London councils net close to £8.5m in pavement parking fines

Councils in London collected nearly £8.5 million through pavement parking fines in the 12 months up to November this year.

New research by Autocar found that 22 London councils generated a total of £8,442,068 from Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued to drivers who had parked on the pavement. However, the research also found that of the 167,066 PCNs issued, only 111,495 had been paid meaning that close to a third of the charges had yet to be resolved.

Parking contravention code 62 – or rule 244 in the Highway Code – prohibits vehicles from being parked with one or more wheels on the pavement. Earlier this month, the Scottish government introduced a new law banning pavement parking with drivers slapped with a £100 fine if they were found to be flouting the rules.

However, in London, it was the borough of Newham which proved to be a flashpoint for pavement parking fines with more than 21,000 PCNs issued in this area alone. Despite a high proportion of unpaid fines, Newham earned £936,391 during the same period.

Mark Tisshaw, Autocar editor, said: “Scotland is following London’s lead by clamping down on pavement parking, which can have serious consequences for pedestrians – especially those with reduced mobility. Drivers across the country – in both rural and urban areas – need to understand the rules to avoid being fined.”

By law, any profit made from parking penalties must be used to fund off-street parking, help public transport services or highway maintenance.