Pay-and-display parking machines net Wolverhampton £11 MILLION in five years

The machines do not give change, which was today branded 'totally unacceptable' and off-putting for visitors.

There are 76 pay-and-display machines in the city, 47 for off-street parking and 29 for on-street. None of them give any change.

They made £11m in the last five years, with £2.3m in the last year alone.

The TaxPayers' Alliance today slammed the decision to use machines that do not give change.

Chief executive Jonathan Isaby said: "It's totally unacceptable for the council to put machines in place that do not give back change to hard-pressed taxpayers.

"A sensible policy of charges can ensure that traffic and parking is managed well but not giving back change makes it hard to shake the impression that local politicians simply see motorists as cash cows.

"Given the millions of pounds handed over in charges, it's crucial that they play fair and protect taxpayers."

In 2010/11, the council made £2,199,421 from the 76 machines, this decreased to £2,137,513 in 2011/12, before increasing to £2,153,223 in 2012/13, and back down to £2,116,003 in 2013/14.

The leader of the opposition in Wolverhampton, Conservative councillor Wendy Thompson accused the council of discouraging visitors to the city centre with the car parking charges.

She said: "I just wonder how much the shops have profited from that with the reduction in the numbers of people coming in to Wolverhampton. They need to reduce car parking charges to try and increase the number of shoppers in the city centre. That would improve things a great deal because there is a responsibility to the staff in the shops and to having a vibrant city centre.

"Car parking charges deter people and doesn't encourage them."

Asked about the pay and display machines not giving change, Councillor Thompson added: "It gets worse. It's certainly not encouraging people to visit."

Wolverhampton council was unavailable for comment.