Considerate drivers and fair parking attendants have been credited with lowering the number of parking fines issued in the borough.

Figures released this week reveal a drop of more than 30,000 issued penalty charge notices for parking and travelling in bus lanes in Richmond upon Thames in the last year.

But London as a whole has seen an increase of four per cent, a factor attributed to the decriminalisation of red routes and more penalties for moving traffic offences including stopping in a box junction and going through a no entry sign.

Councillor David Trigg, cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, welcomed the news saying: "It is a combination of residents parking as they should and also parking attendants acting correctly.

"The reason parking attendants are acting correctly is because it is policy that parking attendants must be fair and seen to be fair to people who have possibly committed minor infractions."

The figures for March 2005 to April 2006 were issued by the Association of London Government and showed a dramatic decrease in the number of fines being issued in Richmond compared to the previous year.

Fines for offences excluding the use of bus lanes dropped from 98,986 to 72,526, while bus lane fines fell from 19,996 to 16,376.