Wandsworth Council has decided to freeze parking charges for the upcoming year, acknowledging the financial pressures faced by residents due to the cost of living crisis. This decision follows a significant increase in parking charges two years prior, the impact of which contributed to the council's current move to ease financial strain on residents.
The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, 03 November 2025, where the annual review of fees and charges for 2026/27 was approved, according to the Statement of Decisions. While most fees will increase by the rate of inflation, parking charges will remain the same.
Councillor Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport, explained the rationale behind the decision: We did have a fairly significant increase in parking charges not last year, the year before, and we've decided that we will continue to freeze them in the coming year, you know, recognising the challenges people face with the cost of living.
She also noted that increased income from Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for parking violations contributed to the decision. The PCN fines that people who are charged when they commit an offence have been a parking violation, have been increased, so that has increased our parking income from those PCN charges, so we believe it's the right thing to do to continue to freeze parking charging this year, or next year.
