An imminent increase in charge levels for Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) on red routes is “a fine on London business” according to Logistics UK.
Transport for London (TfL) announced earlier this week that it will increase the PCNs for red route contraventions from 17 January 2022, putting the charge up 23% from £130 to £160.
TfL said the penalty charge hasn’t been increased since 2011 and the rise, which is in line with inflation, comes after a public consultation was held last summer. It’s intended to increase compliance and reduce danger and traffic jams on red routes; a network of major roads that make up 5% of the capital’s streets, but carry up to 30% of traffic.
TfL data has revealed a 26% increase in the number of PCNs issued for parking, loading, bus lane and moving traffic offences between 2016 and 2019.
But Natalie Chapman, head of policy – south at Logistics UK, said that TfL had failed to identify in its research whether some businesses are receiving repeat fines due to the lack of safe and legal spots to load and unload deliveries that their livelihoods depend on.
She also warned that logistics businesses need road and kerbside access to deliver the essential items needed by businesses and consumers in the capital.
“Without road design in place that supports logistics, this charge level increase will not provide the deterrent TfL intends, it will simply penalise some essential delivery and servicing activities. The costs of doing business in the capital are increasing already across the board, for example, the Congestion Charge is not returning back to its lower pre-pandemic level as was expected; now is not the time to add yet another cost without a clear strategy, particularly while London and the rest of the UK recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.”
