The London Borough of Harrow is seeking public input on a change to parking fines in the borough.
Currently, Harrow operates under Band B Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), but the council is contemplating a move to the higher Band A tariffs.
These Bands, regulated by “London Councils” and approved by the Mayor of London and the Secretary State for Transport, are pivotal in shaping parking regulations across the city.
The consultation period, spanning from 00:01 on September 29th to 23:59 on November 12th, aims to gather community opinions on this proposed adjustment.
Harrow Council believes that upgrading to Band A PCNs, which would entail fines of £130 for higher offences and £80 for lower offences (with a 50% discount if paid promptly), will act as a more effective deterrent against nuisance parking.
The existing fines under Band B stand at £110 for higher offences and £60 for lower offenses.
It’s important to note that these proposed changes only pertain to stationary parking violations. Moving traffic contraventions, which already incur higher fines, will remain unaffected by this proposal.
Harrow Council has emphasised that their decision-making process is independent of the ongoing consultations by London Councils, which might lead to the complete withdrawal of Band B fines citywide.
In a statement shared through the MyHarrow Newsletter, Harrow Council urged residents to participate in the consultation. They said, “If you park inconsiderately in Harrow, you could get a fine of up to £110. That’s for things like parking on school keep clear lines, double parking, or parking on a grass verge.
“We’re currently considering putting that up to £130, because evidence from other boroughs shows this higher penalty has decreased the number of incidents occurring (and consequently the money generated).
“You’d still get the 50% reduction if you paid promptly. Our consultation runs for six weeks until 12 November.”
For further info, check out the Harrow Council website MyHarrow Talk page.
