Amsterdam city council can ban the use of an app which warns vehicle owners when traffic wardens are using a special car to scan for non-payment of parking fees, according to a new court ruling.

The app enables car owners to deliberately avoid taxes and can, therefore, be banned, the court said.

The makers of the Parkeerwekker app say it should be seen as an aid to forgetful car owners to help them through the Amsterdam parking jungle and so avoid fines.

But the court ruled the app is undermining city parking policy. ‘The interests of the city council – both financial and in terms of liveability – are more important than the commercial interests [of the app maker],’ the court said.

The app makers are now banned from offering their service in Amsterdam, but it is still in use in other cities.

In 2020, Amsterdam generated €321m from parking fees and fines.