According to data from Revenue NSW, a total of 2158 penalty notices were issued between July 2017 and the end of June 2018 for parking infringements. 

The worst month was May, with a total of 253 fines issued, amounting to $34,208. 

Following close behind were March (237), July (221) and April (205).

Infringements from those months were valued at $30,179, $25,702 and $26,879 respectively. 

Across the financial year, there was a total of $287,996 generated in parking fines. 

The value of those penalty notices is the highest seen in the last five financial years. 

The number of penalty notices issued for parking infringements in Bathurst has generally been on the rise since the introduction of the mobile parking enforcement car in March 2014.

The vehicle replaced the old system of two parking officers walking the streets and marking car tyres with chalk.

At the time, council said that system was open to abuse through people rubbing off the marks, as well as it not being effective in wet weather.

In the first month of operation, there were 109 penalty notices issued, compared to 79 in the previous month. 

Since the introduction of the enforcement vehicle, the areas monitored have expanded into some car parks upon request, including the Bernardi’s car park on Rankin Street and the ALDI car park on Russell Street. 

Council updated its vehicle, a Hyundai Santa Fe, to a Kia Sportage 2WD in early 2018.

Around the same time, the licence plate recognition camera was upgraded. 

It takes multiple images of the vehicles, making it more reliable in proving there has been a parking infringement.