New data has revealed that Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council has collected £409,224 from residential parking permits since 2020.
The figures have been obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by cinch, the UK’s biggest online used car retailer.
According to the request, the price of first permits has increased from £25 to £30 (+20%) since 2020. The others remain unchanged.
The number of residential parking permits issued in Gateshead has grown by 6% in five years, from 495 in 2020 to 526 in 2024.
The biggest spike in demand occurred between 2020 and 2023, when issued permits jumped by 8%.
Here’s how much Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council has generated from parking permits over the last five years:
- 2020: £69,498
- 2021: £67,743
- 2022: £74,838
- 2023: £79,865
- 2024: £117,280 (+47%, highest to date)
Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, commented:
“Parking permits can be great for making sure residents have somewhere to park near their homes, but there should be a balance between affordability and accessibility.
“Our research shows that parking permits are getting more expensive across the UK, putting extra financial strain on residents already dealing with rising living costs.
“Multi-car households are often the most affected. Second and third permits come at a premium and can be as much as four times more expensive than a first permit in some areas.”