Parking charges earned Bracknell Forest Council more than a million pounds last year, figures published by the government have revealed.

Bracknell Forest Council earned a net total of £1,167,000 from its parking services in the last financial year, running April 2022 to April 2023 – thanks to fees in council-run car parks.

The figures were published just days after the council increased its parking charges in town centre car parks this October – arguing that it would lose money if fees weren’t raised.

The council’s car park service alone made a profit of £1,232,000 in the 2022-23 financial year according to the figures.

In total, it took in £3,117,000 from its off-street car parks, but this was offset by costs of £1,885,000.

The council lost a further £65,000 on its on-street parking scheme. It brought in £130,000 from parking permit sales and fines – but spent £195,000.

Taken together, the council made a profit of £1,167,000 from on and off-street parking in 2022-23.

READ MORE: Bracknell town centre parking charges to increase

Despite this, council officers warned that Bracknell Forest Council would make a loss on its parking services next year if parking fees weren’t raised.

They said the council would lose £266,000 in 2024-25 if there were no fee increases – and that this money would have to be made back from other council departments.

Under rises brought in at the start of this month, October 1, prices at the four town centre car parks went up to £2 for an hour, £3.50 for two hours, and £4.40 for three hours. This is up from £1.80, £3.20 and £4.10.

Councillors were also given the option of increasing all fees by 10p. But officers warned them that this would still leave the council worse off by £154,000.

Damian James, assistant director of contract services at Bracknell Forest Council, said officers figured this out based on what they thought their income would be – taking into account the fact that the High Street car park is set to close – and what they thought their costs would be.

He said: “Option two, which was for a 10p increase where permitted under the lease arrangements, gave an income estimated to be £3.120m. For option one, the income was estimated to be £3.385m. These calculations are based on an apportionment of costs and income taking into account the closure of High Street car park.

“Similar expenditure costs are expected in 2024/2025 with an inflationary uplift applied.”

Mr James added the council had no plans to add or increase fees or charges to on-street parking, despite the loss it made in this area.

He said: “Currently there are no proposals to implement on-street parking charges or to review the existing residents parking scheme in Bracknell Forest.”