The National Car Parks wardens are replacing the police's wardens and are expected to give out four times as many tickets, costing up to £60 each.

The new wardens are due to take over next Monday and are expecting to issue 40,000 tickets a year.

Former senior traffic warden, John McIver, has taken early retirement after 16 years in the job because he disagrees with the changes.

The wardens will be very firm, but at the same time they will be fair and try and use a degree of common sense Peter Goldsbrough, city centre manager

He told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I think the council workers, in the early days, will issue a lot of tickets.

"People will stop coming into the city centre.

"A lot of motorists come into the city centre to nip into somewhere instead of parking in the car park... I don't think they will be able to do that anymore and just go elsewhere instead."

Peter Goldsbrough, Sunderland City Centre manager, said the move would benefit the city by improving access, help get rid of obstructions and create a better environment.

Predatory enforcement

He said: "The key point is people parking on double and single yellow lines... those lines are there for a reason.

"If people park on double yellow lines, it is committing an offence.

"In some cities there has been a very, very predatory type of enforcement... if you stop virtually for a minute you get a ticket.

"The assurance from Sunderland is that it will not be the case. The contract will be based on the number of man-hours worked and not a reward-type contract.

"The wardens will be very firm, but at the same time they will be fair and try and use a degree of common sense.

"If people don't park on double yellow lines, there will not be any tickets issued."