Havering predicts an 18% spike in parking fines

Havering Council is forecasting a significant increase in parking fines issued by its traffic wardens next year, despite expecting a substantial fall in fines issued by traffic cameras.

The figures raise some important questions about parking enforcement in Havering, the number of motorists successfully challenging fines, and the financial implications for the Council.

Almost 100,000 fines from parking wardens alone

In a report going to councillors next week, Havering Council reveals that it is forecasting a substantial increase in Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by its Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) during 2026/27.

The figures are:

Type of enforcement	2025/26	2026/27 forecast
Civil Enforcement Officers (wardens)	84,349	99,710
Moving Traffic Camera PCNs	90,539	71,812
Total	174,888	171,522

That is an increase of 15,361 parking fines issued by wardens – an 18.2% increase in a single year.

Meanwhile, fines issued by cameras are forecast to fall by 18,727, or approximately 21%.

Overall, the Council expects to issue slightly fewer fines next year. But the composition of those fines is changing considerably.

And that is where I think residents should be asking questions.

Why the distinction between fines matters

There is an important difference between the types of enforcement being carried out.

Camera-issued PCNs are generally associated with moving traffic offences, such as driving through a bus lane or a prohibited turn. These are often supported by photographic or video evidence.

Civil Enforcement Officers, meanwhile, issue fines for parking contraventions such as:

• Parking on double yellow lines.

• Parking on a pavement.

• Parking across a dropped kerb.

• Parking outside the markings of a parking bay.

• Parking where restrictions apply.

  
  

These are not necessarily straightforward cases. There can be questions about signage, road markings, exemptions, loading, observation periods and whether a vehicle was actually parked in contravention.

That does not mean wardens are getting things wrong. But it does mean that enforcement decisions can be more open to interpretation, and that makes the quality and consistency of enforcement particularly important.

An 18% increase in this category deserves proper scrutiny.

A significant number of fines are being challenged

One of the most concerning aspects of Havering's parking enforcement is the number of motorists who challenge their fines.

According to the figures in the report, nearly a third of PCNs challenged at the initial stage were successful.

That is a significant proportion, and the picture does not end there. Of the cases which progressed to an independent adjudicator, approximately 30% of appeals were allowed in favour of the motorist.

An independent adjudicator is effectively the final stage of the appeals process, where a motorist can have their case considered outside the Council itself.

A successful appeal means the PCN is cancelled.

There are legitimate reasons why a Council might cancel a fine or decide not to contest an appeal. But when so many motorists are successfully challenging enforcement decisions, it raises questions about whether the system is getting things right in the first place.

In theory, a higher number of successful appeals means more mistakes are being made by the council staff.

How does Havering compare with other London boroughs?

London Councils publishes annual enforcement and appeals statistics, allowing us to compare Havering with other local authorities.

The latest London-wide figures show that 10.2 million PCNs were issued across London during 2025/26, an increase of 7% on the previous year.

Meanwhile, appeals received by London Tribunals increased by 16.9%. That is a striking increase in challenges to enforcement across the capital. Havering's own performance isn't the worse, but it shows that there is huge room for improvement.

Havering parking appeals compared with other boroughs

London Tribunals – 2024/25 parking, bus lane and moving traffic appeal decisions

Borough	Appeals decided	Allowed	Motorist success rate
Hillingdon	172	143	83.1%
Redbridge	1,804	1,265	70.1%
Westminster	933	617	66.1%
Hounslow	362	239	66.0%
Havering	620	348	56.1%
Barking & Dagenham	740	384	51.9%
Newham	1,607	810	50.4%
Bromley	197	78	39.6%
Enfield	241	86	35.7%
Southwark	549	161	29.3%
London-wide	21,246	10,496	49.4%

In 2024/25, 56.1% of Havering's appeals to adjudicators were successful. In 2025/26, that figure fell to 38.4%, with 1,061 appeals allowed out of 2,763.

That is a significant improvement for the Council. However, more than one in three appeals reaching an adjudicator are still being allowed. This is a substantial proportion that deserves scrutiny, particularly as Havering forecasts an 18% increase in wardens' fines next year.

The financial cost and the bad debt provision

There is also a significant financial dimension to this.

Parking enforcement is not simply about issuing tickets. It involves the costs of enforcement officers, vehicles, cameras, back-office administration, processing challenges, considering appeals, and pursuing unpaid penalties.

And not every fine issued is actually collected. The Council's accounts include something called a bad debt provision. In simple terms, this is money the Council expects it will not be able to collect.

An increase in the bad debt provision can therefore be an important indicator of the financial risks associated with parking enforcement. It is not necessarily evidence of wrongdoing. But it does mean that residents should be asking whether the Council is making realistic assumptions about how much of its enforcement income it will actually collect.

And if the Council is issuing more fines, while also expecting a significant proportion of those fines to be challenged, cancelled or never paid, what does that mean for the overall cost of the service? How can they accurately budget?

Residents deserve a fair parking enforcement system

I have no problem with legitimate parking enforcement.

Parking on pavements, obstructing dropped kerbs and blocking access can cause genuine problems for residents, particularly disabled people and pedestrians.

But enforcement must be accurate, consistent and fair.

When Havering is forecasting almost 100,000 fines from wardens in a single year, alongside a substantial number of successful challenges, I think it is entirely reasonable to ask whether the Council is getting the balance right.

The figures deserve proper scrutiny.

Parking enforcement should be about protecting residents and keeping our streets accessible – not simply generating an ever-growing number of penalty notices.