London boroughs join forces to keep London’s roads safer

The move - which will raise parking and traffic penalty charges for the first time since 2011 - is designed to create a  stronger deterrent to obstructive parking and to encourage better parking behaviour and, consequently, improve road safety throughout London. 

This follows a determination by the London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee, approval by the Mayor of London and having received no objection from the Secretary of State for Transport. 

A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is issued for breaches of parking and traffic regulations. 

 Serious contraventions, such as parking on double yellow lines and causing an obstruction incur a higher-level penalty and minor contraventions, like overstaying in a pay and display parking bay, incur a lower-level penalty.  

For Hounslow Council – identified as a band A borough – this means that higher-level parking penalties charges will increase from £130 to £160, discounted to £80 if paid within 14 days from the date the PCN was issued. Parking penalties at the lower level will rise from £80 to £110, discounted to £55 if paid within the 14 days. 

As part of the changes, Bus Lane and Moving Traffic contraventions will also increase from £130 to £160, along with additional parking fees in relation to clamping and removing vehicles: 

• Release fee from wheel clamp: £100 
• Release fee from car pound: £280 
• Daily storage fee: £55 per day 
• Disposal fee: £100 

Residents will be able to check the new charges here.  

Councillor Shivraj Grewal, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Recycling and Transformation, said:

“We are committed to making Hounslow and London’s roads safer for everyone, which is why we are working together to tackle anti-social drivers. With these new, higher penalties in place, we hope that those drivers will now think before driving dangerously or parking inconsiderately – or be ready to pay hefty fines.”