NEWPORT City Council made more than £300,000 from the city’s parking operations in the last year, according to a new report.

The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) found the city’s parking surplus surged from £9,000 in 2016/17 to £306,000 in 2017/18 – a rise of more than 3000 per cent.

This was the highest percentage increase in Wales by a considerable amount.

Newport does not generate the largest parking surplus – there are ten Welsh authorities who make more profits from their parking operations – but the figures reveal a significant change in the amount of money spent on the city’s parking operation in 2017/18.

Using Welsh government figures, the RAC report shows how the parking income generated in Newport has stayed roughly the same – at around £600,000 – for each of the last five years.

But while parking expenditure fluctuated between roughly £500,000 and £600,000 between 2013 and 2017, that figure dropped to £286,000 in the year 2017/18.

READ MORE: Newport City Council applies to take over parking enforcement from 2019

Some aspects of Newport’s parking operations, such as the administration of parking fines, are currently the responsibility of Gwent Police, but Newport City Council has applied to the Welsh government to take over parking enforcement.

It is anticipated the council will assume control of parking fines in July 2019.

The South Wales Argus has contacted Newport City Council for a comment.