Unhappy New Year! Motorists to be stung by £160 fine for failing to pay congestion charge on time

Fines for failing to pay the congestion charge are to be hiked in the new year, Transport for London has announced.

The transport authority will increase the congestion charge penalty charge notice (PCN) from January 2, rising from £65 to £80, or £130 to £160 for late payment – a massive 23 per cent in both cases.

Transport for London (TfL) is also looking to increase fines for other traffic offences, such as driving in bus lanes or performing illegal U-turns, pending sign-off by Whitehall.

Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL’s general manager for road user charging, said: “We want to make London’s streets safer and healthier places that are less dominated by the car.

“Although the congestion charge has been effective in reducing the number of cars entering central London, we’ve seen a 12 per cent increase in the number of motorists being issued with PCNs in the last five years.

“This shows that the deterrent factor of the existing PCN has reduced over time. The new PCN level will help improve compliance and also encourage people to consider cheaper and more active alternative forms of travel.”

However, the AA has questioned whether the congestion charge PCN increase is “proportionate”.

The motoring organisation said that the maximum £160 late payment fine would be equivalent to nearly two days’ pay for an 18- to 20-year-old on the Living Wage, while elderly motorists risked losing nearly two-thirds of their week’s state pension.

AA president Edmund King said: “Congestion charge and moving traffic fines need to be a proportionate deterrent. Many people will consider that £80, let alone £160, is not.

“Our main concern is the lack of discretion. There will still be drivers who may stray into the congestion zone or a bus lane and come straight out. Would a short grace period or warning letter for the first time not be a fairer response?”

King also feared that other councils may see the “riches of PCNs” and want the same for themselves.

RAC roads policy spokesman Nicholas Lyes added: “We question whether this is an effective way of discouraging drivers who repeatedly receive penalty charge notices – something TfL made clear was a priority.

“We’re disappointed that TfL has not decided to proceed with a much more progressive and arguably fairer system to tier the penalties based on numbers of contraventions.

“Effectively, this would mean a driver who makes an honest mistake pays less for a first time offence, and those that continue to flout the rules face increasing penalty charges.”