Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have been rising by 10% year-on-year according to new research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles*.

Councils have issued an average of 13,000 parking fines a year since 2015 – highlighting how the rules around loading bays are increasingly unclear for van drivers.

How to use loading bays

Legally, van drivers can stop at a loading bay to drop off or collect goods, but, the new statistics reveal, thousands don’t fully understand the rules.

Vehicles can use loading bays to collect or unload goods. A driver cannot just park and leave a van. If unavoidable, leave specific markings as to the intention of leaving the van (through the use of hazards, for example). And, an explanation where the goods are being loaded and unloaded.

Additionally, drivers are not permitted to stop in a loading bay without loading or unloading or to use it to wait for parking. It is also always essential to check the time restrictions within each loading bay as these vary from council to council. Loading bays are not for collecting or dropping off passengers. 

Avoid penalty charges with better data management

Read more here: https://www.myfleethub.co.uk/blog/penalty-charge-notices-and-how-to-avoid-them/16