More than £95,000 has been made by councils through car parking fines in just three months.

The staggering amount was made by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council (WPBC) and West Dorset District Council (WDDC).

The figures were obtained through at Freedom of Information request by comparethemarket.com and compiled data gathered between the months of July and September 2017.

A total of 2,192 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued by WPBC creating a revenue of £39,142, with 2,817 PCNs creating a revenue of £56,571 issued by WDDC - a grand total of £95,713.

The data also revealed the top parking fine black spots in both areas. The car parks issued the most fines were Rope Walks in Bridport
and the Pavilion car park in Weymouth.

Across the South West, WDDC was ranked third with WBPC fourth for the number of fines issued.

Simon McCulloch, director at comparethemarket.com said: “Our parking fines hotspots have revealed that motorists need to be extra vigilant when it comes to something as simple as parking their vehicle correctly if they want to avoid a hefty fine. With Christmas on the horizon, £70 would go further in a gift for a loved one than it would in a parking ticket.

“Penalty Charge Notices can be issued for a number of reasons. It can be quite simply for parking somewhere you shouldn’t, failing to show a valid parking ticket, or displaying an expired ticket.

"Other offences include breaking traffic rules, such as going against a ‘no right turn’ sign or driving in a bus lane. The cost of driving is getting more and more expensive, without having to face any extra, unexpected cost like a parking fine. 

"As we embark on the festive period and face unfamiliar roads to visit friends and family, motorists should pay close attention – street signs can often be discreet and easy to miss, but the information should be clearly stated, and parking payment meters never too far away. 

“If you do find yourself with a PCN, it’s worth checking your ticket, as you can often reduce the fee by half, simply by paying it within seven or 14 days, depending on your local council.”

Comparethemarket.com issued FOIs to every council in the UK requesting the number of fines issued, the revenue generated, and the most popular street or car park where fines are issued.

Data was compiled based on 265 responses, looking at a period of three months.

Cllr Colin Huckle, WPBC’s briefholder for parking and transport, said: “All of our car parks vary in size and are evenly patrolled by Parking Enforcement Officers.

"Details of the charges and facilities can be found on signage in each car park. If you’d like to check in advance of your journey then the information can be found at www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk.”

WDDC's environmental protection and assets executive portfolio holder, Cllr John Russell added: “Parking enforcement officers are evenly dispersed across the borough to patrol each of the council car parks in West Dorset. 

"Restrictions and charges may vary between each car park, so we’d always urge residents to take note of the restrictions that may apply.”