A London council has said that better technology and increased enforcement has caused the number of parking fines issued to drivers to double in a year.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that revenue from parking fines in Ealing increased by £2.6 million from 2022 to 2023, a rise of 149 per cent.
The council issued 54,957 more parking fines in 2023, an increase of 158 per cent compared with the year before, according to data obtained by used car retailer Cinch.
More than 89,618 penalty charge notices (PCN) were issued at a rate of 246 a day in 2023 compared to 95 a day the previous year, NeighbourNet reported.
So far this year, the council has made more than £3.3 million from issuing 79,216 notices.
The figures come after a report by Select Car Leasing ranked Queensway, in Westminster, as the worst street for parking fines across the UK.
More than 9,300 PCNs were issued on the street alone in just one year, amounting to £1.2 million worth of fines.
Fines can cover a range of offences, from stopping on double yellow lines to failing to pay charges.
Drivers who receive a PCN can appeal, first to the council and then to the parking adjudicator.
In a statement, the council said: “The increase in Penalty Charge Notices being issued is a combination of several factors which include more enforcement where parking is either prohibited and dangerous, more controlled parking zones (CPZs) being introduced, and better use of technology to monitor restrictions.
“We also monitor CPZs more efficiently by using automatic number plate recognition, and can check the validity of disabled badges, using enforcement against those that are not valid.
“The impact of the industrial action has been minimal, and we have put measures in place to ensure residents aren’t impacted.”
The Standard has contacted Ealing Council for further comment.
Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, said: “These figures should be a reminder for all drivers to carefully check any nearby signs before parking – especially in busy areas or places they aren’t familiar with.”
He added: “Nobody wants to find a parking fine come through their letterbox.
“Also, if you think the fine is unfair or it’s incorrect, don’t forget you have 28 days to appeal to an independent tribunal.
“And, if it is correct, you might be able to reduce the fine by paying sooner rather than later.”
