BOROUGH residents who have to pay to park their cars near their home under Thurrock Council's permit scheme are still among the lowest payers in the country, despite the cash-strapped council doubling the cost of permits in 2025.

The 56 per cent increase in the cost of a first permit was roundly condemned locally and it was the sixth largest increase recorded of 105 councils included in a two-year analysis just produced by online car retailer cinch.

However, Thurrock is very much in the lower echelon of charging authorities.

Residential parking schemes are designed to reduce traffic and solve parking problems for locals. They are a bit like Marmite – loved by some residents who are glad of having parking available near their homes and reviled by others who think it's wrong to pay to park outside their home while others in the borough don't have to.

The council made £106,505 in 2024 from residential permit zones which have largely been created around the borough's rail stations. After doubling the £15 cost in 2025 income rose to £165,845 from 5,082 permits (a rise from 4,916 in the previous year).

The most up to date figures show a further £70,990 was collected from residential parking permits between January and 31 May 2026, with 2,083 permits issued during that period.

The survey reports that eight councils issue resident permits free of charge. Blackpool is among the lowest at £15 a year while Southend charges £22 but only seven of the councils surveyed sit below Thurrock.

At the top end of the scale, it can cost as much as £854 in Islington and many other London boroughs charge upwards of £600 - though there are wide fluctuations for the age and fuel source for vehicles.

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Ben Welham, motoring expert at cinch, commented: "Permits can play an important role in managing limited parking space, but councils must strike a fair balance between accessibility and affordability.

"This is particularly important for households that rely on more than one vehicle, as second and subsequent permits can come at a considerable premium."

"For anyone budgeting for the cost of running a car, residential permits are increasingly another expense to factor in alongside fuel, insurance and maintenance."