UK drivers warned of worst road for parking fines - with local council raking in £2.26MILLION in just two years

Parking fines are having a knock-on toll on local businesses.
Parking fines are having a knock-on toll on local businesses.
Liam McBurney
Ben Chapman

By Ben Chapman


Published: 09/01/2023

- 11:52

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 10:23

The number of tickets amounts to 44 every day, totalling £2.26million in the period leading up to July 2022

A road in London has proven hellish for motorists as it takes on the title of Britain’s worst street for parking, with a staggering 32,347 fines handed out out a two-year period.

The number of tickets amounts to 44 every day, totalling £2.26million in the two years leading up to July 2022.


Mare Street, which runs through the centre of Hackney, bears the unfortunate title.

The main road is known for its busy nature and assortment of pubs, shops and houses.

Shop owner Son Vo said the strict nature of the local parking restrictions is having a denigrating effect on businesses in the area.

“Our drivers have to risk getting a ticket to everything in the shop or have to park far away and we have to carry it over”, he said.

He said councils should show lenience in order to help businesses.

Charity shop manager, Calum, 29, feels the parking restrictions is having a debilitating effect on his business as people are put off visiting to donate items.

He told the Daily Mail: “The people want to donate lots of stuff it can be hard because they bring many bags of stuff that they have to walk with to bring it to the shop as they can’t park outside without risking getting fined.”

Quintos van Rooyen, a 34-year-old electrician, has spoken on an increase in fines across London, saying: “I have had more fines than ever since January last year.

Local business owners have called for more lenience.
Local business owners have called for more lenience.
Liam McBurney

“There is definitely an increased presence of wardens around London. I was around Chelsea the other day and could only park for two hours so I moved after the two hours were over.

“I only moved about two streets away and I saw three parking wardens.”

Chef Mikel Sans, who lives off the busy main road, revealed he sold his car due to frustrations on London roads.

The 59 year old said: “I had a car for a few years here, but sold it. It was too frustrating driving in London.

“There’s the traffic and then never anywhere to park.

“Here now as well there are so many bus lanes. My mum the other day was driving around here and got confused by the lanes. I’m not sure though if she was fined.”

Another road raking in significant funds from parking fines is Clapham Park Road in Lambeth, which raised £2.03million with 29,079 fines.

Millennium Way in Greenwich was ranked the third worst road for parking tickets, with 28,762 fines totalling £2.01million.

The data was compiled by AppyParking+, whose CEO Dan Hubert said: “Parking has become an increasingly stressful and complicated process for drivers – not knowing where is best for them to park, how long they can stay for, and also being charged significant fees for the privilege to park.

“This has become a significant problem for drivers in London, with certain areas racking up millions of pounds in fines each year, all at the expense of residents and visitors to the capital.

“We are all looking for ways to save vital pennies amid the ongoing cost of living crisis, and parking is one area where millions are getting wasted due to a lack of clarity and understanding of restrictions.

“It is also an issue of wasting time and fuel whilst searching for somewhere they know they can legally park – meaning more emissions and more pollution of our streets all because we don't know where is right to park.”

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