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The Department for Infrastructure has collected £52.4 million from parking charges and penalty charge notices over the past five years, figures released to MLA Justin McNulty show. The Newry and Armagh public representative has described the total as "a monstrous figure".
The figures were confirmed by Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins in response to an Assembly Question submitted by Mr McNulty. The Minister set out the total income received by her Department from parking charges and penalty charge notices (PCNs) in each of the last five years. In the reply the point was made that her Department's financial system does not provide a breakdown on a constituency basis so it's not known what percentage of this came from the Newry area.
In the 2025-2026 financial year, the Department collected £4.4 million from on-street parking charges and £7.1 million from PCNs. Over the full five-year period, £21.2 million was collected in parking charges and £31.2 million from PCNs, giving a combined total of £52.4 million.
Reacting to the figures, Mr McNulty said: "Over £52 million is a monstrous figure for the Department to be collecting in parking charges and PCNs. My office is frequently inundated by constituents, who are already struggling with the cost of living crisis, who have received PCNs due to confusing signs, malfunctioning payment machines, and other exceptional circumstances they cannot control. Overzealous enforcement and steep penalties can also drive visitors away from our town centres and high streets.
"The Minister needs to demonstrate some awareness of how tough people and communities are finding things right now."
