Income from parking fines in Enfield rises by £2.75m amid ongoing crackdown

The council issued tens of thousands of extra fines to drivers breaking the borough’s parking rules last year, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter, and James Cracknell

Drivers parking on cycle lanes remains a common sight across Enfield

Enfield Council says it has “contributed to a positive change in driver behaviour” in the borough through its enforcement activities.

This, the local authority claims, has also been reflected by a 20% boost in income from its parking services, which includes issuing fines as well as permits and parking charges.

The findings came as part of a recent council report assessing the impacts of changes to its parking and enforcement practices.

Overall profit achieved by the local authority’s parking services rose by £1.7million during the 2025/26 financial year ending in April.

On-street parking enforcement, the main source of the service’s income, was a key driver behind the recent financial upturn. The council received an extra £2.75m from issuing penalty charge notices (PCNs) last year, around 25% more than it did over the same period in 2024/25.

Some of this profit was offset by increased spending on its on-street enforcement, which rose by 17% to reach nearly £8.4m in 2025/26.

The local authority says the past year saw a “significant review and enhancement” of its civil enforcement team, with “increased visibility” of civil enforcement officers contributing “to a positive change in driver behaviour across the borough”.

Civil enforcement officers are tasked with applying the council’s parking restrictions. The local authority’s report found that, previously, an average of between 14 to 16 officers would be deployed between Monday to Saturday.

The council says the service “now regularly deploys up to 30” of these staff daily, “substantially strengthening its ability to monitor parking restrictions, respond to local issues, and maintain a visible enforcement presence”.

In April, the Dispatch revealed that the number of PCNs for parking violations in the borough had risen by 71% – from 71,005 fines in 2024/25 up to 121,429 fines for 2025/26. This figure was higher than any year since London-wide data collection began in 2018/19.

Back in March 2025, Dispatch readers sent in 150 examples of illegal parking to the paper. The widespread flouting of parking rules – particularly through parking on pavements – was condemned at the time by then-council leader Ergin Erbil.

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

In the recent report, the council claims its analysis also indicates a “notable shift” as a result of its cashless parking systems, “suggesting that motorists are increasingly choosing to park compliantly and pay for parking where required rather than risk receiving a penalty charge notice (PCN)”.

Overall, the council believes its “enhanced enforcement approach” has “generated positive feedback from residents and local communities”. This praise, it says, is largely due to an “increased focus” on footway parking and vehicles obstructing pedestrian routes.

“Such parking behaviour can significantly impact accessibility for wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments, parents with pushchairs, and other vulnerable pedestrians,” the local authority notes.

The council argues that its parking services play “a vital role in supporting the safe and efficient movement of people and vehicles, helping to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and maintain access for all road users”.

Explaining this view, the council report said effective parking management “encourages the turnover of parking spaces, supporting local businesses by improving customer access to town centres and commercial areas”.

At a cabinet meeting earlier this month, the council’s Conservative minority administration agreed to push ahead with plans to offer 30 minutes of free parking per vehicle per day. Council leader Alessandro Georgiou said that, if a positive response is received from a public consultation, the policy could “go live” at the end of November.

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

ACT NOW!

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.