Legal limit for PCN in London?

teamwork

Hi,
Can anyone help please?
I was issued a ticket for Contravention Code 99 (stopping on zigzag lines near a zebra crossing), with a fine of £160 payable within 28 days, issued by Barnet Council.

I just stopped outside a shop for literally 2 minutes at about 11pm by a corner shop where the road was very quiet but this Barnet council officer turned up very quickly. He didn't have time to take a photo so there's no photo evidence on their website. 

The same week there was was a flood in a tunnel at Brent Cross so I took a left turn to avoid being stuck in a traffic jam in the flooded tunnel. Turns out that there's a no left turn sign that I couldn't see as I believe it's obstructed and I was photographed. So I've received another PCN letter for £160. 

Both tickets are 50% off if paid within 14 days. I think I'm on my 12th day.

I asked chatgpt and it suggested that £160 is above the legal limit of £130. Can anyone please confirm this is correct? It seems like a very basic mistake for Barnet to make to issue tickets that are invalid because they are demanding a higher penalty than the legal limit.

Thanks in advance.

Ayr_Rage

£160 seems to be the new going rate.

https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/news-and-press-releases/2025/london-boroughs-raise-parking-and-traffic-pcn-levels-first-time-2011-0

Edit : Don't rely on AI

teamwork

Thank you Ayr-Rage. So seems that AI gets a lot of things wrong.

MyRealNameToo

teamwork said:

Hi,
Can anyone help please?
I was issued a ticket for Contravention Code 99 (stopping on zigzag lines near a zebra crossing), with a fine of £160 payable within 28 days, issued by Barnet Council.

I just stopped outside a shop for literally 2 minutes at about 11pm by a corner shop where the road was very quiet but this Barnet council officer turned up very quickly. He didn't have time to take a photo so there's no photo evidence on their website. 

The same week there was was a flood in a tunnel at Brent Cross so I took a left turn to avoid being stuck in a traffic jam in the flooded tunnel. Turns out that there's a no left turn sign that I couldn't see as I believe it's obstructed and I was photographed. So I've received another PCN letter for £160. 

Both tickets are 50% off if paid within 14 days. I think I'm on my 12th day.

I asked chatgpt and it suggested that £160 is above the legal limit of £130. Can anyone please confirm this is correct? It seems like a very basic mistake for Barnet to make to issue tickets that are invalid because they are demanding a higher penalty than the legal limit.

Thanks in advance.

There is no legal limit.

Outside of London it's down to the individual councils, there is a maximum they can go to on their own but they can apply to the secretary of state for transport to be allowed to go above them. The principle must be on preventing the problem not generating revenue. 

In Greater London the councils collectively set the rate with no recommended limits. The Major has to approve it and the  secretary of state for transport can object to the rate but doesnt have to approve it (effectively a veto). Councils have to publish the rates publicly