London Councils is consulting on the level of penalty charges for parking and traffic contraventions on roads controlled by all London boroughs, including the City of London.

Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) are issued when motorists do not follow parking, bus lane and moving traffic regulations. Not following the regulations can lead to congestion and have a negative impact on air quality. It also affects how other road users travel and access public transport services in London and can be dangerous.

The consultation on penalty charge levels relating to parking and traffic enforcement and other additional fees relating to parking, launches today and will run for 12 weeks until 23 October 2023. Once all responses are collated and analysed, they will be vital in informing the decision regarding the future level of penalty charges.

The committee has not reviewed parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges since 2010 and many of the current charges and additional fees have not changed since 2007. 

The capital is split into roads controlled by London boroughs and those controlled by Transport for London (TfL). TfL has similar responsibilities to London boroughs for setting penalty charges on their own roads – the Transport for London Route Network (TLRN), or Red Routes. In 2022, following a consultation in 2021, TfL increased parking, bus lane and moving traffic penalty charges on the roads they manage from £130 to £160. The current maximum penalty charge level for contraventions on borough roads remains at £130.

London Councils is the cross-party organisation that represents the interests of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation, acting as a collective voice for the boroughs, advocating for their needs and priorities at the regional, national, and international levels. 

To respond to the consultation please visit the London Councils website.

The analysis from the consultation will be considered by London Councils' Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday 7 December 2023.