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Parking income in Cheshire East UA

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

In 2025–26 Cheshire East UA took £7.7m in parking income and spent £4.8m, a surplus of £2.9m against £1.3m in 2024–25 (+125%), the 91st largest of 290 councils in England. Penalty charges brought in £0.5m. 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

  • £2.90mParking surplus up on a year earlier: +£1.61m (+125.2%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £7.72mParking income up on a year earlier: +£2.25m (+41.0%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £4.82mSpending on parking up on a year earlier: +£0.63m (+15.0%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £0.50mPenalty charge income up on a year earlier: +£0.15m (+43.8%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • 91 of 290Rank in England, largest surplus first 2025–26

Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

How much has Cheshire East UA made from parking each year?

Cheshire East UA: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
The numbers behind this chart
Cheshire East UA: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
YearIncomeSpendingSurplus
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£5.49m£3.86m£1.63m
Spending
£3.86m
Surplus
£1.63m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£5.92m£3.28m£2.63m
Spending
£3.28m
Surplus
£2.63m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£6.02m£3.93m£2.09m
Spending
£3.93m
Surplus
£2.09m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£2.59m£3.9m£-1.31m
Spending
£3.9m
Surplus
£-1.31m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£4.78m£4.35m£0.43m
Spending
£4.35m
Surplus
£0.43m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£5.17m£4.5m£0.67m
Spending
£4.5m
Surplus
£0.67m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£5.17m£4.04m£1.12m
Spending
£4.04m
Surplus
£1.12m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£5.48m£4.19m£1.29m
Spending
£4.19m
Surplus
£1.29m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£7.72m£4.82m£2.91m
Spending
£4.82m
Surplus
£2.91m

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

Cheshire East UA: on-street and car park accounts
YearOn-street incomeOn-street spendingCar park incomeCar park spendingPenalty income
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£0.47m£0.83m£5.02m£3.03m£0.42m
On-street spending
£0.83m
Car park income
£5.02m
Car park spending
£3.03m
Penalty income
£0.42m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£0.63m£0.67m£5.28m£2.61m£0.42m
On-street spending
£0.67m
Car park income
£5.28m
Car park spending
£2.61m
Penalty income
£0.42m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£0.49m£0.65m£5.52m£3.28m£0.43m
On-street spending
£0.65m
Car park income
£5.52m
Car park spending
£3.28m
Penalty income
£0.43m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£0.33m£0.64m£2.26m£3.26m£0.28m
On-street spending
£0.64m
Car park income
£2.26m
Car park spending
£3.26m
Penalty income
£0.28m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£0.55m£0.72m£4.23m£3.63m£0.49m
On-street spending
£0.72m
Car park income
£4.23m
Car park spending
£3.63m
Penalty income
£0.49m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£0.50m£0.70m£4.68m£3.81m£0.49m
On-street spending
£0.70m
Car park income
£4.68m
Car park spending
£3.81m
Penalty income
£0.49m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£0.44m£0.76m£4.73m£3.28m£0.36m
On-street spending
£0.76m
Car park income
£4.73m
Car park spending
£3.28m
Penalty income
£0.36m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£0.43m£0.81m£5.04m£3.38m£0.34m
On-street spending
£0.81m
Car park income
£5.04m
Car park spending
£3.38m
Penalty income
£0.34m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£0.59m£0.99m£7.13m£3.83m£0.50m
On-street spending
£0.99m
Car park income
£7.13m
Car park spending
£3.83m
Penalty income
£0.50m

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. Cheshire East UA is recorded as: Unitary Authority.

What can Cheshire East UA 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 Cheshire East UA compare with other councils?

Cheshire East UA 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
Cheshire East UA among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26
NameSurplus
87. Teignbridge£3.26m
88. Colchester£3.25m
89. Norwich City£3.17m
90. Sevenoaks£3.06m
91. Cheshire East UA (Cheshire East UA)£2.91m
92. Calderdale£2.89m
93. Buckinghamshire UA£2.87m
94. East Sussex CC£2.83m
95. South Hams£2.78m

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.

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