London boroughs have agreed to raise parking and traffic penalty charges for the first time since 2011.
The new penalty charges and fees will come into effect from Monday 7 April 2025.
Boroughs say the increase is necessary to ensure penalty charge notices (PCN) remain effective deterrents and properly incentivise drivers to drive and park safely.
Boroughs highlight that the money raised by PCNs cannot go into their general funds for any purpose. Instead, local authorities have a legal duty to ensure any net revenue raised by PCNs is reinvested in traffic and transport schemes.
In London this includes paying for the Freedom Pass providing free public transport for 1.2 million older and disabled Londoners.
With some PCN levels having been unchanged for 14 years and others for 18 years, boroughs were concerned that charge levels were not high enough to encourage compliance.
The number of PCNs issued in the capital has increased by around 70% since 2010 (from 4.8 million in 2009-10 to 8.3 million in 2023-24).
The impact of inflation on penalty charge levels has meant a reduction in the real value of these charges and additional fees over time. The costs to boroughs for providing a parking and traffic management service have also increased significantly since 2011.
Following a public consultation, the decision was made by London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee, which is responsible for setting parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges on borough roads, plus additional parking fees.
The increase brings the highest level of boroughs’ PCNs in line with the penalty charges on roads managed by Transport for London, which were raised in 2022. The changes agreed by London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee have received the required approval from the Mayor of London and were not objected to by the Secretary of State for Transport [1].
Stephen Boon, London Councils’ Chief Operating Officer, said:
“Boroughs have a duty to ensure London’s roads remain safe and accessible for everyone.
“Through using PCNs to manage parking and traffic, boroughs can reduce congestion and incentivise road users to drive and park safely, protect access, crossing and junctions, and increase active travel such as walking and cycling. Boroughs can also improve bus prioritisation, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality.
“The vast majority of motorists who abide by the rules will be unaffected by these changes. Penalty charges have not changed since 2011 and the evidence clearly showed they needed to be increased to remain as an effective deterrent for the small minority who don’t abide by the rules.
“Any net revenue raised from PCNs is reinvested in transport schemes, including paying for the Freedom Pass providing free public transport for older and disabled Londoners.”
Further briefing information on PCNs:
PCNs are issued when motorists do not follow parking, bus lane and moving traffic regulations. Not following the regulations can lead to congestion and a negative impact on air quality. It also affects how other road users travel and access public transport services in London and can be dangerous.
PCNs are only issued to motorists who the authority believe has failed to comply with parking and traffic regulations. It is not a tax or charge on every motorist in London. There are over two billion car journeys a year in the capital, 99.55% of which do not result in a penalty charge. For the 0.45% that do, anyone who wishes to can challenge it with the authority concerned and ultimately appeal any decision with the independent Adjudicator at London Tribunals.
The capital is split into roads controlled by London boroughs and those controlled by Transport for London (TfL). TfL has similar responsibilities to London boroughs for setting penalty charges on their own roads – the Transport for London Route Network (TLRN), or Red Routes. In 2022, following a consultation in 2021, TfL increased parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges on the roads they manage from £130 to £160.
London boroughs’ parking penalties at the higher level will increase by £30 to:
£160 (Band A) reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days from the date of issue of the Penalty Charge Notice.
£140 (Band B) reduced to £70 if paid within 14 days from the date of issue of the Penalty Charge Notice.
Parking penalties at the lower level will increase by £30 to:
£110 (Band A) reduced to £55 if paid within 14 days from the date of issue of the Penalty Charge Notice.
£90 (Band B) reduced to £45 if paid within 14 days from the date of issue of the Penalty Charge Notice.
All penalties are reduced by 50% if paid within the discount period.
Bus lane and moving traffic contraventions will also increase by £30 as of the above date to:
Penalty for contraventions of bus lane regulations – £160
Penalty for moving traffic contraventions – £160
These penalties are also reduced by 50% if paid within the discount period.
Additional parking fees:
Release fee from wheel clamp = £100 from £70
Release fee from car pound = £280 from £200
Daily storage fee = £55 per day from £40 per day
Disposal fee = £100 from £70.
