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Motorists in London are paying more than £200 million a year in parking tickets, new figures reveal.
The capital accounts for almost two-thirds of the £328 million levied in fines across the country in the 12 months to April. Drivers are most likely to be fined in Kensington and Chelsea, with its wardens issuing penalties averaging more than £85 per person for its daytime population.
Research by the TaxPayers' Alliance using freedom of information laws found that motorists paid £202,923,960 to 32 London councils last year. Bexley refused to provide figures. The total excludes the income from the 524,216 tickets issued by Transport for London for parking in bus lanes or red routes.
However, both the national and London totals were well down on the 2007/8, when the total for England and Wales was £378 million, of which £231million was raised in the capital.
Twenty-one of the 32 London boroughs saw their income from on-street and off-street tickets fall. Westminster, the biggest parking authority in western Europe, saw its income drop from almost £42 million to more than £35 million.
A total of 5,466,219 tickets were issued by the 33 boroughs and TfL in 2008/9 - 710,533 fewer than the previous financial year. Tickets have a face value of £120 for inner London and £80 for outer London. Motorists who pay within 14 days get a 50 per cent discount.
Jennifer Dunn, policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Motorists are being treated like cash cows but the only people that appear to be benefiting are wardens and their bosses."
About £19.5million of penalties issued by four councils - Camden, Harrow, Kingston and Merton - are on hold pending a High Court hearing into their legality. This follows a claim by the parkingappeals.co.uk website challenging the imposition of administration fees on motorists paying by credit card.
Kensington and Chelsea said 11 million people visited the borough each year, many by car, and parking rules helped to keep traffic moving. Councillor Nicholas Paget-Brown, cabinet member for transport, said: "If you choose to ignore some basic realities then you end up with a report like that published by the TaxPayers' Alliance.
"The council has a duty to serve its residents; they are entitled to park near their homes and as a result we concentrate on dealing with visitors who choose to park illegally, rather than ticketing our residents."
Reader views (9)
I suffer from MS. I use a wheelchair and have little upper body strength. I was surprised to see the photo of Dr Richard Dawood, taken by the Standard, showing his bike parked on a pavement? Even though he asserts that this is his land and he's entitled to park on it. If I went to the shops and met his bike in the middle of the pavement I think I'd be inclined to chuck it out of my way - if only I had the strength to. Instead my access is blocked because someone has who decided to park on the pavement outside his building even though the local authority search property search (when he bought the building) would have shown it as a pavement ... 'he really doesn't understand what the law is'? If he's so challenged I'm glad he's not my Dr and if I see his bike in my way I might be tempted to run it over (as best I can)...
- Richard Crichley, London, 02/12/2009 21:32
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Regarding Dr Dawood's situation where he owns the sub-soil and the council owns the Tarmac, I'd suggest he parks his scooter on a mat. That should keep the lawyers busy for a while.
- James Fisher, London, 02/12/2009 17:26
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I have been fined for parking my motorcycle on land owned by my employer. I have challenged this and been told that as the area is not fenced off in some way this constitutes a public right of way. This is absolutely ludicrous as the area leads no-where except to a brick wall. What is worse is that the vehicle was parked over the pavement lights for which, as Director of the organisation, I have the responsibility for repair etc. The City of London treat vehicles parked on private land as another form of revenue generation. Do I have to clearly label my shoes, clothes etc to state that they are mine before I get fined for theft?
I was treated by the City officials as a nusiance. I am not impressed and only wish that I had suffient time and resources to pursue this matter further. I totally support Dr Dawood and hope that he will press on.
- D G Farrow, City of London, 02/12/2009 12:08
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The motorists concerned obviously need some urgent remedial driving lessons to learn how to park their cars legally and responsibly. Far cheaper to buy an hour's lesson than pay a fine. Simples!!!
- Rj, East Midlands, 26/11/2009 00:50
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I cant wait for the councils to start issung tickets to pedestrians for not walking straight on the pavements.
All motorists know that councils are rip off merchants when it comes to issuing parking tickets, they live alongside the Banks, with there unfair treatment to the customer.
- Mr S.Port, London, 25/11/2009 22:31
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Don't park illegal and then watch what happens when the councils miss £ 200M.
- Grim Reaper, Hell, 25/11/2009 13:19
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Local shopkeepers here in the Roman Road, Bow are paying around £600 a year for business permits, but also around £500 a year in fines. The council has removed about 2/3 of the parking spaces and enforcement is too draconian.
It would be more honest to increase the council tax and ease some of the parking restrictions.
- Alaninbow, London, 25/11/2009 13:08
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And every single penny of these fines is avoidable if you could just learn to stop breaking the law.
- Nolan, Londonist, 25/11/2009 12:52
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I would like to say to the attendants keep up the good work. I live across the road from a leisure centre and often have parents in cars sitting on double yellow lines with their engines running for up to an hour waiting for their little darlings having their swimming lessons. This is to avoid paying £1 for the car park, I always tip of the wardens and they end up having to pay more than £1.
- Dc, London, 25/11/2009 12:43
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