Where your money goes
In this section: Your area

Parking income in Cheshire West and Chester UA

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

In 2025–26 Cheshire West and Chester UA took £8.7m in parking income and spent £5.1m, a surplus of £3.6m against £3.1m in 2024–25 (+14%), the 83rd largest of 290 councils in England. 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

  • £3.56mParking surplus up on a year earlier: +£0.43m (+13.9%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £8.66mParking income up on a year earlier: +£0.57m (+7.1%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £5.10mSpending on parking up on a year earlier: +£0.14m (+2.8%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £0.00mPenalty charge income down on a year earlier: −£0.15m (−100.0%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • 83 of 290Rank in England, largest surplus first 2025–26

Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

How much has Cheshire West and Chester UA made from parking each year?

Cheshire West and Chester UA: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
The numbers behind this chart
Cheshire West and Chester UA: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
YearIncomeSpendingSurplus
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£6.39m£5.74m£0.66m
Spending
£5.74m
Surplus
£0.66m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£6.16m£5.6m£0.56m
Spending
£5.6m
Surplus
£0.56m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£6.62m£5.78m£0.85m
Spending
£5.78m
Surplus
£0.85m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£2.84m£5.32m£-2.49m
Spending
£5.32m
Surplus
£-2.49m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£4.56m£3.9m£0.66m
Spending
£3.9m
Surplus
£0.66m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£5.75m£4.18m£1.57m
Spending
£4.18m
Surplus
£1.57m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£6.47m£4.28m£2.2m
Spending
£4.28m
Surplus
£2.2m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£8.09m£4.96m£3.13m
Spending
£4.96m
Surplus
£3.13m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£8.66m£5.1m£3.56m
Spending
£5.1m
Surplus
£3.56m

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

Cheshire West and Chester UA: on-street and car park accounts
YearOn-street incomeOn-street spendingCar park incomeCar park spendingPenalty income
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£6.34m£4.59m£0.05m£1.15m£6.14m
On-street spending
£4.59m
Car park income
£0.05m
Car park spending
£1.15m
Penalty income
£6.14m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£6.16m£4.48m£0.00m£1.12m£6.15m
On-street spending
£4.48m
Car park income
£0.00m
Car park spending
£1.12m
Penalty income
£6.15m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£0.00m£0.00m£6.62m£5.78m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£6.62m
Car park spending
£5.78m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£0.00m£0.00m£2.84m£5.32m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£2.84m
Car park spending
£5.32m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£0.09m£0.03m£4.47m£3.88m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.03m
Car park income
£4.47m
Car park spending
£3.88m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£0.10m£0.04m£5.64m£4.14m£0.10m
On-street spending
£0.04m
Car park income
£5.64m
Car park spending
£4.14m
Penalty income
£0.10m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£0.13m£0.04m£6.34m£4.24m£0.13m
On-street spending
£0.04m
Car park income
£6.34m
Car park spending
£4.24m
Penalty income
£0.13m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£0.15m£0.03m£7.94m£4.93m£0.15m
On-street spending
£0.03m
Car park income
£7.94m
Car park spending
£4.93m
Penalty income
£0.15m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£0.17m£0.03m£8.49m£5.07m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.03m
Car park income
£8.49m
Car park spending
£5.07m
Penalty income
£0.00m

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 West and Chester UA is recorded as: Unitary Authority.

What can Cheshire West and Chester 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 West and Chester UA compare with other councils?

Cheshire West and Chester 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 West and Chester UA among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26
NameSurplus
79. Stevenage£3.78m
80. Cheltenham£3.75m
81. Bradford£3.66m
82. Cambridgeshire CC£3.61m
83. Cheshire West and Chester UA (Cheshire West and Chester UA)£3.56m
84. Blackpool UA£3.36m
85. Winchester£3.30m
86. New Forest£3.27m
87. Teignbridge£3.26m

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