Keswick Town Council’s request for extra parking enforcement and higher penalty charges has been declined by Cumberland Council, which says it cannot unilaterally increase Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) levels because they are set nationally.
Town councillors raise concerns over stretched resources
At a Cumberland Council meeting held at the Civic Centre in Carlisle, Keswick town councillor Louise Dunn outlined the town council’s position: parking enforcement resource is thinly spread across a large geographical area, current fines are not deterring misuse, and a targeted trial of increased enforcement or higher fines would be welcome.
“Can more Cumberland resource be put into parking enforcement action in Keswick and the surrounding valleys, and parking fines increased? Current parking enforcement resource is inadequate and stretched across too large a geographical area.”
Councillor Dunn offered the town council’s support for assessing financial feasibility, assisting with recruitment of officers and online reporting, and said a trial would help determine what works.
Council response: limits set by national rules, but lobbying continues
Denise Rollo of Cumberland Council told the meeting that the council has no authority to raise the statutory levels of Penalty Charge Notices. Ms Rollo set out the current levels in use and said the council continues to work with national bodies to press for changes that would deter illegal parking.
She referenced recent lobbying efforts and a trial elsewhere: the council and the British Parking Association have pushed for higher PCN levels. Ms Rollo said a month-long trial in Bournemouth last August raised levels to those seen in London and that the Department for Transport is reviewing the outcomes.
| Offence tier | Current PCN | Early payment reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Lower tier | £50 | 50% (to £25) |
| Higher tier | £70 | 50% (to £35) |
What this means for Keswick
The council’s reply prompted disappointment from Ms Dunn, who said the local authority could nevertheless increase the number of tickets issued and has recently introduced new traffic regulation orders, refreshed double yellow lines and improved signage in some car parks to discourage overnight sleeping.
Those measures are intended to tackle specific issues such as drivers staying overnight in car parks, but they depend on enforcement capacity to be effective. Cumberland Council said it allocates enforcement staff according to demand and works with partners to direct resources where they are most needed.
Next steps and practical implications
For residents and visitors, the immediate practical position is unchanged: PCN levels remain governed by national rules, and reductions for prompt payment apply. Any increase in fines would require national approval or a broader policy change following trials and Department for Transport consideration.
- Keswick Town Council offered to help assess feasibility and assist with recruitment of enforcement officers.
- Cumberland Council cannot raise PCN amounts locally but can allocate more enforcement where pressure is greatest.
- Recent local measures include new traffic regulation orders, refreshed double yellow lines and improved car park signage about overnight sleeping.
The disagreement highlights a wider tension between local councils seeking stronger tools to manage visitor pressures and the limits placed on them by national rules. For now, residents will need to rely on targeted local measures and how effectively enforcement teams can be deployed across the Lake District's busy towns and valleys.
