Motorists could soon face even greater parking fines, according to fresh reports, as Labour plans to hand powers to councils to hike costs.
Local authorities could soon be given new powers to increase parking fines from current levels of £70 to as much as £160.
Ministers are reportedly considering increasing parking charges following a trial scheme that increased the rate to £160, the Daily Mail reported.
There have long been calls for the Government to hike the price of fines, as the current charges for motorists are not seen as a suitable enough deterrent.
London currently has the most expensive parking penalties, which can range from a maximum of £140 in Band B boroughs and £160 in Band A boroughs.
Higher-level penalties apply to more serious offences, such as parking on yellow lines or causing an obstruction, while lower-level fines apply to overstaying in a pay-and-display space.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council launched a trial in August 2025 between Sandbanks and Southbourne, which tested whether higher fines reduced illegal and irresponsible parking along the seafront.
Data from the trial showed that the more expensive fines led to a drop in illegal parking, with the council stating that obstructive parking "fell significantly", making roads easier to navigate for public transport and residents.
Drivers could soon be slapped with a £160 parking fine under new Labour plans
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BCP Council shared the findings of the trial with the Department for Transport and noted that the local authority would decide whether to introduce the higher fines permanently.
Crucially, it highlighted that there was no evidence of reduced visitor numbers to the tourist hotspot, "supporting the feasibility of adopting higher PCN levels".
The cost of penalty charge notices has not changed for motorists since 2008, with many calling for stronger deterrents to keep roads safe for all users.
However, Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden explained that a one-month trial in Bournemouth was not enough evidence to support nationwide changes.
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A trial scheme in Bournemouth found that higher fines decreased the amount of parking offences
| GETTYHe told the Daily Mail: "This is entirely about raising revenue and raiding drivers. Drivers deserve better than being picked clean on the basis of four weeks in Bournemouth.
"Conservatives will always stand up for drivers. Labour and the Liberal Democrats will always find a new way to fleece them."
Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, also slammed the suggestions that parking fines would be increased, questioning why Labour "hates drivers so much".
Labour recently confirmed that it would ban pavement parking and issue drivers with fines for clogging up walkways in a move to protect pedestrians and those with sight loss.
Drivers can be fined up to £160 for parking offences in London
| GETTYDespite this, any change in the cost of parking penalty charge notices across the UK could attract strong condemnation against the Government.
Edmund King, President of the AA, described the proposals as a "crazy situation", noting that an elderly driver who does not understand parking rules would be fined more than a shoplifter.
He accused cash-strapped local authorities of using parking as a tool to boost revenue and fill any funding black holes they may be dealing with.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "We are a Government firmly on the side of drivers and we fully expect councils only to use penalty charge notices as a deterrent for law-breaking - not as a way to raise funds."