Lambeth Council is planning to dramatically increase cashless parking charges across the borough, with some tariffs rising by as much as 49 per cent — a move that will raise an estimated £2.82 million a year in additional income.
The decision, due to be signed off by Labour Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport, Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, will see higher charges introduced from February 2026 using delegated powers, with no full public consultation.
Council papers show that the steepest increases will apply in Central Lambeth and council-run car parks, including Brixton’s Popes Road car park, where charges will rise between 28 and 49 per cent depending on duration.
Diesel vehicle owners are set to be hit particularly hard, with already higher diesel surcharges also increasing under the new pricing structure.
In some locations, diesel drivers will face hourly charges approaching £20 an hour, with the highest tariffs in Waterloo climbing to more than £27 per hour.
The report justifies the diesel premium on air quality grounds, but critics are likely to argue that the combined effect amounts to a double penalty, particularly for tradespeople and residents with limited alternatives.
The most eye-catching increases are in Waterloo, where parking charges are already among the highest in the borough.
Under the proposals, top-band charges in Waterloo will rise sharply, a move the Council argues is about managing demand and reducing congestion in a high-pressure area.
However, the scale of the increases is likely to fuel claims that the zone is being treated as a cash cow, with visitors, tourists and occasional users bearing the brunt.
While the Council insists parking charges cannot legally be set simply to raise revenue, the report makes clear the changes will deliver a multi-million-pound boost to Lambeth’s finances at a time when the authority is grappling with serious budget pressures.
According to the report, the revised tariffs will generate £2.82 million in additional annual income, taking total projected parking revenue to £11.86 million in 2026/27, based on current usage levels.
Despite the scale of the increases, the Council says no statutory consultation is required. Instead, drivers will be notified through legal notices, press adverts, and updates on parking apps just weeks before the changes take effect.
The report argues that higher charges will reduce car use, cut emissions, and encourage walking, cycling and public transport, aligning with Lambeth’s Net Zero 2030 commitments.
With charges rising fastest in busy, visitor-heavy areas and diesel drivers facing the sharpest costs, opponents are expected to question whether the policy is really about behaviour change — or about plugging budget gaps.
The final decision now rests with Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, whose sign-off will lock in some of the largest parking charge increases seen in the borough for years.
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