More than 160,000 fines handed out for misuse of EV charging bays

Over 161,000 fines have been handed out to drivers found to be misusing electric vehicle (EV) charging bays across the United Kingdom since 2020, according to new research from British online used car retailer Cinch.

Based on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to upper tier local authorities across the UK, research from Cinch shows that fines issued to drivers for misusing EV charging bays have increased each year since 2020 and might be on track to do so again this year.

Cinch submitted FOI requests to all 218 upper tier local authorities in the UK and received 194 responses. The data revealed that some local authorities are issuing thousands of fines to drivers parking without charging, while other councils aren’t enforcing the rules at all.

Since 2020, these fines have steadily increased, from 8,642 reported in 2020, to 13,588 in 2021(up 57.2 per cent), 22,251 in 2022 (up 63.8 per cent), 32,368 in 2023 (up 45.5 per cent), and 46,128 in 2024 (up 42.6 per cent).

Through the first eight months of 2025, the number of fines had already reached 38,326, which would put the number of fines by the end of the year on track to reach over 57,000, an increase in the range of 23 per cent.

For the top 10 British councils issuing fines, see the list below.

Despite the rapid increase in fines being issued, Cinch nevertheless concluded that only a “handful” of councils have taken “real action to deter misuse”, with most councils issuing “little or no penalties”, serving to highlight “a widespread lack of enforcement across the UK.”

Analysis by Cinch suggests that enforcement of EV charging bay misuse is improving, but inconsistent rules and unclear signage are still creating problems.

Establishing more consistent policies and better public awareness could help make charging simpler and fairer for everyone, according to Ben Welham, Cinch’s motoring expert.

“As the number of EV parking bays increases to meet demand, it’s key that councils manage misuse. Otherwise, there’s a risk of charging infrastructure being overwhelmed or drivers being turned off going electric.”

Top 10 councils issuing the most fines for EV bay misuse (2020–2025)

• • Newcastle upon Tyne City Council – 19,404 fines
  • Coventry City Council – 15,261 fines
  • Westminster City Council – 13,511 fines
  • Surrey County Council – 5,740 fines
  • Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council – 5,366 fines
  • Camden Borough Council – 5,301 fines
  • Ealing Borough Council – 5,250 fines
  • Haringey Borough Council – 5,121 fines
  • Wandsworth Borough Council – 4,465 fines
  • Bexley Borough Council – 4,330 fines