MOTORISTS in Bolton have paid out a massive £675,000 in parking fines over the past 12 months, we can reveal today.

The figure will come as no surprise to drivers or the town's traders who have criticised the council's hard line policy on illegal parking.

There have been floods of complaints to the BEN since the local authority took over enforcement in September 2000.

Angry business leaders have accused the council of making Bolton unattractive to potential shoppers by enforcing the rules too strictly.

Andrew Dickson, president of Bolton and Bury Chamber of Commerce, said the current parking policy was "crazy". He added: "It's driving visitors and residents out of town and affecting all the traders." However, the council is unrepentant. Michael Kilcoyne, the councillor in charge of parking, said motorists would have to realise they could no longer park illegally.

He added: "A lot of people are already very happy that people are not pleasing themselves where they park and are no longer able to do it."

The council has issued 30,000 penalty parking notices, generating up to an estimated £675,000, as well as a million pay and display tickets and 400,000 on-street parking tickets - which bring in about £1.7 million a year. This makes a total of £2.3 million.

After the running costs are met, which mostly go to the contractor, there is up to £350,000 left over for road safety and other improvement schemes across the borough.

The penalty figure is calculated from the number of tickets issued at the minimum charge. It is estimated because not everyone pays straight away and incurs the higher charge, some are withdrawn and some are left unpaid, the council did not release the actual figure.

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