CHARGES in Forest of Dean car parks have netted the council more than £76,000 since being introduced in July.
They were controversially brought in by district councillors this summer, much to the dismay of business owners in the market towns who said it would damage trade.
In the first month, the council raked in £16,489.30.
In August, that rose to £17,055, in September it dipped to £13,633.70, but October and November saw the figure steady at £14,469.80 and £14,730.
Figures for December are not yet available but councillors introduced free Saturday parking in the run-up to Christmas. The impact of introducing car parking charges in the Forest of Dean is due to be reviewed in July.
But some traders said that will be too little too late and that the charges have already hit trade.
Marian Voyce, of Voyce and Son Butchers in Newland Street, Coleford, said: "The decline in trade for us, and everyone else, has been so noticeable, it's really bad.
"It really is putting people off visiting the Forest of Dean. I know a lot of businesses are really struggling."
Lyn Callow, chairman of the Lydney Traders Association and owner of lingerie shop All About Eve, added: "The parking charges brought in have really affected trade all over the area."
Figures obtained by The Citizen through a Freedom of Information request show the council dished out 25 parking tickets in its car parks in July, 56 in August and 50 in September.
District councillor Brian Robinson, cabinet member for efficient council and planning policy, said: "We haven't got high levels of PCNs (Penalty Charge Notice).
"I think that shows that the 20p charge really isn't an issue."
Between April 1 and October 30, the council dished out 466 fines for on and off street parking violations.
Of those, only 281 (60 per cent) have been paid.
Motorists have challenged 137 tickets and 74 have been cancelled – a success rate of just over half.
A total of 182,133 tickets were bought at the 10 council-run car parks between July and November, with most being bought at Railway Drive in Coleford.
Mr Robinson said the numbers being sold were about what they expected.
He said money raised through penalty notices was ringfenced and had to be spent on maintaining the car parks.
However, the funds made from car parking charges can be spent anywhere within the council budget.
As The Citizen reported last week, parking charges in Mitcheldean could be scrapped.
It was marginally voted through at the Forest of Dean district council's full council meeting after complaints the village was being treated the same as the market towns.
However, some councillors fear it could set a precedent for removing fees altogether.
Cabinet still have to agree to the proposal before charges are removed.
