The council issued more than 74,000 fines in the past year
The junction of Irvine Street and Mount Vernon Road in Liverpool
One of the UK’s “most fined roads” can be found right here in Liverpool. The junction of Irvine Street and Mount Vernon Road in Edge Hill has been identified as among the most treacherous for careless drivers, who may find themselves falling foul of the rules of the road.
A total of 74,708 penalty charge notices (PCN) have been issued in the area in 2025/26 alone, generating £908,633 for Liverpool City Council. This makes the junction the second most fined road in the country, according to data collected by online marketplace NetVoucherCodes.
Information collected from 161 UK local authorities positioned Irvine Street and Mount Vernon Road as the second most likely place for motorists to receive a PCN due to illegal driving.
Only Corporation Street in Birmingham ranked higher on the list, with 100,985 PCNs being issued there by Birmingham City Council in 2025/26.
The number three spot was taken by Tottenham Court Road in Camden Town, where 59,329 PCNs were issued, generating a whopping £4,099,582 for Camden Council due to higher fines.
The top 15 “most fined” roads in the UK(Image: NetVoucherCodes)
With over 42 million people now holding a full driving licence, an all-time high according to the Driving Instructors Association, the UK’s roads have never been busier.
Millions of penalty charge notices are issued across the country every year, generating hundreds of millions of pounds for local councils.
In Liverpool, drivers risk picking up a PCN at the junction of Irvine Street and Mount Vernon Road by driving in the camera-enforced bus lane heading towards the city centre.
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: “Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have been issued on Irvine Street over the past year for a range of traffic and parking contraventions. These measures are in place to help keep roads safe, accessible, and moving efficiently for all users.
“There are double yellow lines along the road, where parking is prohibited except in a limited number of circumstances. The street also contains resident-only parking bays, which require a valid permit to be displayed.
“The bus lane is operational at all times, enabling bus services to avoid congestion and maintain reliable journey times. This is monitored using ANPR cameras and motorists who drive in the lane unlawfully will receive a PCN.
“We would remind all road users to check and follow local traffic restrictions, which are clearly indicated through road signs and road markings as well as the Highway Code. Failure to comply with these may result in enforcement action, including PCNs.
“Income generated through these measures is used to support the improvement of Liverpool’s transport and highway network, helping to ensure the city’s roads remain safe and accessible for all roads users.”
PCNs issued by Liverpool Council can be £70 or £50 depending on your offence, and must be paid within 28 days of being issued. However, if you pay within 14 days it will be reduced by 50% to £35 or £25 respectively.
People can challenge their PCN on several grounds, including:
The amount on the PCN is greater than the fine which is dueThe alleged bus lane or gate contravention did not occurThe police have already started criminal proceedingsThe vehicle owner was not the owner/keeper at the time of the contraventionThe vehicle owner is a hire firm, and the hirer signed an agreement accepting liability for PCNsThe vehicle was under control of vehicle traderThe driver had hired vehicle but had not signed for, or authorised anyone else to sign for, PCN liabilityThe vehicle was taken without the owner’s consent
People who fail to challenge or pay their PCNs may be issued with an order for recovery, a formal court demand sent when a unpaid PCN is registered as a debt.
When you receive the order for recovery, you can no longer appeal the charge. You can either pay the fine, or make a witness statement to the Traffic Enforcement Centre if:
you did not receive the PCN or notice to owneryou made representations but did not receive a responseyou made an appeal to TPT but did not receive a responseyou paid the PCN
In March this year, it was revealed that more than 85,000 fines had been issued in three years solely due to people illegally driving in bus lanes.
The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request by cinch, the UK’s biggest online used car retailer, show that Liverpool City Council issued 85,892 bus lane Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) between January 2023 and December 2025, generating £2,702,374 in revenue over the same period.
The data also revealed the biggest enforcement hotspot in the city. Ranelagh Street Bus Gate recorded the highest number of fines, with 71,012 PCNs issued between 2023 and 2025 – approximately 82.7% of all PCNs issued during this period.
Bus Gate on Ranelagh Street in Liverpool. Photo by Colin Lane
A Liverpool City Council spokesman said: “Bus lanes on key routes help get passengers around the city more quickly. It’s part of our drive to encourage people out of the car and on to public transport. All money raised is used to pay for enforcement or is reinvested in highways projects.”