Drivers forked out £518,060 to park on the town's streets – and a further £329,809 went into council coffers from drivers who were given fixed penalty notices for breaking parking rules.

Residents spent £171,293 buying on-street permits and £1,832 buying special dispensations for their vehicles – making a grand total of £1,020,994.

The money was raised in the period following the introduction of decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE) at the end of July last year and the end of March this year.

John Riby, Scarborough Council's head of technical services said: "Since DPE was introduced there has been a more rigorous enforcement of traffic regulation orders (TRO's).

"This has prompted some public comment about the way the council has approached this.

"Nevertheless, most people acknowledge the approach is warranted and the council has received many requests for enforcement from members of the public who appreciate the need for traffic regulation orders to help regulate the use of highway and other lands."

Among the hotspots for enforcement action are St Nicholas Street where 723 parking tickets have been issued, closely followed by Albemarle Crescent with 571 tickets, North Street with 527 and St Nicholas Cliff with 478. Foreshore Road, the upper part of St Thomas Street, Queen Street, The Crescent and the North Street car park are also places where motorists have been caught breaking parking rules.

There have only been two successful appeals against the fixed penalty notices, one in St Nicholas Street and one in North Street.

The council carries out enforcement of all areas covered by a TRO, within the whole of the borough, under a "parking agreement" with North Yorkshire County Council. The parking agreement operates on the basis that the council recovers its costs for administering the DPE and any surpluses are ring-fenced to be spent on transport related projects within the borough.

When the park and ride scheme becomes operational council bosses say they will lose money because not as many cars will come into town

Mr Riby said: "The county council has indicated it will meet any initial shortfall in funding arising from the operation of park and ride in Scarborough."

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