Drivers can be issued a PCN for many reasons, including parking offences, straying into bus lanes, or blocking a yellow box junction.
A bus lane on Great Victoria Street in Belfast city centre (Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)
Northern Ireland’s worst offending street has generated £8.4 million from Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) in a single year, new data reveals.
A new study, which looks at which streets in each UK council area has generated the most number of PCNs and income from drivers, found that some single streets are responsible for more than 50% of all penalties issued.
That’s according to new data obtained by Confused.com, through Freedom of Information requests to UK councils.
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According to the data, Great Victoria Street in Belfast city centre is revealed to have recorded the highest number of driving fines in Northern Ireland.
Drivers can be issued a PCN for various reasons, including parking offences, straying into bus lanes, or blocking a yellow box junction.
The financial year 2024/25 saw 6,449 PCNs distributed from offences on the road, mainly bus lane offences, according to the Department for Infrastructure. The total income generated from PCNs here was £8.4m.
The FoI request asked UK councils which single street in their authority area dished out the most fines during the last financial year.
The data reveals a staggering £42,194,821 was collected by councils for offences committed on the worst offending streets over the 12 month period.
Over half a billion pounds (£530m) was collected by councils in PCN fines over the 12 month period, with £42,194,821 collected from offences committed on the worst offending streets.
Corporation Street at Aston Road, Birmingham is revealed to have recorded the highest number of driving fines in the UK. The financial year 2024/25 saw 62,725 PCNs distributed from offences on the road, mostly from clean air offences.
Meanwhile, Station Parade in Barking and Dagenham Borough Council was revealed as the street that generated the highest income, raking in £2,030,242 in fines during this period.
Among the top 10 streets where drivers received the most PCNs, six cashed in more than £1m each in fines last year.
With councils collecting significant sums from parking and traffic fines, many drivers are questioning how fairly these penalties are being issued and reasons for this.
According to a new survey of 2,000 UK drivers, more than half (57%) of drivers have received a PCN and almost one in eight (12%) have received a PCN on the same street more than once.
Nearly half (48%) were penalised due to parking offences. These include parking on a yellow line, not paying for parking, or parking in a restricted area. More than half (57%) of drivers believe confusing or unclear signs and road markings make certain streets more likely to generate fines.
Matt Crole-Rees, motoring expert at Confused.com car insurance, says understanding Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) and knowing how to avoid or challenge them, helps keep everyone on the roads safe.
He said: “PCNs are a common concern for many drivers, particularly in busy towns and cities. While fines are meant to keep roads safe, our research shows a growing number of motorists feel the system isn’t always clear or fair.
“Confusing signage, changing road rules and limited parking all increase the chances of drivers being fined, particularly in busy areas. When restrictions aren’t easy to understand, it becomes harder for drivers to make confident decisions and avoid costly mistakes.
“If you receive a PCN, it’s worth taking the time to check whether it’s been issued correctly, as some fines can be challenged, particularly where signage or road markings are unclear.
“Our parking sign translator can also help drivers quickly understand what different signs mean, making it easier to know where they can and can’t park. Knowing how PCNs work and what to look out for can help drivers avoid paying more than necessary at a time when the cost of driving is already high.”
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