A record 17.5 million fines could be dished out to motorists by parking 'cowboys' this year as Labour dither over a planned crackdown.
The ruthless private firms have already slapped drivers with 4.3 million tickets between April and June – an average of 2,000 every hour.
Each penalty can demand up to £100, putting the total daily cost to drivers at nearly £5 million.
The figures apply only to car parks run by private firms – which are ballooning in number as more look to cash in – and not councils. Last year alone they caught out 14.4 million drivers.
Ministers now face fresh calls to get tough on cut-throat firms causing motoring misery with their army of traffic wardens amid the cost of living squeeze.
