COUNCILS are calling for higher traffic fines and special penalties for repeat offenders despite a third of local authorities making huge surpluses, The Sun can reveal.
The Local Government Association has hit back at the Department for Transport over plans to curb their monster revenues.
Ministers suggested extra cash from traffic fines could be redirected to the Treasury.
But a letter from the LGA, shared with The Sun, blasted: “Fines are a crucial element of enforcement, providing a deterrent effect.
“Where enforcement has been introduced, over time compliance has increased and enforcement fallen. And where it has been removed, non-compliance has increased.”
Councils argue that an increase in repeat offenders – people who pay fines early and therefore just 50% of the penalty – shows they are regarded as an additional parking amenity.
They went on: “Higher fines for repeat offenders across all enforcement measures would help law abiding drivers and other road users.”
And council bosses said fines have not increased since 2000, adding: “A £70 fine, when reduced to £35 when paid off within 14 days, would be over £122 or £61 if it had kept up with prices today.
“Many councils would welcome higher fines to provide a stronger deterrent that increases compliance and possibly reduces overall revenues and therefore any surpluses. In many places a £35 fine across four car passengers is cheaper than using public transport and not far off a full day’s parking charges.”
Transport secretary Mark Harper said he wanted to address,”the suggestion that traffic management measures with penalty fees attached are there to raise money from motorists more than anything else.
“Should the government remove any suggestion there is a ‘profit motive’ for local councils – such as by requiring any surpluses that councils might generate from new charges to be repaid to His Majesty’s Treasury – after the costs of enforcement have been repaid?” he asked.
“This seems an appealing solution – and is effectively how speeding fines operate already – but are there unexpected considerations that we should be considering?”
The DfT’s call for evidence comes against the backdrop of the Prime Minister’s push to win support from motorists through his Government’s Plan for Drivers.
It also comes as more councils recently gained new powers to enforce moving traffic violations instead of the Police.
Councils outside London can gain the power to fine drivers for breaking rules of the road such as unlawful entry into box junctions, driving in mandatory cycle lanes or ignoring no entry or no left or right turn signs.
By Jacob Jaffa
NEW research has revealed the UK areas where drivers are most at risk of being slapped with hefty parking fines.
Local councils raked in over £1 billion from fees and penalties paid in 2023 to the outrage of pro-motoring campaign groups.
Researchers from Uswitch have now ranked local authority areas by the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) they issued last year.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, four of the top five were London boroughs as driving in the capital becomes increasingly regulated.
The borough of Newham came out worst, having handed out more than a quarter of a million tickets.
Lewisham wasn’t far behind, with a whopping 216,673.
And Islington rounded out the top three with just under £191,000.
The only area outside of London to make the list was Brighton and Hove, which saw motorists handed over 160,000 fines in the period.
