Driving fines surge as city’s Labour council bags record £2.38 million in just one year – with Tavistock Road named top ticketing hotspot

The number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs, or fines) issued by Labour-controlled Plymouth City Council for bad parking or driving in bus lanes has jumped by half in just two years, to stand at 78,808 fines in the most recent financial year (the year from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025), according to figures obtained by Plymouth Liberal Democrats using the Freedom of Information Act.

Over the same period, the annual income generated by the fines leapt by £688,136 to £2.38 million. Both the number of fines and the money collected are now at record levels.

Tavistock Road was way out in front as the council’s top money-spinner, with 3,155 fines during the most recent year. Those tickets pulled in £106,901 of income, well over double the amount collected from any other location in the city.

Put together, the top 10 hotspots for parking and bus lane fines saw 14,530 PCNs issued in the most recent year, just under one in five of all fines citywide. In total, the 10 top hotspots brought in £415,811 of income to the council.

Five of the 10 most heavily ticketed areas were council car parks. In total, they saw 6,606 fines issued, adding £159,570 to council coffers.

Top among them was the Theatre Royal Car Park, in the city centre, which saw the second-highest number of fines during the last year (1,697), second only to Tavistock Road. The other car parks in the top 10 were Colin Campbell Court Car Park (1,412 fines), Mayflower Street East Car Park (1,271 fines), Regent Street Car Park (1,126 fines), and Plymstock Broadway Car Park (1,100 fines).

Other ticketing blackspots included Embankment Road, where one camera helped issue 1,441 fines, Union Street (1,208 fines), New George Street (1,107 fines) and Bravo Way, in the north of the city, with 1,013 fines.

Commenting on the figures obtained by his party, Chair of Plymouth Liberal Democrats Stuart Bonar said, “Clearly, people should drive and park within the rules, and if someone doesn’t do that they are open to being ticketed and fined. But equally clearly the aim should be to discourage poor driving and if the number of fines here in the city is up by half in just two years and at a record high then the council is failing to do that.

“We need to see better, clearer signage. Perhaps in the car park hotspots, the council could display how many tickets have been issued in that car park in the past year as a reminder to drivers to make doubly sure they are obeying the rules.

“The council should also check where road markings have become worn and less visible and need repainting. They should do more to speak with drivers too, to identify places where restrictions are unclear.

“It is one of the council’s jobs to help us all get around as quickly and as safely as possible, whether that is by car, by bus, by bike, by foot, or whatever. Yes, those who break the rules leave themselves open to getting fined. But when the fines are skyrocketing, there is surely much more the council can do to help drivers stay within the rules. Thankfully with the £2.38m they pulled in last year, they have some cash to help them do just that.”