Motorists in Wycombe district coughed up over £3million in parking costs last year - with the council netting a cool £1million profit in the process, according to new government figures.

Despite guidance from Westminster that authorities should not use parking revenues to make a profit, all three district councils in South Bucks finished the year at least six figures to the good.

Cabinet office figures show Wycombe District Council made a net profit of £1,079,000 in the financial year 2013/14 after drivers paid up £3,017,000 in parking charges and penalties.

But WDC disputes the figures, officially stating an income of £2,951,200 and a lower profit figure of £677,900 and insisting all the cash goes towards services.

Spokesman Catherine Spalton said: "We recently published figures for parking income and surplus for 2013/14, as required under under the Local Government Transparency Code.

"The figures that we have published for off-street parking for 2013/14 include an income of £2,951,200 and a surplus of £677,900 - not £1.07million as has been quoted elsewhere.

"In addition to what has been invested back into the parking service itself, the surplus has contributed to transport related costs as part of our major regeneration projects programme."

Consumer group the British Motorists’ Protection Association said although parking revenues may help keep council tax down, drivers are still asked to fork out too much to district and county councils.

Regional representative David Carrod from High Wycombe said: "If they rely on the parking profits to balance their budget, then it is arguable that the parking penalties are really a hidden tax on motorists in the area.

"If it were the case that they use these profits to improve the roads infrastructure, for example filling in potholes, resurfacing worn out roads, redesigning junctions to eliminate bottlenecks etc. that might be justifiable, but we see precious little evidence of any of that in the Wycombe area."

WDC is not responsible for road maintenance, with that job falling to Bucks County Council.

Mr Carrod also said councils rely too heavily on enforcement, meaning it is in the council’s interests to dish out as many tickets as possible.

The BMPA say instead penalties should be used as a last resort, to prevent town centres becoming "ghost towns" which drive people to out-of-town shopping centres.

He added: "This is so simple and obvious, and yet those in charge of the public finances appear to live on a different planet from the rest of us."

The Government says its new Deregulation Bill is designed to hand some power back to motorists by allowing a ten-minute grace period in all types of bays.

The bill, agreed by Parliament, also contains guidance that "will also reinforce that councils cannot use parking to make a profit", ministers say.