I would like to respond to the article "Motorists fork out £7,000 a day in parking fines" (The Argus, June 25). The statistics on how much revenue is thought to have been made from the scheme each month are incorrect. The assumptions that have been made do not take into account the appeals that are made and debts that are then cancelled, the unpaid penalty charge notices and the invalid notices which are voided.

Looking at the past six months, only an average monthly income of £45,800 has been received from paid penalty charge notices. The article also states that the number of fines issued under the new scheme is significantly higher than during the same period last year.

Although this is true it does not make it clear to residents and businesses that this is only because there are more civil enforcement officers on the street issuing the penalty charge notices than Sussex Police had in resources to provide in traffic wardens. Although the article is correct in stating that NCP Services staff issue five tickets a day on average, it omits to say that this is the same number of penalty charge notices that the traffic wardens used to issue in fixed penalty notices prior to the scheme.

  • Mandy Ainsworth, on-street parking services manager, Worthing Borough Council