Millions of drivers in England face fines but can escape it 'if they car share'

Drivers have been warned against "taking risks" with expensive parking fines on the rise. Motorists and road users have been urged to contemplate their action over a huge rise in parking penalties and fines for drivers up and down the country.

Data from the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) shows that it earned £24.25million from penalty charge notices between April and December 2023. GoShorty found that drivers in Westminster were the most likely to be slapped with a parking fine, as almost 384,000 tickets were issued.

This was closely followed by Lambeth with 369,519 in second and Manchester in third with a quarter of a million fines issued. Andy Moody, founder and managing director of GoShorty, commented: "Drivers are taking more risks due to the lack of parking real estate, resulting in an increasing amount of PCNs issued.

READ MORE UK households who don't park cars in garages at home 'warned'

"Although it’s frustrating, drivers shouldn’t take any risks with PCNs. Double-check nearby signs or road markings, make sure pay-and-display tickets are visible and don’t risk leaving your vehicle anywhere you can get a fine, even if it’s just for a few minutes."

The top 10 UK councils with the most PCNs issued in 2023 included Westminster - 383,983 and Lambeth - 369,519 - followed by Manchester - 252,176. The top five was completed by Brighton and Hove - 160,162 - and also Tower Hamlets - 105,636.

Richmond and Wandsworth - 101,090, Cardiff - 90,149 and Bournemouth - 86,483 came sixth, seventh and eighth in the list, followed by Medway - 81,134 - and also Kingston upon Thames - 81,134. Moody suggested the increased use of car sharing as an alternative.

That would save drivers being hit with expensive parking fines, with fewer cars on the road meaning less traffic and more legal parking spaces, the expert from GoShorty went on to say