London boroughs have launched a new consultation that could see parking and traffic penalty charges rise from £130 to potentially £160.

The consultation could see parking and traffic penalty charges in the capital rise from £130 to £160

Opened by London Councils, the umbrella group for local authorities in the capital, the consultation runs for 12 weeks and will be used to inform the decision regarding the future level of penalty charges.

London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee is responsible for setting parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges on borough roads – and says it’s not reviewed parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges since 2010 while many of the current charges and additional fees have not changed since 2007.

Inflation has also impacted on the real value of the charges and the London boroughs say their costs for providing a parking and traffic management service have also increased significantly since 2011.

With the number of PCNs issued in London having increased by 50% over the last 12 years, the town halls have said they’re concerned that the current penalty charge levels are not high enough to encourage compliance and act as a deterrent. They suggest there are many examples of people choosing to park where they are not allowed to despite knowing they will receive a penalty charge.

They also point out that Transport for London (TfL) has already increased parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges on the roads it manages. These went up from £130 to £160 in 2022, following a consultation in 2021.

Mayor Philip Glanville, London Councils Executive Member for Climate Change, Transport and Environment, said: “London boroughs are committed to making our roads safe and accessible for everyone. By effectively managing parking and traffic we can incentivise people to drive and park safely, protect access, crossing and junctions, and increase active travel such as walking, cycling and rented e-scooter use. We can also improve bus prioritisation, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality.”

But the RAC has said it sees no justification whatsoever for putting up the fines.

Head of policy Simon Williams elaborated: “It’s bizarre that we’re now getting to the stage where a driver can be fined almost as much for an innocent mistake as they are for dangerously driving using a handheld mobile phone.

“There’s surely only one reason why any council would need penalty charge levels to rise to keep up with inflation – and that’s if they rely on the income they receive from drivers breaking the rules. This is inherently wrong and needs to change. Instead of relying on the revenue, councils should be trying to understand the reasons why people are being caught out and improving signage, but this is never going to happen as it would cost them money and reduce their income.”

It also warns that yellow box junctions remain a major problem, as many “aren’t fit for purpose” as they don’t comply with government guidance, meaning drivers end up getting fined needlessly.

Williams added: “There also appears to be not a scrap of evidence that adding another £30 to what drivers pay if they drive in a bus lane or stop in a yellow box will make any difference when it comes to the number of contraventions as such a high proportion are innocent mistakes.”

Earlier this year, the RAC warned that plans by local authorities in England to start enforcing yellow box junctions could lead to an avalanche of “unfair” fines for drivers. Previously, only local authorities in London and Cardiff – and elsewhere the police – had had the power to issue penalty charge notices for these infringements but since the Government’s decision in 2022 to let councils across England apply for powers to enforce moving traffic offences, some 27 local authorities have come forward with plans to enforce 111 yellow box junctions.

To have your say in the London Councils’ consultation to increase parking and traffic penalty charges, please visit the website.