The streets of Newport have been completely transformed since traffic wardens returned to the city.
Newport City Council formally took over ticketing powers from Gwent Police on July 1, after years of parking rules being effectively unenforced.
Gwent Police had been responsible for issuing parking fines, but the force said it did not consider it a "policing priority".
Cars were regularly seen parked on single and double yellow lines, resident-only areas, and even pavements - with few receiving fines or any sanction at all.
But two weeks after the council's newly-employed traffic wardens began ticketing vehicles , cars seen contravening parking regulations are increasingly rare.
Over those two weeks, more than 1,500 parking tickets have been handed out to drivers, netting an income in the tens of thousands for the local authority.
Streets that were once overloaded with vehicles parking in every available space are now clearing up as drivers adhere to the strict rules.
The differences in some of the worst affected areas around the city centre, train station and high street are stark.
Aimee Kersey, 27, travels to Newport from Croesyceiliog in Cwmbran to work at the Rogue Fox Coffee House on Clytha Park Road.
She previously said she was "genuinely excited" to see the return of traffic wardens in Newport.
"The roads are much quieter," she said. "Driving is so much easier. There's lots of room to park."
Some business owners on Clytha Park Road expected adherence to parking restrictions to increase customer turnover.
"It's really hard to tell if that has happened because it has only been two weeks," Aimee said.
"We haven't heard anything negative about it to be honest. The roads feel a lot safer."
According to the council, in the two weeks since the local authority's 14 civil enforcement officers started work, more than 1,500 penalty charge notices have been issued to motorists illegally parked in Newport.
Fines are set at £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days, or £50 for lesser offences, again reduced to £25 if paid within a fortnight.
That means the income generated by civil parking enforcement is now at least in the tens of thousands of pounds in the first two weeks alone.
Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Monmouthshire councils have also recently taken over responsibility fot civil parking enforcement from Gwent Police.
Builder David Davies lives on Caerau Road, just a short walk from the city centre and train station, and said he spent years feeling frustrated by non-permit holders parking outside his house.
"There has been a lot of them about actually," David said. "They even ticketed my wife's car because she didn't have a permit.
"It got quashed in the end."
He added: "I'm glad to see it. It has stopped a hell of a lot of people."
A spokeswoman for Newport council said the authority's team of parking enforcement officers were accompanied by Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) during their first week.
Councillor Roger Jeavons, cabinet member for city services, said civil parking enforcement had seen a reduction in the number of cars parked illegally.
“We know it is very early on for our new service but we have had some very positive feedback from the local community following the council taking over civil parking enforcement on 1 July.
“And in some areas it is very obvious that motorists have got the message that if they park illegally, and civil parking officers out on patrol witness this, then they will receive a penalty charge notice.
“We would like to thank residents, the police and local businesses who are supporting our campaign.”
