A £ 25,000-a-year parking enforcement car paid for by the Royal Borough has been branded a waste of money after it returned little more than 100 fines in two years.

The car is equipped with a camera to record vehicles breaking the boroughs parking rules, and whose registered owners are later served with a fixed penalty notice.

But it has come under scrutiny after FOI submitted by a resident, frustrated by problem parking in his own area near Claires Court School, revealed the five-figure vehicles returns.

Richard Hemmings, 67, who lives in College Road, said he believed problem car parking in the area was ‘worse here than around most other schools in the borough.

Mr Hemmings said: Given the nature of parking every day on the corner of College Road and College Avenue, I would expect to see that [enforcement] car there on occasion or regularly.

I haven't seen it once in the morning or in the afternoon not once, acting as a deterrent.

I just think that the whole thing is a complete and utter waste of money and whoever suggested it to RBWM has really got away with one.

His FOI found the car was coming at a cost of £25,000 annually for five years as part the council’s contract with parking enforcement company NSL.

Since the enforcement car hit the Royal Boroughs streets in June 2024, 117 fines have been dished out and 103 have been paid.

According to the council’s website, parking fines can cost either £50 or £70 and can be reduced by half if paid within a certain period.

At the higher estimate of this range, the total income to date from the car has been £7,210.

Mr Hemmings stood for election with the Borough first independent party in 2019 and said he has been sounding the alarm over the parking problem in his area since 2013.

He said: There are things that go on in the College Road area because, it's clear to me, there are so many pupils coming by car.

I am convinced it is worth there than most of the other schools in the borough.

A Royal Borough spokesman said: “The ANPR vehicle was introduced in 2024 to help keep children safe by preventing dangerous parking on school keep clear zones. Its primary purpose is deterrence, not income generation.

"Since its introduction, we have seen a reduction in complaints from residents about unsafe parking around schools, which shows this approach is working.

Even when fewer fines are issued, the vehicle remains an effective tool in encouraging responsible behaviour and protecting pupils at busy drop-off and pick-up times.

A spokesperson for Claires Court School said: Claires Court takes its role within the local community very seriously, and while we recognise that parking can be a source of frustration for residents, we actively work to reduce traffic impact through our dedicated daily school bus network.

To further alleviate neighbourhood congestion and facilitate more on-site parking, we will shortly be seeking approval for a new gravel car park within the school grounds to provide approximately 40 additional spaces and we remain entirely open to constructive dialogue with local residents and the council to find practical, balanced solutions that work for everyone.