Traffic congestion is a problem. It will grow worse year by year. Parking is equally a problem giving rise not only to urban congestion but to anger and frustration on the part of the motoring public- which means most of us. The days when a privileged few car owners could stop at will by the roadside to shop or whatever for as long as necessary are part of our nostalgic heritage. Not unnaturally Local Authorities have responsibility for keeping towns unclogged with traffic flowing as freely as possible. As a consequence motorists accept with tolerable good grace sums demanded by local Councils, Trafford amongst them, to park in a manner conducive to the greater convenience of the majority.

Schemes vary. Some are controversial. Inner London has an expensive Congestion Charge Enter the Zone and you unavoidably pay. Towns like the Authorities in Greater Manchester without London's problems have simpler schemes. Parking at the kerb with pay stations costs around two pounds an hour in Manchester. Altrincham is cheaper at 30p for half an hour to one pound for two hours maximum. Official car parks are better value from 50p for two hours to two pounds all day. A sympathetic Blue Badge Scheme further allows the disabled some latitude in recognition of their particular difficulties. So far, so good. Particularly when the Road Traffic Acts require such revenues to be spent on improving matters Things get more interesting when you consider the charges for the careless over-stayer. Arrive a minute late burdened with your shopping to find an energetic Parking Attendant' slapping a Penalty notice under your windscreen wiper you will find your 30p has leaped up to thirty pounds. That's a rate of £ 1,800 per hour. All right, so that's only a notional RATE but your minute overdue will still cost £ 30. And if, in righteous fury, you think that's extortionate and don't pay within fourteen days it climbs to £ 60 . Then £ 90. Then they send in the bailiffs. And here is when the cash starts to roll in. For the disabled it's a bit more complicated. Although Blue Badge parking is not chargeable the restrictions and caveats are complicated and there is a twelve page booklet of instructions to adhere to. Whilst unrestricted as to time in on - street spaces they must stumble out on their crutches and zimmers to search for yellow lines with time restrictions, vertical lines on yellow lines which draw attention to notices on walls and lamp-posts referring to variable Loading Only times. They are cautioned to be aware of local variations to the national rules. They must be aware that notices limiting parking in "Disabled Only" slots for "Not More Than Three hours" must be backed up with their clock cards even if their stay is no longer than a brief ten minutes or so. And most of all they must know that Parking "Attendants" are obdurate, insensitive and, according to their employers, are without discretion.

So what does all this mean to Trafford MB and its implementation of its parking scheme ? Well, first it means considerable additions to the Borough finances through the Penalty Charge Collection. How much ? It is not easy to discover. The Borough Treasurer's accounts published with the annual Rate demand has no mention of this source of revenue. Application to him is unrevealing. Parking is under the Department of Environment. They are not about to divulge. Remind them of the Freedom of Information Act and you will be denied on the spurious grounds of "Commercial Confidence". But persistence over many months and after the great minds of the Council Legal Department have pondered, the following is revealed.

Revenue from on street enforcement 2004-5 £ 961,424 On street enforcement related expenditure 2004-5 £ 664,682 Surplus £ 296,742 Good to know that the surplus sum " .was re-invested in highway maintenance." But how and where this expenditure is made is lost in the mists of Council accounting. A working profit of nearly three hundred thousand quid from miscreant motorists is a welcome addition to a financially strapped Council and they would be fools to refuse it. But why, in the spirit of local democracy is this vast sum hidden from scrutiny ? But what about the rest of it ? Little Trafford collected in one year nearly a million pounds from errant motorists. Where did the the other £ 664,682 go ? Who knows ? It's not in the accounts. Trafford does not organize its own scheme so presumably the cash goes to its agent. Since December 2005 control of parking passed to a new operator which declared its delight " . To have been awarded this tender which placed a heavy emphasis on high quality parking enforcement." For which read "We'll get you even more lolly out of careless motorists." And they will. Bolton who fell into the hands of APCOA found revenue in one off street car park benefiting by an increase of no less than 37%. No mention here of the standards required under the ACT to ease congestion, to provide funds for the enhancement of parking facilities, to improve roads or even - Heaven forfend - to make life easier for your ratepayers. Parking enforcement means massive profit for the enforcer and rather less profit for the Council. But nonetheless an increase on that miserable million quid made in 2004 - 5 can be assumed.

So, who are these fund raising wunderkinden ? For the next five years APCOA will bank the profits. And who are they ? Based in Bahrain with offices in London and New York APCOA AG is Europe's leading car park management company.' APCOA Inc is America's largest operator of parking services'. It operates from Frankfurt to Philadelphia and from Blackpool to ,,,, Trafford. It owns no parking spaces. We pay for these. Its interests are in finance and management. In turn it is owned by INVESTCORP who bought it for Euros 67 million. And in December 2005 it contracted to Trafford in the sum of £ 594,205 for procurement of on - street parking enforcement services including parking equipment management and car par park management.

Two final thoughts. If this is such a profitable business would it not have been in the interest of the rate payers of Trafford for the Council to have organized the operation itself ? Collecting cash from parking meters and nicking offenders is hardly rocket science. And two. If the sums involved shock and amaze you ponder a little on the London Authorities. In 2003-4 they collected 337 million pounds. That's right. Three hundred and thirty seven million pounds in total and ploughed back £118 million in accordance with the Road Traffic Act 1984 in road safety measures, reducing congestion, managing kerb - side parking, added parking. highway improvement, public transport schemes, road maintenance, and environment improvement .' Perhaps Trafford might learn to be equally transparent as the British Parking Association BPA suggests - with full disclosure of the number of tickets issued, income generated and so on .

There's gold in them thar parking slots. And it's ours.

John Close, Kenmore Drive Timperley