Fleet decision-makers are being advised to adopt robust fine management systems, as UK drivers face a sharp rise in penalties, especially in urban areas.
Hudson Kapel (HK) reports that congestion charge-related Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have risen from 4% to 6% of all fines processed through its platform, reflecting the spread of traffic control measures like clean air zones (CAZs) across UK cities.
Parking fines remain the most common, accounting for 52% of all fleet penalties. This mirrors a national trend, with DVLA data showing a 12% year-on-year rise in requests from parking firms, suggesting a record 14.5 million tickets could be issued in a year.
The surge is being driven by improved enforcement tools such as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and AI, enabling councils and private operators to issue more fines with greater efficiency.
“Fleet operators must act now,” said Matt Breeze, PCN operations lead at HK. “Technology and driver engagement are essential to avoid unnecessary costs and maintain fleet mobility.”
In London alone, 8.3 million PCNs were issued in 2023/24, with notable increases in parking and moving traffic offences.
HK offers integrated fine management solutions for fleets, linking with over 800 authorities. Breeze urged operators to review compliance strategies and adopt tools for real-time oversight and fast fine resolution.