Councils issue nearly 20,000 parking fines per day

  • UK councils issued 19,631 parking fines per day in 2022, up 12 per cent from 2021 and a surge of 36 per cent from 2020
  • Drivers paid £777,287 in parking fines each day in 2022, up £35,113 from 2021
  • London Boroughs of Islington, Lambeth, and Waltham Forest issue the most fines

UK councils typically issued 19,631 parking fines per day in 2022, according to new analysis 1 from Churchill Motor Insurance. This represents a 12 per cent increase from 2021 when local authorities issued an average of 17,500 parking fines per day. The volume of tickets issues has surged since 2020, with the daily average up over a third (36 per cent).

The substantial increase in the number of parking fines has increased revenues for local authorities by an estimated £777,287 each day in 2022. This is £35,113 more than councils received each day in 2021 and £182,869 more than the daily average in 2020. A parking fine can be up to £70 outside of London, or up to £130 in London. However, the penalty is typically halved if a driver pays within 14 days.

The average local authority issued 85 fines per day costing drivers £3,486 in 2022. However, some London Boroughs issued 10 times more fines than the national average. The ten councils estimated to have issued the most parking fines in the UK are all in Greater London. Islington issued the most fines of any local authority in 2022, over the period analysed, with an average of more than 1,000 per day. These fines typically cost drivers in the borough £44,799 per day. Lambeth and Waltham Forest issued the second and third most fines respectively. Outside of London, Birmingham, Southampton, and Cardiff issued the most parking fines.

Nicholas Mantel, Head of Churchill motor insurance, said: “Motorists across Britain are regularly being caught out by increased and sometimes complicated parking restrictions. We would encourage drivers to always check parking signs carefully to ensure they avoid any expensive fines. If motorists do receive a parking fine, they have 28 days to pay it or appeal to an independent tribunal."

Daily Average Penalty Charge Notices issued by Local Authorities 

 

2020 Daily Average

2021 Daily Average

2022 Daily Average

Number of Parking Fines

14,426

17,500

19,631

Revenue from Parking Fines

£594,418

£742,174

£777,287

Source: Churchill Motor insurance 

 

Local Authorities issuing the most Penalty Charge Notices (2022)

Local Authority Daily Average PCNs Issued Daily Average Revenue Raised

London Borough of Islington

1012

£44,799

London Borough of Lambeth

999

£48,424

London Borough of Waltham Forest

874

£41,215

City of Westminster

843

£42,099

London Borough of Newham

720

£34,206

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

606

£32,818

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

545

£27,776

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

540

£27,837

London Borough of Barnet

507

£24,548

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

504

£24,395

Source: Churchill Motor insurance

 

Local Authorities (Outside London) issuing the most Penalty Charge Notices (2022)

Local Authority  Daily Average PCNs Issued Daily Average Revenue Raised 

Birmingham City Council

373

N/A

Southampton City Council

313

£4,930

Cardiff Council

279

£7,543

Oxfordshire County Council

264

£6,862

Christchurch Borough Council

234

£6,230

Leicester City Council

209

£6,102

Bradford Metropolitan Council

204

N/A

Portsmouth City Council

186

£5,417

Luton Borough Council

169

£1,646

Newcastle upon Tyne City Council

169

£4,991

Source: Churchill Motor insurance

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1          Data based on Freedom of Information requests sent to UK Local Authorities in October 2022. 230 Councils responded with data. Analysis based on the data period available, January 2020 to June 2022.

For further information please contact:

Hayley Saunders

Churchill PR Manager

Email: hayley.saunders@directlinegroup.co.uk

Churchill

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