Rules of the road violation fines are set to increase in London

The fine for road violations is to surge from £130 to £160 in London – the first increase in 10 years.

Penalty charge notices (PCNs) for failing to follow the rules on red routes will increase, say Transport for London, as they put all drivers at risk and cause disruption and delays and to cut pollution.

The penalty charge will still be reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 14 days and increased by 50 per cent if paid after 28 days.

TfL has also said it will make its trial of 24-hour bus lanes permanent. A trial in the capital found  it cut bus journey times and helped reliability, helping to encourage more Londoners onto buses.

There has been a 26 per cent increase in the number of PCNs issued for parking, loading, bus lane and moving traffic offences between 2016 and 2019.

The penalty charge level increase is being introduced to deter contraventions of the road rules and support TfL’s Vision Zero aims to reduce road danger, improve public transport reliability and increase active travel.

London’s red routes, managed by TfL, make up five per cent of roads but carry 30 per cent of the capital’s traffic.

They say Vital deliveries can be obstructed and buses and the emergency services can be delayed.

A TfL statement said: “Increasing the level of the penalty charge is about improving compliance, not penalising drivers.

It should deter motorists from contravening essential rules and safety restrictions. PCNs are an important way of encouraging road users to follow the rules of the road and are only issued to the small number of drivers who contravene these rules.”

PCNs can be issued for contraventions such as:

• Parking illegally in loading bays
• Blocking yellow box junctions
• Making a turn where this movement is banned, which creates risk for people walking and cycling
• Driving or parking in a bus lane
• Stopping on the red route

The last increase was in April 2011 when it rose from £120 to £130.

TfL’s increase to £160 is in line with inflation since the last increase.

The increase will also bring the charges in line with the penalties for non-payment of the Congestion Charge and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, which are also currently set at £160.

Any revenue raised through these penalty notices is invested back into London’s transport network, which includes investing in its road network to improve safety for all road users.

Siwan Hayward, TfL’s Director of Compliance, Policing, Operations and Security, said: “We are committed to keeping London moving safely and efficiently, and compliance on the Transport for London Road Network is essential in achieving those aims.

Non-compliance impacts London’s air quality, creates safety risks, disrupts traffic and creates congestion for everyone. Increasing the penalty charge for contraventions on our road network in line with inflation will provide a more effective deterrent to drivers and improve the safety and reliability of the network.”

In March 2020, TfL introduced a 20mph speed limit on all of its roads within the central London congestion charging zone to eliminate death and serious injury on the capital’s roads. TfL now wants to lower speeds on its roads, including on the inner ring road, high-risk roads and roads in town centres.

To be able to drive in London, Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs) weighing more than 12 tonnes now have to apply for a free permit that assigns vehicles a star rating based on how much the driver can see directly through their cab windows. Since its introduction, more than 70,000 HGVs have had safe systems fitted.