London drivers will now encounter steeper financial consequences for parking violations as new penalty charges take effect across the city.
This marks the first significant adjustment to parking fines in over a decade, since 2010, designed to discourage traffic law breaches and improve road safety. The updated system introduces a tiered structure based on location, with penalties varying between zones.
The London Council Transport and Environment Committee approved these changes earlier this year, resulting in the highest fines now reaching £160 in central areas and other locations experiencing heavy traffic volume.
Here’s a breakdown of how the new system operates:
- Band A Areas: These include densely populated zones like central London and major town centres.
- Band B Areas: This designation covers outer London boroughs with slightly lower penalty charges.
The updated penalties apply to all parking infractions, both higher-level offenses (such as parking on yellow lines or obstructing traffic) and lower-level violations (like exceeding the time limit in a pay-and-display bay).
Here’s a summary of the new penalty levels:
- Band A: Higher penalties now cost £160, while lower penalties are set at £110.
- Band B: Higher penalties have increased to £140 and lower-level penalties are now £90.
Bus lane and moving traffic violations will carry a flat fee of £160 throughout all of London, regardless of the area.
Drivers can mitigate these costs by taking advantage of an early payment discount.
“Paying promptly offers a significant reduction in penalty amounts.”
- Band A: Higher penalties reduce from £160 to £80, and lower penalties fall from £110 to £55 with early payment.
- Band B: Higher penalties decrease from £140 to £70, while lower penalties drop from £90 to £45 if paid promptly.
Beyond the fines themselves, fees associated with vehicle enforcement have also been substantially raised:
- Wheel-clamping release fee: Increased from £70 to £100.
- Car pound release fee: Up from £200 to £280.
- Daily storage fees: Increased by 37.5%, rising from £40 to £55 per day.
- Vehicle disposal fee: Now stands at £100, up from the previous rate of £70.
The geographical distinction between Band A and Band B areas aims to ensure that penalties are proportional to the level of disruption caused in each region.
Band A Boroughs Include: Barnet, Brent, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and City of Westminster. Portions of Wandsworth, Lambeth, Southwark, and Lewisham also fall under Band A regulations, as do town centres within several Outer London boroughs.
