Transport for London (TfL) is making millions from Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) on Red Routes, with income jumping by 57% over the last five years. Critics are saying London’s streets are “paved with fines.”
A draft report shows TfL brought in £83.4 million in 2023/24 from fines on these Red Routes, compared to £56.8 million in 2018/19. Red Routes are some of London’s busiest roads, where stopping is illegal at certain times. With around 367 miles of these roads, TfL is collecting up to £244,000 per mile. The report also notes TfL had an operating surplus of £138 million last year.
Jack Cousens from the AA quipped, "Dick Whittington would now say that London's streets are paved with fines." The rise in PCN income is largely due to the increased fine cost—now £160 each—and the use of advanced CCTV tech to catch offenders.
This news follows revelations that about a third of the profits from London’s Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) come from fines. Cousens suggested that TfL might rely on drivers breaking the rules to generate income rather than encouraging compliance.
Aside from Red Route violations, TfL also issues fines for driving in bus lanes and stopping in yellow box junctions. TfL’s Director of Security, Siwan Hayward, said, “We are committed to keeping London moving safely and efficiently, and reducing delays on London's red routes, which is also essential to ensuring a reliable bus network for everyone."
