Britons warned of fines doubling to £160 in major seaside parking crackdown at popular site

Drivers visiting one of the UK's most popular seaside destinations could face parking fines of up to £160 this summer after ministers approved a controversial crackdown on illegal parking.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has been permitted to run a second trial of higher parking penalties along its seafront.

The scheme will see fines for serious parking offences more than double from the standard £70 penalty to £160, although drivers who pay within 14 days will only pay £80.

The increased penalties will apply across 543 roads stretching from Sandbanks in Poole to Southbourne in Bournemouth.

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The Department for Transport approved the trial but imposed conditions on the council, ruling that there must be enough legal parking available and that visitors are clearly informed about the rules before enforcement begins.

A BCP Council spokesperson welcomed the decision, saying: "We are pleased that ministers have listened to our repeated calls, especially given the recent increase in illegal parking."

The council explained that tougher penalties are needed after last year's pilot scheme highlighted problems caused by badly parked vehicles.

During busy periods, cars were found blocking pavements, obstructing access routes, and even preventing emergency vehicles from reaching fire stations.

Under the new trial, lower-level parking offences such as overstaying in a parking bay or parking outside marked lines will carry a £110 fine, reduced to £55 if paid promptly.

Recovering a vehicle from the pound will cost £280, compared with the usual £105 fee.

Storage charges will also rise sharply from £12 to £55 per day, while motorists whose cars are wheel-clamped will have to pay a £100 release fee.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander criticised the council's handling of last year's trial and warned that improvements would be expected this time around.

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Councillor Richard Herrett, BCP Council's portfolio holder for road safety, defended the authority's work.

He said: "Last year, the secretary of state asked us to implement a nationally significant trial on 10 working days' notice, during which our officers worked tirelessly, and collaboratively, with officials from the Department for Transport."

Mr Herrett added that the council's approach had been recognised as best practice by other local authorities and industry experts.

According to figures submitted to the DfT, the council issued seven per cent fewer parking tickets during the trial month than in August 2024 despite similar weather conditions.

Bournemouth East MP Tom Hayes said residents were frustrated by visitors abandoning vehicles in inappropriate places.

He said people wanted "peace of mind in their communities" and were fed up with cars being left on roundabouts and along the seafront by drivers trying to shorten their walk to the beach.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We are 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.

"While we have agreed to the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council's trial in principle, this is still subject to further checks to ensure this is run fairly."

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