One motorist received more than 100 fines for illegal parking in Bedford High Street last year – and Bedford Borough Council has promised that selfish drivers will continue to be punished.
The car received 102 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) between January and September 2025 and has racked up fines worth approximately £7,140.
Bedford Borough Council is part of the National Persistent Evader Database, a UK-wide system that aggregates data on vehicles repeatedly evading parking fines, tolls, or lacking tax, MOT or insurance. It helps local councils and enforcement agencies identify persistent offenders early, reducing unpaid debt and tackle anti-social or unsafe use of vehicles.
Councillor Nicky Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment said; “We have a zero-tolerance approach to people who park illegally.
“Illegal parking causes congestion for other drivers, reduces accessibility for emergency services and pedestrians, and inconveniences residents and businesses. I’m sure a lot of people have parked illegally at some point – but doing so 100 times in one year is nothing but selfish.
“When a PCN is not paid, we will pass this over to our Enforcement Agents to recover the monies. Repeat offenders will be reported to the police as there is a likelihood of the vehicle or owner being linked to other criminal activities.”
She added; “Once this owner is traced they will find themselves heavily out of pocket, when all they needed to do was follow the same rules as everyone else.
“Don’t be a selfish driver: Be smart, and park smart.”