Southwark Council issued a record 365,147 penalty charge notices (PCNs) for parking and moving traffic offences in 2025/26 — an average of more than 1,000 every day, according to Southwark News. The figures come from the council's latest Annual Parking Monitoring Report.
Key points
- Record total — 365,147 PCNs were issued, six per cent more than the year before.
- Most were paid — 247,441 fines, or 71 per cent, were settled, while around 27,000 were overturned on appeal.
- Money in and out — the ring-fenced parking account took £40.8 million and spent more than £26 million, leaving a surplus of £14.4 million.
- Removals up — 437 vehicles were taken away last year to deal with persistent evaders.
Cameras issue the notices automatically, mainly for parking on yellow lines, driving in bus lanes or entering low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs). Drivers have 28 days to pay or the charge doubles, and they can challenge a fine at tribunal. The report also says Southwark had the best success rate of any London borough in defending parking cases at tribunal in 2024/25, winning more than three-quarters of them.
Vehicle removals have risen sharply over five years, by roughly 1,650 per cent. Last year 437 cars were removed, including those not registered with the DVLA or whose owners had not replied to correspondence about fines. A further 273 vehicles were clamped and 502 were moved from unsafe locations.
The parking account's income also covers permits, pay-by-phone parking, off-street car parks and bailiff recovery. After enforcement and collection costs, the surplus was almost 27 per cent lower than the year before.
Richard Aldwinckle, a Dulwich resident who has campaigned against the Dulwich Village LTN, said fines for moving traffic offences had fallen by 8 per cent, but argued that 127,588 fines linked to LTNs and other restrictions were still too many. He questioned whether poor signage was to blame and said 35,165 fines were issued last year to drivers entering the Dulwich Village LTN alone, worth more than £3.4 million. "This clearly isn't about compliance, it's about making money, with drivers being treated as cash-cows," he said.
Council leader James McAsh defended the scheme, saying the Dulwich Village measures were brought in to improve road safety, cut through-traffic and make the area safer and greener. "All signage complies with national regulations and standards," he said, adding that fine income is reinvested in services such as road maintenance and school crossing patrols.
What it means in practice
For anyone driving in Southwark, the numbers are a reminder that camera-enforced restrictions are widespread and that missing the 28-day payment window doubles the bill. If you think a fine is wrong, the appeal route exists and a sizable share of notices are overturned — but the clock is running.
- Check the signs — LTN and bus lane cameras catch drivers who do not know the rules, so plan routes before setting out.
- Act quickly — pay or challenge within 28 days to avoid the higher charge.
- Keep details current — vehicles not registered with the DVLA can be removed, so make sure your address is up to date.
