Cracking down on poor parking etiquette, London mayor Sadiq Khan has just approved a proposal to increase parking fines in all 33 boroughs. It’s been 15 years since the city’s parking fines were last reviewed, so it should really come as no surprise that they are becoming more expensive (just like everything else – am I right?). Not to mention that the number of penalty charges has increased by a whopping 50% since that last review in 2010, so perhaps drivers are in need of a little scare. All things considered, the Transport and Environment Committee have decided that parking fines will increase by £30 a popand these rises are expected to come into play as early as April this year.
Now, parking fines in London work to a banded system, meaning charges differ according to whereabouts in the city you are. But no one, nowhere, is escaping the increases.
Here’s how parking fines work in London:
Band A covers central and more congested areas, whereas Band B refers to, well, everywhere else. (The Transport and Environment Committee reckons parking is less of an issue in Band B areas, but I guess that depends who you’re asking.)
Boroughs included in Band A:
- Barnet
- Brent
- Cam
- City of London
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith & Fulham
- Haringey
- Hounslow
- Islington
- Kensington & Chelsea
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- City of Westminster
Rather ambiguously, Band A also includes:
- The North of Wandsworth
- The North of Lambeth
- The North of Southwark
- The North of Lewisham
- The West of Barking and Dagenham
- The town centres of a number of Outer London boroughs
Anywhere not listed above sits under Band B.
On top of this, there are two levels of offence that will determine the cost of the fine: ‘higher’ level offences include parking on yellows or causing obstructions, while ‘lower’ level offences refer to scenarios such as parking somewhere you’re technically allowed to, but overstaying in a pay and display area.
The £30 increases will affect both higher and lower charges in both Band A and Band B.
So, how much can you expect to pay for a parking fine in London from April 2025?
For Band A boroughs and areas, higher level fines will increase from £130 to £160while lower level penalties will increase from £80 to £110.
For Band B boroughs and areas, higher level fines will jump from £110 to £140and lower level fines will rise from £60 to £90.
The cost to retrieve your car, should this apply, will also rise in April. The cost to get a clamp removed will rise from £70 to £100and the cost to release your vehicle from a car pound will increase by £80; up from £200 to £280.
Sources: the London Councils’ website and a recent City Hall report.
