COCKBURN council has raked in $390,000 in parking fines over the past year—a 30 per cent jump on last year’s haul.

Council inspectors stuck 3900 fines of $100 each to windscreens. Last year they handed out 3000.

Community services manager Robert Avard says the most common offence is stopping on a verge. Exceeding time limits is the second-most lucrative earner.

He puts the big jump in fines down to a growing population and more shops, offices and “recreational complexes”.

Fremantle council compliance manager Matthew Piggott refused to disclose the port city’s figures.

He would say only there were 2000 fewer fines than in 2013/14 which he put down to a ”positive change in the parking behaviour of visitors to Fremantle”.

The most common parking offence in Fremantle is failing to display an unexpired ticket ($50).

Hotspots were High, Pakenham, Queen, Leake and Henry streets. Fremantle parking fines are $50 for exceeding a time limit, $80 for parking in a no-stopping zone, $55 for a loading zone and $300 for wrongly parking in a disability bay.

Melville council failed to respond to Herald questions.

by EMMIE DOWLING