MOTORISTS across Barrow were slapped with more parking fines than ever before last year as the number of penalty notices soared.

A new report reveals 5,107 tickets were issued to drivers in the town during the 2015/16 financial year - an increase of 1,242 compared to the previous 12 months.

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Drivers were forced to dig deep into their pockets to pay the record number of penalties which amounted to a total value of £125,086.

The man in charge of on street parking for Cumbria County Council, Dominic Donnini, states the number of 'successful appeals' by disgruntled motorists was also reduced last year - while a clampdown on blue badge abusers is now in his sights.

But Cumbria County Council chiefs have denied the increase is down to officious parking wardens or a zero tolerance to those found bending the rules of the highway.

Instead, they claim the increased number of tickets issued was solely down to the fact that its parking wardens are monitoring on street parking only - with off street parking control undertaken by Barrow Borough Council.

A CCC spokesperson said: "Enforcement of on-street parking restrictions in the Barrow area transferred from the borough council to the county council in March 2015. 

"The county council has a team of civil enforcement officers dedicated to on-street parking enforcement. 

"They manage available on-street parking for the benefit of the local community, and to improve road safety and traffic movement. 

"Penalty Charge Notice income is used to fund the parking enforcement service and issuing residents’ parking permits."

Individual penalties for anyone found breaching on street parking rules are £25 for anyone who pays within 14 days - increasing to £50 between 14 and 28 days.

The service does not make a profit, county bosses claim, with the money being used to cover the wages of parking wardens as well as the administrative costs of Barrow's residents' permit scheme.

In Cumbria last year, 1,101 parking tickets were cancelled after appeal.

Businessman Phil Collier, chairman of Barrow's new Business Improvement District, explained parking was an important issue for town centres as they fought to attract shoppers and visitors.

"Parking is one of the first things we would like to look at as a group to see if there's any way we can help to make it more attractive," Mr Collier said.

"We would also like to sit around the table with the county council as well as Barrow Borough Council to see if there's anything we can come up with to make both parking and traffic better for Barrow in the long term."