PARKING fees made Colchester Council a £2million profit in a year, it has been revealed.

The North Essex Parking Partnership, which runs parking in the borough, brought in £2million more than it spent on providing car parks and parking permits in 2010/11.

The profit came mainly through parking fees and season tickets at car parks in and around Colchester town centre, and was spent on other council services.

The RAC, which carried out a report on parking policies across the UK, fears councils are using parking to raise money and not to provide a service.

Martin Hunt , councillor responsible for street and waste services at Colchester Council , said local authorities do seek to make money through parking services, although not through its resident parking schemes.

He said: “I know some people think that’s a bad thing, but it’s not because if we didn’t do that, the council tax would be higher. If you use car parks, you have to pay for the upkeep of those car parks.

“I doubt whether there’s any council in the land that operates car parks without hoping to come out with some sort of profit.”

The North Essex Parking Partnership also operates Tendring’s and Braintree’s parking. Tendring made a £265,000 profit and Braintree posted a £531,000 surplus.

Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Proper parking management demands authorities impose parking charges to cover the cost of administering the schemes and imposing fines.

“However, there is concern the scope and level of those charges appears to be driven more by the need for the local authorities to raise money than by the proper management of parking.”