THE number of parking and bus lane fines handed out to drivers has fallen in the last financial year, according to London Councils.

Figures from the organisation representing the capital’s local authorities show 80,512 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were issued in the borough during the 2008/09 financial year, compared to 82,209 tickets in the previous 12 months.

Chairman of London Council's transport and environment committee, Councillor Mike Fisher, said: "It appears that people are beginning to heed the warnings that if they break the rules they will get a ticket.

"At the same time, councils are successfully making more efforts to focus their activities on parking contraventions that matter most while spending less time penalising minor cases such as overstaying on a meter for a few minutes.

"These figures also show that the capital's award winning two tier parking system is continuing to successfully target drivers causing the most disruption to other road users."

He added: "This can only help everyone travel across the capital safely and smoothly."

The latest figures show that a total of 5,466,219 PCNs were issued by the capital’s councils and Transport for London in 2008/09 - a reduction of 710,533 from the previous year.