Wandsworth has one of the most expensive parking permits in London, according to new research. 

A study by comparethemarket.com analysed data from 47 councils in the UK’s 15 major cities to discover which shell out the most, and least, for annual parking permits.

Its findings were based on one residential parking permit for a petrol car.

The research placed Wandsworth at fourth on the list of most expensive London boroughs for parking permits, with the average cost calculated at £161. 

But a spokesperson for Wandsworth Council criticised the study as misleading, suggesting that depending on how the data is interpreted, the results can widely vary.

The council followed up with its own comparison of all London boroughs, which showed the cost of a parking permit in several other boroughs were all much higher than in Wandsworth.

For example, in Camden permits can cost as much as £599 and in Lambeth £318. In addition, Wandsworth drivers of less polluting vehicles pay the significantly lower price of £79.

Wandsworth Times:

According to the comparethemarket.com research, neighbouring borough Lambeth had ranked as even more expensive, with the cost of a permit around £185.36. 

The most eyewatering prices in the study came from the City of London, which charges a staggering £1,420 to park.

A Wandsworth Council statement emphasised the positive ways in which the funds from parking permits are used.

It read: "The revenue from parking permits is used to improve the borough’s transport infrastructure, including installing one of the UK's most comprehensive electric vehicle recharging points and maintaining roads to some of the highest standards in London.

"In fact, in 2021/22 the council is investing record levels in its highway network which, at more than 230 miles of road surface, is one of the biggest in the Capital.

"Revenue is also used to fund the Freedom Pass scheme for older residents, taxi-cards for disabled people and the school travel costs of disabled children."