen 303 £10,109.50

Market Street, Stourbridge 283 £8,560.01

Pensnett Road, Dudley 243 £8,319.05

New Street, Dudley 234 £6,969.50

Edward Street, Dudley 229 £7,941

Priory Road, Dudley 222 £7,720.50

St James's Road, Dudley 182 £5,339

The Inhedge, Dudley 170 £4,954.50

Gads Lane, Dudley 167 £5,786

Union Street (Stourbridge) 165 £5,065

Wolverhampton

Fold Street Car Park 1149 £15,539

Cleveland Street 825 £12,401

Wulfruna Street 610 £12,980

North Street 493 £7,711

Bilston Street 491 £9,404

Broad Street Car Park 450 £13,068

School St car park 432 £6,423

Bell Street 395 £5,115

Thornley Street 386 £6,931

Temple Street 383 £4,474

Market Car Park 375 £6,711

Red Lion Street 362 £7,899

Cheapside 354 £5,438

Railway Street 284 £7,130

Castle Street 270 £4,727

Queen St 266 £5,012

Paternoster Row 257 £5,317

Clarence St 248 £7,233

Berry Street 229 £5,061

St Peters Sq 194 £4,330

South Staffs

Market Street, Penkridge 289 £8,526

Church Road, Penkridge 228 £6,726

Market Place, Brewood 155 £4,573

Crown Bridge, Penkridge 144 £4,248

Clay Street Car Park, Penkridge 121 £3,570

Church Road Car Park, Wombourne 121 £3,570

Baggeridge Country Park 107 £3,157

High Street Car Park, Wombourne 86 £2,537

Stafford Street Car Park, Brewood 85 £2,508

Council Offices Car Park, Codsall 73 £2,154

Walsall Road, Great Wyrley 68 £2,006

High Street, Wombourne 60 £1,770

Maypole Street, Wombourne 57 £1,682

Duck Lane Car Park, Bilbrook 53 £1,564

Church Road, Wombourne 52 £1,534

Sandy Lane, Brewood 48 £1,416

The Square Car Park, Codsall 44 £1,298

Bakers Way Car Park, Codsall 42 £1,239

Station Road Car Park, Codsall 39 £1,151

The Acre Car Park, Kinver 34 £1,003