Council chiefs have vowed to get tough on motorists who ignore parking fines.

The pledge comes as The Gazette reveals that dodgy drivers in Johnstone have clocked up almost 7,000 unpaid fines in the past five years.

Data from a Freedom of Information request has revealed there are 6,855 outstanding fines issued to drivers in the town by Renfrewshire Council between 2013 and 2017.

It means the town has the largest number of unpaid parking fines in Renfrewshire.

However, Paisley has clocked up the most unpaid fines this year so far, with nearly 900 drivers not paying the council what it is due.

The news comes as residents in Johnstone fight to stop pay-and-display parking being brought into the town, with a petition containing more than 5,000 signatures handed to the council at a drop-in meeting on Monday.

Tom Wallace, chairman of Johnstone Community Council, said: “No-one is saying there isn’t an issue with parking in Johnstone but it is the way they are suggesting tackling it that we are not happy with.

“I haven’t seen a traffic warden in Johnstone for ages, and that needs to change.

“Parking meters are not the answer, especially when the council hasn’t given us any detail as to how they will be administered.”

The Gazette also found that, in Erskine, more than 6,000 fines are still outstanding from 2013 to 2017.

There were 305 unpaid fines in Paisley during that time.

The council was unable to confirm whether or not any of the outstanding fines had been written off.

A council spokesman said: “Our parking strategy is designed to encourage people to park responsibly and help ensure spaces are available in key areas but also to attract people into our town centres at key times, which is why we offer free parking in all council-metered car parks and bays in Paisley every weekend.

“Our wardens are there to enforce the rules and will issue penalty charge notices to any vehicles wrongly parked on council-controlled areas.

“Failure to pay a penalty charge notice issued by the council is a criminal offence and unpaid parking fines will be passed to sheriff officers to deal with.”

If you do not think you should have been given a penalty, you can appeal in writing to the head of roads and transportation at Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley.

The appeal must include a name and address, the charge number, the vehicle registration, the date and location of charge and the reasons for appeal.

To find out how to pay a parking fine, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2325/pay-a-parking-fine.