Staff parking fines covered by taxpayer's money in four London councils
The authorities also cracked down on illegal parking and raised higher penalties for the public
Four London councils have admitted paying off their staff's parking fines using taxpayers’ money.
Listen to this article
At the same time, the authorities in Hackney, Lewisham, Wandsworth and Croydon spent thousands of pounds over several years on road traffic fines and penalty charge notices (PCNs).
The four councils also supported higher fines for people who broke the rules.
Hackney council described its parking and enforcement plan as “undoubtedly our strongest yet”.
Read More: Burnham plans blitz of policy announcements from North Sea drilling to social care
Read More: Cheapest places for family holiday in Europe revealed
Hackney, which the Green Party took from Labour in May, spent £10,250 on 96 staff parking and traffic penalties over the past financial year, according to figures from The Telegraph.
The council’s head of transport told the newspaper that this was a “small fraction” of the charges handed out to public motorists.
Meanwhile, Lewisham council spent £15,350 on 40 PCNs given to its staff and contractors between May 2024 and December 2025. The council recently said they were “stepping up our crackdown” on abandoned vehicles.
In Wandsworth, £10,040 in staff and contractor PCNs and other penalties from January 2023 to March 2026 were settled using procurement cards.
A council officer said they were paid promptly to avoid late payment charges and to recover the money if a driver was at fault.
Last year, the council introduced higher London PCN charges to deter “dangerous and inconsiderate parking and driving”.
In Croydon, where £3,244 in parking fines and other vehicle penalties were settled using taxpayers’ money, the borough’s Conservative mayor, last year, launched a crackdown on illegally abandoned cars.
“Croydon will no longer be seen as a soft touch or a place where people can commit antisocial acts without consequence,” Jason Perry said.
The figures cover January 2023 to March 2025, the latest period available in Croydon.
In Hackney, £6,060 of the £10,250 spent on PCNs and related charges went to Transport for London (TfL), and £3,215 was used to pay fines and charges issued by Waltham Forest enforcement teams.
Councillor Jacob Cable, cabinet member for climate, clean air, energy and transport, said: “The Council’s drivers are personally responsible for paying [PCNs] ... incurred during their work".
They are not "passed on to the taxpayer," he added.
“The £10,000 figure represents a small fraction of the total PCNs during that period, with 96 per cent of fines paid by drivers personally”.
In Croydon, a council spokesman said, “Where a PCN has been received and paid by the council, this is with consideration to the reasons and in discussion with the driver. We take our budget responsibilities seriously, ensuring spend is kept to a minimum and only where necessary".