Details of how many motorists have been fined under London’s Differential Parking Charges (DPC), which saw fines increase depending on the severity of the offence, have been released.

They reveal that over six million penalty charge notices (PCN) were issued during the first year that DPC were in force in London.

Since March, DPC have been in force nationally.

According to figures from London Councils, the capital's two-tier parking penalty system has resulted in an increase of 2.3% in the number of PCN issued.

In total 6,176,752 penalties were issued in London in 2007/08 for illegal parking, driving in bus lanes and moving traffic offences, such as ignoring a no entry sign.

The vast majority of the additional PCN were for moving traffic offences, with 192,618 more penalties issued compared to the previous year.

However, many motorists have felt they were wrongly accused under the new system and 58,985 appeals against the new charges were heard in 2007/08.

Of these 70% were won by the motorist.

The Freight Transport Association is also aggrieved, complaining that commercial vehicle operators are being unfairly targeted.

Gordon Telling, FTA’s head of policy for London said: “Yet again commercial vehicle operators are having their costs pushed up because it is easier to target them than it is to collect PCN revenue from the thousands of unregistered and foreign registered cars in the UK that are free to park illegally without fear of being caught.”

However, the deputy chairman of London Councils’ transport and environment committee, Colin Smith defended the new penalties, saying they were structured fairly and were only introduced after Londoners gave them their backing.
released.