Motorists have been warned to prepare for a wave of penalties as more congestion charges and Low Emission Zones slap drivers with fines.
It comes as new figures revealed that congestion fines have increased with the penalties now representing six per cent of all fines issued across major cities.
While the Congestion Charge is only active in London, other UK cities have implemented Clean Air Zones and Low Emission Zones, which aim to reduce the number of polluting vehicles allowed in areas.
Drivers who are caught breaching the zones can be slapped with daily charges, as experts warn that this can impact fleet operations since they rely on these key routes for work.
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Drivers have to pay a £15 daily fee for entering the London Congestion Charge
PA
In London, the Congestion Charge is a £15 daily fee for vehicles travelling through the city centre and is in place from 7am until 6pm between Monday and Friday, as wellas between 12pm and 6pm on the weekends and bank holidays.
Outside of London, Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) all have emission zones in operation.
On top of the fines for breaching emission rules, parking fines have been found to be the most common penalty issued to fleet operators, representing 52 per cent of all penalties issued.
According to the RAC, private parking companies are currently on course to issue nearly 14.5 million parking charges this year, with 7.2 million issued in the first half of the year already.
The Ulez is the UK's largest emissions-based charging zone PAFleet auctioneer Hudson Kapel has warnedthat the rise in Automatic Number Plate Recognition and AI-based systems by councils, retailers and private operators risks catching out more fleet operators with hefty penalties.
Matt Breeze, PCN operations lead at Hudson Kapel, explained that fleets must act "now to ensure they have robust fine management processes in place to deal with rising enforcement levels and congestion zones".
He said: "Although specific figures for fleet drivers are not separated nationally, it’s clear the overall environment is becoming more challenging. Fleets, often concentrated in urban areas where restrictions are tightest, are feeling the impact acutely.
"Our data underlines that fleets must be proactive in managing these risks, not only to control costs but to maintain compliance with standards."
Reports found that over 8.3 million fines were issued last year by local authorities, Transport for London and the London Lorry Control Scheme.
Meanwhile, parking fines rose by 11.2 per cent year-on-year, while moving traffic offences spiked by 8.5 per cent, according to Hudson Kapel.
Breeze added: "As urban areas continue to roll out and extend congestion and clean air zones, the burden on fleet operations will only grow.
"Fleet managers are urged to review their compliance strategies and explore solutions that provide real-time oversight and rapid fine handling to stay ahead of the curve."
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The Silvertown Tunnel is another toll drivers must pay to travel through London
TRANSPORT FOR LONDONAlongside paying the congestion fee, fleet operators will also be subject to toll charges in place across the UK, including the newly opened Silvertown Tunnel in London.
The new charges see large vans face tolls of £6.50 during peak times and £2.50 off-peak, while HGVs will be charged £10 during peak times and £5 off-peak.
