HOMEOWNERS in Derby are being told they can take a cut of the £1.4 million the city council generates from parking charges and fines – by renting out their driveways.
This week, the Derby Telegraph revealed the local authority raked in the cash during its last financial year from a combination of parking fees and fines.
The city councilsaid that the money was all ploughed back into improving car parks and roads.
But it has come in for criticism from the motoring organisation, the AA, which claimed that parking was "a service, not an alternative form of local tax".
In some cities, entrepreneurial homeowners have taken advantage of situations where there is either limited parking or the charges are deemed to be extortionately high.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing phenomenon of property owners renting out their driveways and parking spaces to people from outside the city.
As a result, a number of online booking businesses have emerged, who advertise spaces on behalf of homeowners who have registered with them.
One such company is JustPark. According to the firm, "dozens" of Derby homeowners have registered with the site, offering people the chance to rent their drives.
A spokesman for JustPark said: "Driveway rental is a rapidly growing trend in Derby and across the UK.
"This provides affordable and convenient parking in high-demand locations and puts money back into the pockets of local people in Derby at the same time. What's more the people parking there do not face the risk of receiving a parking ticket or having to pay extortionate fines."
The authority generated the £1.4 million through charges and fines at its city centre cars parks at the Assembly Rooms, Parksafe Bold Lane, the Council House, Ford Street, Little City Sovereign, Wilmot Street, Abbey Street East, Drewry Lane and Darwin Place.
On-street parking charges also contributed to its coffers.
In some council car parks, parking for more than five hours can cost in excess of £9.
According to JustPark, some Derby homeowners are renting out their drives for as little as £1.30 a day.
One visitor to Derby who has taken advantage of the service is Stephen Monk, of Southport
Earlier this year, the Southport FC fan travelled to Derby with his family to watch his team play Derby County in the FA Cup - a game which the Rams won 1-0.
He parked on the drive of a property in Atlantic Way, near to Pride Park, which cost him £5 for the whole day.
The 58-year-old civil servant said: "We were unsure where the safest place to park in Derby was so we decided to park on someone's drive, after booking it on the website, because we felt it would be safer.
"Of course, in hindsight, we need not have worried about safety because Derby and its people were so friendly and welcoming. We had a great day, apart from the result.
"It worked out a lot cheaper to park this way and the car was absolutely fine."
As well as the city centre, a place which suffers from parking issues is the Royal Derby Hospital – and a number of online booking sites offer spaces to rent at residential properties in the area.
Not long after the super-hospital opened, the Mallard pub, which is opposite the site, starting renting out spaces in its car park for £40 a month.
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