Last year Croydon Council made almost £180,000 in parking fines from just one road in the town centre.

Scarbrook Road was named as one of London's parking fine hot spots in an investigation carried out by Channel 4 News.

New figures reveal that a total of £179,310 was raised from penalty charge notices issued on the road close to Surrey Street market.

Motorists can park in pay and display bays while motorcyclists can park in similar bays for free.

But those who overstay their time or park outside the designated bays are slapped with a £100 fine, which is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.

Peter Morgan from the Croydon Road Users Forum said Croydon Council was far too "heavy handed" in the way it enforced parking regulations.

He added: "I think the penalties for contravening the regulations are excessive. People are given a £100 fine and there's no leeway.

"I get letters from people who have been given parking tickets and don't want to return to Croydon. It seems the council is trying to drive people out of the town centre."

In September the Croydon Guardian reported how the council was no longer clamping vehicles parked illegally in the borough's streets, but removing them to the pound instead - netting it more than £700,000 last year.

The council agreed to look at the policy again after our reports sparked outrage from local drivers.

Peter said: "I think we need a whole clear up of the parking department. I certainly hoped that with the change of administration in May there would be more empathy with the motorist but I've seen no evidence of this."

Croydon's neighbouring borough Sutton is also home to one of London's most ticketed streets. Its High Street netted the council there £98,000.

However, other London boroughs saw totals rising above £1million and in one road in Haringey, as much as £3.2 million in fines was issued.

The number of tickets issued across the capital has angered motorist groups.

Actor Tom Conti, co-founder of the London Motorists' Action Group, said: "There is a spirit of entrapment when it comes to parking tickets.

"If some councils are saying they don't make money from this you wonder how these people get jobs."

But Andrew Davis, director of the Environmental Transport Association, defended the number of tickets being issued.

A spokesman for Croydon Council said: "As with parking-restriction signs on all the borough's roads, those in Scarbrook Road comply with Department for Transport recommendations.

"Revenue raised from parking penalty charge notices in Croydon is used to help fund the Freedom Pass which provides free travel and independence for disabled people and the elderly."

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