Motorists’ fines set to increase under new plans
FINES handed out on London’s roads could be set to increase if new plans are approved.
Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) handed out by Transport for London (TfL) could increase from £130 to £160, or from £65 to £80 for those who pay within a fortnight of the offence.
The fines are handed out by TfL for failure to pay the congestion charge, as well as driving in bus lanes, making banned turns, parking incorrectly or blocking the road on any of TfL’s red routes.
The red route network is spread throughout Greater London and includes vital roads in the capital which are overseen by TfL, rather than the local borough council.
According to a 2015 study by TfL, congestion on the red route network alone costs the economy £2.2 billion a year and the stop-start traffic leads to increased emissions, which has a
We have seen a steady increase in the number of motorists flouting the rules TfL’s Paul Cowperthwaite
knock-on effect on health and the environment. Over the past five years, the number of people failing to pay the congestion charge has increased by 12%, which TfL argues is a “clear indicator that the current deterrent is no longer effective”. The money raised by PCNs is reinvested by TfL into London’s transport network for maintenance, reducing danger and improving accessibility and attractiveness, the organisation said. Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL’s general manager for road user charging, said: “We are committed to keeping the capital moving and by improving compliance we help keep junctions and roads clear which, if blocked, cause significant impact to all road users. “The overwhelming majority of motorists follow the rules; however, we have seen a steady increase in the number of motorists flouting them, so it is clear the current Penalty Charge Notice level is not as effective as it once was.”