Councils in Dorset are raking in millions of pounds from parking charges.

The former Weymouth and Portland Borough Council clocked up £2m in profit from parking charges last year – an eight-year high.

The AA says many local authorities see drivers as a “wallet on wheels”, and has accused some of using parking fees to plug budget gaps.

Parking services in Weymouth and Portland raised £2 million in profit in 2018-19, according to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data.

This was the highest profit the council has made from parking since 2010-11.

Meanwhile, Parking services in West Dorset raised £1.5 million in profit over the same period.

This was 24% less than the previous year, when it made £2 million.

All the profit made by the councils last year came from off-street parking, such as local authority-run car parks.

the figures come as it was revealed that parking fees across Dorset are likely to be simplified – but are unlikely to be uniform across the area.

Weymouth councillor Louie O’Leary has called for the resort to have lower parking fees.

He says Weymouth has one of the highest charges, if not the highest, in the county at £4 for four hours, compared to £4 for all day in Dorchester, with a £5 charge for four hours in the summer.

“With Weymouth’s high street suffering and with such high levels of deprivation in Weymouth how is it meant to compete with other towns? Now we are one council one authority surely Weymouth deserves a better deal and a standard balanced rate county wide,?” he said at Thursday’s full Dorset Council meeting.

Brief holder Cllr Ray Bryan says a current review of fees is looking at simplifying and harmonising the cost of parking, charging hours and special permits, including resident permits.

“We are also looking at whether there is a need for a differential between coastal towns and villages and market towns and villages.

“As we are now a single council we will be looking at the potential for a monthly and yearly permit that allows residents and visitors the potential to park in any area of this council. In addition we will be looking at the provision of electric car charging spaces in the majority of our car parks,” he said.

“It is hoped that users of car parks will benefit from a much simpler and consistent pricing structure across all of the Dorset Car Parks once the project is completed.”

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “When it comes to parking charges, many councils see drivers as wallets on wheels.

“At a time when budgets are stretched, raking in parking fees seems to be a tool used to try and fill the councils’ coffers.

“Some of the incomes are eyewatering, so drivers want to see that cash reinvested in local roads to eliminate potholes and poor road markings.”

Transport research charity the RAC Foundation said profits could be overstated in some areas, as costs such as interest payments are not included.

But Steve Gooding, the foundation’s director, said: “What will surprise drivers is that even as parking income soars, the amount of money being spent on routine road maintenance by councils has been in reverse.”

The rise in sums made from parking in Weymouth and Portland reflects the trend across England, where profits hit a record high of £936 million.

This was an increase of £63 million from the previous year.

West Dorset, however, was one of the few authorities which recorded a drop in car parking profit.

David Renard, transport spokesman for the Local Government Association, said councils were on the side of motorists and shoppers, and that parking policies aim to make sure there are spaces available for residents, high streets are kept vibrant and traffic is kept moving.

He added: “Any income raised through on-street parking charges and fines is spent on running parking services, and any surplus is only spent on essential transport projects, such as filling potholes, supporting concessionary bus fares to help reduce congestion and other local transport projects that benefit high streets and local economies.”

The council with the highest profit last year was Westminster, which made £69 million from parking charges.

But in Buckinghamshire, parking services cost the council £2.9 million – the biggest loss for any council.