Councils could be banned from using CCTV cameras and "spy cars" to impose fines on drivers under new government proposals.
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has said he wants to curb "overzealous" local authorities in England which use cameras to maximise their income from parking fines.
He warned that public support for CCTV could be undermined if people believed they were being used to generate revenue rather than preventing crime.
A government consultation paper will suggest amending legislation underpinning the Traffic Management Act 2004 to outlaw the practice.
"We want to rein in these overzealous and unfair rules on parking enforcement, so it focuses on supporting high streets and motorists, not raising money," Mr Pickles told the Daily Telegraph.
"Parking spy cameras are just one example of this and a step too far. Public confidence is strengthened in CCTV if it is used to tackle crime, not to raise money for council officers."
The announcement will be seen as a morale-booster as Conservative activists prepare to head off for their annual party conference next week in Manchester.
The Telegraph reported that 75 local authorities, one in four in England, currently has permission to use CCTV or "approved devices" for parking enforcement.
Revenue from fines 'are a nice litle earner' says the RAC Foundation The Department for Transport says CCTV should be used only when it is impractical to use traffic wardens.
Last month, a report by the RAC Foundation claimed some local authorities could be using parking revenue to plug gaps in their finances.
During 2011/12 the combined amount of cash left over after money was spent on parking services, filling potholes, funding park and ride schemes, street lights and road improvements was £412m.
This was a £54m increase in the surplus left over in 2010/11, said the foundation.
The authority with the biggest surplus was Westminster Council with £41.6m.
Responding to the report, RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: "For many local authorities, parking charges are a nice little earner, especially in London.
"Not all authorities make big sums. Several run a current account deficit and indeed of those with surpluses, many will see the money vanish when capital expenditure is taken into account.
"But the bottom line is that hundreds of millions of pounds are being contributed annually to council coffers through parking charges."
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