Run Out of Money? Tax Car Owners.
Newham has perfected its new source of income generation. NE Londoner reported that Newham was second, only to Westminster, in the number PCNs issued in London. These PCNs brought in some £21.5m between 2023-24. Two thirds of these were for parking offences.
But it was in the number of cars ‘lifted’ that we see the scandal.
The top performer, for tickets issued was Westminster Council (469,204)which ‘lifted’ no cars. Zero. Zilch.
Newham issued 439,131 vehicles and ‘lifted’ 8,416 more than twice the number of the nearest other council.
At around £280 per time, that equates to around £2.3m just from lifting vehicles in the borough (plus parking fine, plus fees for storage).
Social media is awash with complaints of the allegation that Newham issues tickets and immediately lifts vehicles. It has led some residents to describe this as a “racket”. More soberly, we might view it as a source of unrestricted income, or a surrogate tax on motorists.
There could be little complaint if vehicles were lifted because they were dangerously parked or blocked a junction. That is not the case.
It seems undeniable that Mayor Fiaz will do anything to raise funds to offset her own financial failings. Newham is a clear outlier ‘lifting’ almost as many cars as the other nine top PCN issuing councils in London.
NEL note that back in 2021 Newham were dubbed the nation’s parking fine capital. Since she took office, the number of fines and the level of income has more than doubled. NEL describe Newham as “the harshest traffic authority in London”.
Newham Labour have promoted a ‘caring’ narrative. Their actions belie the narrative.
To describe their behaviour as egregious seems incontestable. As to whether it is an unlawful abuse of power is for those of a more legal mind to judge.
NEL notes the work of a Mr Ivan Murray-Smith. Mr Murray-Smith seems to have a speciality challenging traffic offences. His work uncovered over 800 wrongfully issued parking tickets by Newham. There is, it seems a problem, but there is no incentive to fix it he noted. A “broken system” makes them money.
People generally pay the fine rather than contest it, sometimes to avoid the hassle, often fearing a doubling of the fine. Even if they lose a few cases on appeal, only 0.6% of PCNs were appealed which hardly makes a dent.
It may be that we see a return of a motorists’ action group which will contest thousands of PCNs, or, more likely add to the range of opposition to Newham Labour in May 2026. There may be some wards where a MAG candidate would be more popular than some of the other opposition parties, campaigning say for a “fair parking system”, not a system “run as a business”.
Come to think of it, that sounds vaguely familiar. Surely there is an influential elected person who echoes those views.