London councils share plans to hike motoring fines to £160

It comes after London Councils, the umbrella group for local authorities in the capital, began a consultation on the proposed hike. 

The increased fine would apply to thousands of roads in all boroughs including in the City. 

Currently, fines in Band A areas, including central London, with busy streets pay a fee of £130, whilst Band B in outer London have fines of £110. 

Although the price of the hiked fines is not confirmed, The Standard has predicted they could range from £130 to £160 based on Transport for London (TfL) penalty charges. 

Many oppose the idea. (Image: Getty)

Motoring fines in London could rise to £160

MP’s have already shared their dissatisfaction with the plans, as Nickie Aiken, Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, told The Standard: “It’s unfortunate that they think it’s the time to increase fines in a cost-of-living crisis.”

Aiken proposed that councils should collaborate to address frequent driving offenders rather than penalising unintentional mistakes.

Across London, many motoring fines have not increased since 2007, seeing London Councils share that the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued in the region has risen by 50 per cent over the last 12 years. 

London Councils argued that the current penalty charge levels were not effective deterrents and did not encourage compliance.

The organisation contended that there were numerous instances of individuals knowingly parking where prohibited despite the certainty of receiving a penalty charge.

Some suggest other action should be taken instead. (Image: Getty)

However, critics cautioned that escalating the fine levels could lead to accusations that cash-strapped councils were exploiting motorists to generate additional revenue for their stretched budgets.

Despite the concerns raised, town hall leaders insisted that the proposed increase was intended to prioritise road safety, combat air pollution, and maintain traffic flow in the capital.

The consultation on penalty charge levels related to parking and traffic enforcement, as well as additional fees like clamping, was launched on Monday and will remain open for 12 weeks.

London residents and those who use the city’s roads are encouraged to provide their input and opinions on the proposed changes.