BRINGING in Sunday parking fees contributed to the number of fines dished out by Fife Council jumping by more than 3,500.

The unpopular move was introduced in January and the number of penalty charge notices issued in the Kingdom in 2016/17 rose to 20,412.

And people from the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area going to Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy for Sunday shopping were most at risk of picking up a parking ticket.

Although there were 186 tickets issues in Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly in total for parking offences.

That was up from 16,904 in the previous year and the vast majority of parking fines were issued in Kirkcaldy, St Andrews and Dunfermline.

In a report, Ken Gourlay, head of assets, transportation and environment, admitted they need cash from parking to help balance the books.

He said: "The roads and transportation car-parking budget is under pressure and relies on the sustained usage of car parks and on the income generated from parking charges.

"The income from charges relies on compliance by customers which can only be achieved through a sufficiently resourced and robust enforcement regime."

The council said the number of fines was down in 2015/16 due to staff turnover, long-term sickness absences and the closure of the Forth Road Bridge when parking enforcement around South Fife railway stations was relaxed.

And Mr Gourlay said: "The increase in penalty charge notices issued in 2016/17 can be attributed to sustained staffing levels, more efficient beats and the enforcement of Sunday charging, which was introduced in January 2017.

"The number of notices issued does not fully reflect the activities of the parking attendants. Their primary role is to ensure motorists comply with the various parking regulations in Fife."

The most common contraventions were for not buying/displaying a valid pay and display ticket, parking beyond the permitted time and parking on double yellow lines.

A "significant number" of fines were issued for misuse of loading bays and disabled parking spaces.

The figures cover the period from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, and show there were 4,807 penalty charge notices in Dunfermline last year – the total has increased every year from 3,553 in 2013/14.

Next highest on the list in West Fife was Inverkeithing with 874 tickets.

There were 161 tickets issued in Cowdenbeath and 25 in Lochgelly.

It cost £2.6 million to operate and manage Fife's car-parking facilities in 2016/17, with just under £680,000 spent on enforcement.

Income from parking fines came to £613,000 while income from charged parking areas came to more than £2.5m.

The parking management team, based in Glenrothes, is made up of 18 parking attendants, three supervisors, a parking co-ordinator and an appeals technician.

The SNP had pledged to get rid of Sunday parking charges if they were elected but the power-sharing agreement with Labour at Fife House meant the promise has been watered down.

In the first six months since the charges came in, almost 700 motorists picked up a fine, bringing in around £42,000 in income.

Labour councillors had introduced the measure as part of their proposals to plug a £40 million hole in the budget and, when the council elections led to a coalition, a joint manifesto was agreed.

The ‘draft programme for the administration’ gave a vague commitment to “consider area reports strategically in relation to general car-parking charging, including Sunday parking”.