Liverpool Council's extended late night parking charges generated almost £1m in paid fines in their first year, with Duke Street the most common location for tickets.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that more than 27,000 tickets have been paid, bringing in £937,000 to the city council's coffers. The charges, which extended parking enforcement in the city centre until 11pm, were confirmed in July last year after a lengthy delay.
Most common locations for tickets
On Duke Street alone, more than 1,700 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued in the first 12 months of the increased charging period. Old Hall Street is the second most common area, with 1,625 tickets issued between July 2025 and August this year. A further 1,532 PCNs were issued on Hope Street, where the charges had been hotly contested by hospitality sector businesses.
More than 1,000 tickets were handed out each on Moorfields, Brunswick Street, North John Street, Fenwick Street, Sir Thomas Street and Stanley Street. In total, 121 streets across the inner city centre have seen drivers penalised since last summer, and almost 8,000 PCNs remain outstanding.
Background to the charges
The changes to the controlled parking zone (CPZ) were first touted in 2022, despite almost 90% of people indicating they were against the move. Councillors pressed ahead, arguing it would standardise parking across the city centre. A review of the CPZ was first carried out in 2018, with an initial informal public consultation held in February 2022 and a statutory consultation undertaken between July and August 2023.
Last summer, signage and parking meters were updated across the city centre to reflect the changes. The cost of parking in the city centre is also set to increase for the second time this year, with the price of half an hour rising to £2.40 and an hour to £4.60, following a review dating back to April. The increase is in line with a rise in the consumer price index (CPI) of 3.1%, and will apply to all council owned car parks and spaces throughout the city centre.
Political and legal challenges
Cllr Carl Cashman, leader of the Liberal Democrats, criticised the administration of the parking charges, saying: "These figures make it clear that this is a money-making scheme from the council. Nearly £1 million has been raised from parking fines alone in just over a year, with more than 36,000 tickets issued in the city centre and over 1,700 on Duke Street by itself. That is on top of what drivers are already paying in higher charges and longer hours."
A legal challenge has been brought against the introduction of late night parking by former city councillor Alfie Hincks, alongside leaders from the business community. The city council had moved to throw out the challenge, but it will now proceed. Mr Hincks said: "It's clear this is a revenue exercise by the council. For me, the council is desperate to bring in money via the easiest method."
A Liverpool Council spokesperson said: "The changes to Liverpool's city centre controlled parking zone were introduced in response to the city's significant growth in recent years. The expansion of the night-time economy has increased demand for parking, creating pressures on available spaces and contributing to congestion, unsafe parking and reduced access for residents, visitors and businesses."
The spokesperson added that income generated from on-street parking and PCNs is reinvested into the city's transport and highways network, supporting highway maintenance, technology upgrades and the continued operation of parking and traffic management services. This funding has also enabled the recruitment of an additional 62 enforcement officers to tackle inconsiderate and dangerous parking in communities across the city.
