Drivers face new £100 city parking penalties

The move sparked fury from motoring groups, while Edinburgh's transport leader also said he opposed the plan.

Neil Greig of the Institute of Advanced Motorists described the scale of the planned rise as "unacceptable", while the Association of British Drivers called it "outrageous".

The new level of fine would apply across six local authority areas where councils control parking enforcement – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth & Kinross and South Lanarkshire. Others plan to follow suit.

Elsewhere, parking fines are still issued by traffic wardens, who are part of the police.

A Scottish Government consultation said current fines were an insufficient deterrent to motorists in cities where parking space is at a premium.

Parking fine revenue in Glasgow soared by nearly one fifth to 5.5 million in the year to last March, up from 4.7m the previous year. It increased by 2.4 per cent in Edinburgh to 6.9m, but fell in the four other affected areas.

Firms hired to enforce Edinburgh's parking have hit a series of controversies since they took over 12 years ago.

Apcoa's so-called "blue meanies", who operated until 2001, slapped a parking fine on a car belonging to a pregnant woman whose at-risk baby was being monitored in hospital, while some staff were exposed for parking illegally in the city.

Apcoa's successor, Central Parking System, which operated the service for five years until 2006, prompted a flood of complaints for over-zealous ticketing, including targeting an ambulance and a hearse.

The consultation, which continues until June, said current fines were still a deterrent only in rural areas "where payment for parking is relatively low and there is not such a high demand for parking".

But it stated: "It does little to deter drivers from contravening the regulations in urban areas where parking spaces are at a premium and costs can be such that a motorist may consider the option of not to pay for parking and risk getting a penalty notice outweighs the parking charge."

The consultation added that the cost of drivers challenging fines had increased, with appeals doubling in the past three years.

It also stated that rises in staff, equipment and technology costs meant the goal of council parking operations being self-financing was becoming "less realistic".

Salary costs alone have increased by 50 per cent.

Fines were last changed nine years ago, with officials stating that current pressures meant it was "now appropriate to revisit" them.

The Scottish Government said that if the plans were approved, the six councils would be required to increase fines to at least 80, with the option of raising them to as much as 100.

Drivers would continue to receive a 50 per cent discount if they paid within two weeks.

Neil Greig, policy and research director of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said the new fines looked little more than revenue raisers.

He said: "Unless this increase can be justified in terms of it benefiting the motorist, most car owners will merely see it as an extra tax.

"The decriminalised parking system was supposed to be about better and fairer parking for all, but once again it looks like it's being treated as a cash cow.

"Most drivers will find it laughable they are being asked to pay higher fines so parking enforcers can enjoy better salaries."

Hugh Bladon, a spokesman for of the Association of British Drivers, agreed the proposed rise in fines was clearly designed to "swell dwindling council coffers".

He said: "Car owners do not have a bottomless pit of cash to throw at taxes and fines, and I don't think they will stand for this outrageous increase."

Edinburgh City Council's transport convener, Gordon Mackenzie, said the current penalties were enough.

He said: "The existing level of fines is sufficient deterrent. I do not have anybody coming to me saying fines should be higher."

However, Dundee City Council leader Ken Guild backed the proposed increases. He said: "If this acts as an additional deterrent and brings in extra revenue, I would not be opposed to it."

Glasgow City Council said it was considering its response.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Local authorities operating decriminalised parking enforcement have requested an increase to the level of penalty charge notice they can issue when enforcing parking regulations. We are currently consulting on these proposals."