DONEGAL County Council has generated more than half a million euro through pay parking so far this year with Letterkenny bringing in the highest income.

Figures obtained by the Donegal News reveal that €548,628 was generated through pay parking across five towns up to the end of November. This is down by six per cent compared to the amount generated in 2020 when €583,384 was brought in through parking metres.

Letterkenny was the Council’s top earner racking in €160,256 so far in 2021 down from €190,267 in 2020, a 16 per cent drop.

Donegal Town generated the second highest income with €141,993 raised in 2021 to date compared to €164,012 in 2020.

There has been a significant rise in the amount of money raised through pay parking in Bundoran where €128,999 was raised so far this year compared to €90,441 in 2020.

There has been a nine per cent drop in funds raised through pay parking in Ballybofey – €81,000 in 2021 compared to €89,436 in 2020.

The lowest amount was raised in Buncrana where €36,359 was generated compared to €49,227 in 2020.

As well as raising revenue through pay parking the local authority  generates income through parking fines. Just under €100,000 has been raised through parking fines across the county up to the end of November which is down slightly from €101,053 raised through fines in 2021.

During 2020 when the strictest lockdown measures were in place the number of parking tickets issued plummeted by more than 50 per cent as much of the population remained at home.

The €100,000 raised in fines so far this year is still half of what parking wardens were bringing in pre-Covid.  In comparison in 2019 the Council collected €210,280 worth of fines and €192,000 the year previous in 2018.