Council leader Ergin Erbil has welcomed news that 71% more PCNs for illegal parking were issued in 2025/26 compared to the previous year, reports James Cracknell

Enforcement of parking laws in Enfield has improved significantly over the past year, new figures show.

The number of penalty charge notices (PCNs) for parking violations in the borough has risen by 71% – from 71,005 fines in 2024/25 up to 121,429 fines for 2025/26.

This is according to data released following a Freedom of Information Act request by the Dispatch. Figures available through London Councils also confirm that the parking PCN total for Enfield in 2025/26 is higher than any year since London-wide data collection began in 2018/19.

At the beginning of last year, Dispatch readers were asked to send in their own evidence of illegal parking in their local areas, with 40 of the worst examples then published in the March 2025 issue, out of 150 submitted to the paper in total.

The widespread flouting of parking rules – particularly through parking on pavements, which create a safety hazard for pedestrians – was condemned at the time by council leader Ergin Erbil.

Cllr Erbil subsequently promised a crackdown on the problem, and instructed council parking contractor NSL to employ additional enforcement officers. NSL’s Enfield enforcement team was eventually expanded to 50 staff, up from 36 at the start of 2025.

The larger enforcement team has had the desired effect, with a big rise in the number of PCNs being issued. The number of impounded vehicles has also gone up, from 1,002 in 2024/25 to 1,081 in 2025/26.

Cllr Erbil has welcomed the news. He said: “If you push a pram, use a wheelchair, are elderly, or have mobility issues, you shouldn’t be forced to walk or be pushed into the road because of inconsiderate parking on pavements by inconsiderate drivers.

“I would like to pay tribute to our hard-working enforcement teams, who are working hard every day. We want safer and cleaner streets, and making sure our rules are enforced properly is a massive part of that.”

Both Enfield Labour and Enfield Conservatives are making further pledges to clamp down on illegal parking in their election manifestos, ahead of polling day on Thursday, 7th May.

Labour are committing to introduce “a dedicated parking enforcement team for each town centre” in Enfield, while the Tories want to implement “24-hour parking enforcement across the borough to keep our roads clear and safe”.

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