Bristol City Council earned more than £47,000 in driving fines from just one road in the city last year. The council dished out 1,305 penalties to people for driving or parking illegally on Gloucester Road in the 2020/2021 financial year, racking up a total of £47,187, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by confused.com.
It makes the road the ninth most expensive street for fines in the United Kingdom outside of London. Topping the list outside of the capital was Stockport Road in Manchester, where £193,893 was earned from 5,258 penalty charge notices (PCNs).
And in London, the most expensive street was Browning Road in Newham, where the local council took a massive £3,316,255 from 67,557 tickets. Drivers could be issued a penalty charge notice for various reasons, including parking offences, straying into bus lanes or blocking a yellow box junction.
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According to research from confused.com, one in two motorists have received a PCN, and the average amount paid is £72. And a third of drivers think that councils make too much money from penalising drivers, according to the survey of 2,000 UK adults who drive.
The research also shows that 52 per cent of motorists who received a PCN for a parking offence appealed it- and more than seven in 10 who did were successful, with drivers either paying a reduced price or nothing at all.
Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at confused.com, said: “Just like many of our motoring bills, the cost of PCNs is an extra strain on the pockets of drivers. A third (33%) of drivers believe that councils should spend more money on making road signs clearer, so that drivers don’t have to fork out for unfair fines in the first place.
"In turn, this would make roads safer, drivers less confused, and help to reduce the cost of driving. Our research found that more than half (52%) of motorists who received a PCN for a parking offence have appealed it.
"But only a small number of drivers (6%) feel that their local council has an easy process to appeal a PCN fine. If you've received a PCN fine, you might be able to challenge the decision if you think it was unfair.
"The process may vary depending on your local authority, so it's important to check this before doing so. If you wish to challenge your fine, you should do so within 28 days. Our checklist offers further guidance on what to expect from the process and the type of evidence you may need in order to support your appeal.”
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