Where your money goes
In this section: Your area

Parking income in Cambridgeshire CC

Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.

In 2025–26 Cambridgeshire CC took £8.5m in parking income and spent £4.9m, a surplus of £3.6m against £-5.3m in 2024–25 (+168%), the 82nd largest of 290 councils in England. Penalty charges brought in £1.4m. Figures are from the council's own return to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Key figures

  • £3.61mParking surplus up on a year earlier: +£8.94m (+167.8%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £8.49mParking income down on a year earlier: −£0.62m (−6.8%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £4.87mSpending on parking down on a year earlier: −£9.56m (−66.2%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £1.36mPenalty charge income down on a year earlier: −£0.17m (−11.0%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • 82 of 290Rank in England, largest surplus first 2025–26

Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

How much has Cambridgeshire CC made from parking each year?

Cambridgeshire CC: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
The numbers behind this chart
Cambridgeshire CC: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
YearIncomeSpendingSurplus
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£5.74m£3.12m£2.62m
Spending
£3.12m
Surplus
£2.62m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£7.78m£5.1m£2.67m
Spending
£5.1m
Surplus
£2.67m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£7.36m£4.41m£2.96m
Spending
£4.41m
Surplus
£2.96m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£4.51m£4.65m£-0.14m
Spending
£4.65m
Surplus
£-0.14m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£5.9m£6.39m£-0.49m
Spending
£6.39m
Surplus
£-0.49m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£6.78m£7.46m£-0.68m
Spending
£7.46m
Surplus
£-0.68m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£7.05m£7.64m£-0.59m
Spending
£7.64m
Surplus
£-0.59m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£9.11m£14.43m£-5.33m
Spending
£14.43m
Surplus
£-5.33m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£8.49m£4.87m£3.61m
Spending
£4.87m
Surplus
£3.61m

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Cambridgeshire CC: on-street and car park accounts
YearOn-street incomeOn-street spendingCar park incomeCar park spendingPenalty income
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£4.13m£1.33m£1.61m£1.79m£1.37m
On-street spending
£1.33m
Car park income
£1.61m
Car park spending
£1.79m
Penalty income
£1.37m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£5.80m£2.82m£1.98m£2.29m£1.31m
On-street spending
£2.82m
Car park income
£1.98m
Car park spending
£2.29m
Penalty income
£1.31m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£5.61m£2.16m£1.75m£2.25m£1.36m
On-street spending
£2.16m
Car park income
£1.75m
Car park spending
£2.25m
Penalty income
£1.36m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£3.18m£1.58m£1.32m£3.07m£0.62m
On-street spending
£1.58m
Car park income
£1.32m
Car park spending
£3.07m
Penalty income
£0.62m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£4.33m£4.31m£1.57m£2.07m£1.09m
On-street spending
£4.31m
Car park income
£1.57m
Car park spending
£2.07m
Penalty income
£1.09m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£5.34m£5.94m£1.44m£1.52m£1.21m
On-street spending
£5.94m
Car park income
£1.44m
Car park spending
£1.52m
Penalty income
£1.21m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£5.61m£5.62m£1.44m£2.02m£1.35m
On-street spending
£5.62m
Car park income
£1.44m
Car park spending
£2.02m
Penalty income
£1.35m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£6.88m£8.34m£2.22m£6.10m£1.52m
On-street spending
£8.34m
Car park income
£2.22m
Car park spending
£6.10m
Penalty income
£1.52m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£7.43m£3.29m£1.05m£1.58m£1.36m
On-street spending
£3.29m
Car park income
£1.05m
Car park spending
£1.58m
Penalty income
£1.36m

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

All figures are cash, in the council's own return. The most recent year is a first release and may be revised. Cambridgeshire CC is recorded as: Shire County.

What can Cambridgeshire CC spend a surplus on?

On-street parking charges and all council parking penalty charges (England and Wales)

Ring-fenced by law a ring-fenced parking account. A surplus may only be spent on parking, public transport, highway and environmental improvements and similar purposes; a deficit is made good from the general fund.

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s55, as applied in England by SI 2022/71, regs 25 and 27

At the end of each financial year any deficit in the account shall be made good out of the general fund or, in Wales, council fund, and (subject to subsection (3) below) any surplus shall be applied for all or any of the purposes specified in subsection (4) below

Council car park (off-street) tariffs

Kept by the body that collects it the council's general fund. Section 55 covers on-street parking and enforcement income, not car park fees. Not verified

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s55(1), and DfT statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement

The income from on-street charging and any penalty charge payments received (whether for on-street or off-street enforcement) must only be used in accordance with section 55 (as amended) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Legal position as of 22 September 2026. Source: legislation.gov.uk. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.

How does Cambridgeshire CC compare with other councils?

Cambridgeshire CC among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26

Ranked largest surplus first; a negative figure is a deficit. Every council is in the full tables.

Show as a table
Cambridgeshire CC among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26
NameSurplus
78. Shropshire UA£3.80m
79. Stevenage£3.78m
80. Cheltenham£3.75m
81. Bradford£3.66m
82. Cambridgeshire CC (Cambridgeshire CC)£3.61m
83. Cheshire West and Chester UA£3.56m
84. Blackpool UA£3.36m
85. Winchester£3.30m
86. New Forest£3.27m

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Every council's parking surplus, penalty charge levels and the national trend.

Sources for this page

SourcePublisherFigures as ofUpdatedLicence
Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: revenue outturn multi-year data set (RO2 parking)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governmentthe 2025–26 financial yearannualOpen Government Licence v3.0
legislation.gov.uk and official guidance, provision by provisionlegislation.gov.uk22 September 2026annualOpen Government Licence v3.0 (legislation.gov.uk)

Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under CC BY 4.0.

Sections