PARKING bosses have refused to reveal the profits made from thousands of fines levied over the last 12 months.

Officers at Cheshire East Council have stonewalled a request made by the Express for the details under the Freedom of Information Act.

New-look parking wardens were unleashed on the town centre more than a year ago and have since been accused by traders of driving away shoppers.

Now others are joining the Express in demanding that the information is released and that the council brings in some form of free parking to help businesses.

Bill Livesley, councillor for Prestbury and Tytherington, said: "At the moment Cheshire East sees parking more as a cash machine than a way of helping businesses. The balance is wrong and needs correcting.

"Rochdale Council has done a free trial after 3pm on weekdays.

"They are prepared to take the cost implication on the nose. Trafford and Tameside are looking at it too, so let’s not be frightened."

Lib Dem leader Coun Ainsley Arnold said: "Traders are struggling with the recession and our town centres are looking ever more desolate with empty premises dotted along shopping areas, so the last thing local businesses needed was the recent rise in car parking charges."

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, requests should be responded to within 20 working days.

After 12 working days, the Express was told by CEC that responding to a request containing our 12 questions would cost "more than the appropriate limit" of £450, and that there would be a fee of £350.

Ian Allport, chairman of the indoor market traders association, said: "Wardens are handing out the fines just as they please.

"Shoppers complain to us they are scared of parking because they don’t know where or how they can park without getting a ticket.

"Giving us free parking at peak times instead would really help."

Macclesfield West Coun Darryl Beckford, who has been working with the chamber of trade to boost town centre business, said the council needed to be "more proactive" when it came to freedom of information and that a £350 fee was "excessive".

A CEC spokeswoman blamed staff holidays and added that some of our detailed questions would take several hours each to answer.

CEC launched a recession action plan with a £331,000 budget in May, but it contained no mention of parking.