Parking fine bonanza: councils raking in the most from parking notices

The number of parking charges issued by local authorities has increased over the last year, but which councils are keenest on issuing penalty charge notices?

New analysis from Churchill Motor Insurance has found that there has been a substantial increase in the number of parking fines issued by local councils over the last year.

The insurer issued a Freedom of Information request to councils across the country and found that councils typically issued 19,631 per day across 2022.

That’s an increase of around 12% on the previous year, and up by a third of 2020.

These penalty charge notices have brought in an average of a whopping £777,287 per day across the nation, with the typical local authority issuing 85 fines on a daily basis.

However, as the tables below highlight, some councils are far more prolific in issuing those fines than others.

Here are the 10 local authorities that issued the most penalty charge notices in 2022.

And yet even within these top 10, there's a huge difference in the number of charge notices being issued, and the subsequent revenue raised from them.

Islington and Lambeth for example are issuing around double the number of charge notices as Tower Hamlets, and as a result, raising an extra £20,000 plus a day.

Helpfully, Churchill has also broken down the most charge-happy councils from outside London.

But the revenues raised are also incredibly changeable ‒ the bottom two councils in the list submit the same number of charges each day on average, and yet Newcatle’s bring in more than three times more cash from motorists.

Cashing in

Parking charges are clearly a huge earner for the nation’s councils.

A study back in 2021 from the AA found that, for some councils, the money they bring in from parking charges ‒ which include the likes of regular parking fees, permits and penalty notices ‒ comes to around three-quarters of what they make from Council Tax.

This demonstrates just what a big revenue stream they are.

For 2019/20, councils raked in a total of £1.8 billion from parking activity, which comes to a profit of around £900 million once they've paid all the middlemen who earn a living off fines.

These profits are even more significant in cities, the report found.

Here are how some of the individual council’s income from parking compares to the money brought in from Council Tax.

He argued that councils have become almost dependent on the money they bring in from drivers, adding: “council cash-guzzling from parking charges, permits and fines can be staggering”.

Bus lane fines another nice little earner

Of course, when it comes to palatable costs, there’s a big difference between a regular parking meter and a penalty charge notice (PCN).

These latter charges are essentially fines when you’re believed to have done something wrong, like moving into a bus lane. 

Figures released by price comparison site Confused.com looke at the number of fines levied in 2019 for drivers moving into bus lanes, and breaks down which areas have seen the most drivers walloped with charges.

Across the nation as a whole, more than two million penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued to drivers.

Taken together, those notices were worth an almighty £59.6 million, demonstrating clearly just how punishing these charges can be on our wallets.

So which areas are dishing out the most notices for bus lane incidents? Here are how the different regions compare:

For example, drivers in the capital have had to cough up more than £14.5 million in total on bus lane fines, more than £5 million more than second-placed North West. 

And drivers in the North East had to pay out over £100,000 less than Northern Ireland, even though the region saw more than double the number of PCNs issued.

The costliest local authorities for bus lane fines

Of course, the table above details massive regions, but these PCNs are dished out by individual local authorities.

Confused have also drilled down into the data to identify those local authorities that have been keenest at handing out PCN.

Manchester took top spot, having hit drivers with a whopping 241,924 PCNs. Between them, they raised more than £4.8 million.

Glasgow took second spot, with 115,534 PCNs, collecting £3.4 million, while Birmingham issued the third most PCNs at 108,841. Despite this, Lambeth brought in the third-highest amount at almost £3 million. 

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What are the rules?

The Highway Code makes clear that bus lanes should be clearly marked by road markings and signs, which should make clear whether other vehicles are allowed to use that lane ‒ and when. 

There will be occasions when you can use it, even if you aren’t usually permitted to do so. This might be to pick up or drop someone off, to avoid an accident, or because there’s an obstruction in the road.

If you are caught using a bus lane, then you may be issued with a PCN by your local authority.

The penalty is halved if you pay within a fortnight of being issued with the PCN. You have 28 days in order to pay it or challenge it, and if you refuse to pay then you can be pursued through the courts.

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Making things less confusing

One of the big problems with bus lane PCNs is that there’s an awful lot of confusion about the rules, and when drivers are able to use them.

It’s an issue that has been subject to a suggested change from Boris Johnson too. Last year the Prime Minister argued that first-time offenders should get the benefit of the doubt and avoid being fined.

It’s an idea that has some support, with 57% of drivers polled by Confused backing it.

There was also support for other potential solutions, such as clearer road signage (59%), while almost half (47%) want bus lane restrictions to apply 24 hours a day so that things are less confusing. 

It’s worth remembering that if you think you’ve been issued with a PCN unfairly, then it’s well worth appealing.

We’ve detailed the process for appealing PCNs for parking fines, and it’s much the same for bus lane offences.

There are only certain grounds under which you can appeal. 

According to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, these include:

• The authority levying a charge for more than they are entitled to;
• The offence didn’t occur (for example the signs were wrong, the vehicle was allowed in the bus lane or the vehicle didn’t enter the bus lane);
• A fixed penalty notice has already been issued for the same offence.

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