Fleets urged to employ “robust” fine management processes

Fleet decision-makers are being urged to employ “robust fine management processes”, with UK drivers facing record numbers of fines and penalties.

Data from Hudson Kapel (HK) highlights a steady rise in congestion charge-related Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) processed through its system.

Over the past two years, congestion charge fines have increased from 4% to 6% of all fines managed, a trend it says is closely linked to the expansion of traffic control schemes in major cities.

Alongside London’s congestion charge zone and ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ), several other UK cities have implemented clean air zones (CAZs) and similar schemes to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.

These zones often involve charges for non-compliant vehicles, which can impact fleet operations.

Nevertheless, parking fines remain the most common penalty, accounting for 52% of all fines across fleets, according to the fleet management and remarketing specialist.

The dominance of parking PCNs reflects a wider national trend. Requests to the DVLA from car park management companies for vehicle keeper details hit 7.2 million in the first half of the last financial year – the equivalent of 41,000 a day and a 12% increase on the same period 12 months before (6.5m).

The figures, from the RAC, suggest that private parking firms are on course to issue a record 14.5m tickets to drivers in a year, with just five companies responsible for almost half.

Urban enforcement is becoming increasingly sophisticated, driven by investment in automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and AI-based systems by councils, retailers, and private operators.

Hudson Kapel says this has enabled authorities and parking operators to issue fines more efficiently and in greater volumes without manual intervention.

“Fleet operators must act now to ensure they have robust fine management processes in place,” said Matt Breeze, PCN operations lead at Hudson Kapel.  

“New technology and driver engagement are key to avoiding unnecessary costs and keeping fleets moving.

“Although specific figures for fleet drivers are not separated nationally, it’s clear the overall environment is becoming more challenging.

“Fleets, often concentrated in urban areas where restrictions are tightest, are feeling the impact acutely.”

In London, 8,333,486 PCNs were issued by borough councils, Transport for London (TfL), and the London Lorry Control Scheme, in 2023/24.  

Parking PCNs rose by 11.2% year-on-year, while moving traffic offences increased by 8.5%.

Breeze said: “Our data underlines that fleets must be proactive in managing these risks, not only to control costs but to maintain compliance with standards.”

HK’s fine management services aim to address these growing pressures by offering an integrated, automated platform connecting to more than 800 authorities.

Breeze concluded: “Fleet managers are urged to review their compliance strategies and explore solutions that provide real-time oversight and rapid fine handling to stay ahead of the curve.”