Motorists who fail to pay parking tickets face having their cars seized in a "three strikes and you're out" rule.

The pilot scheme which is being held in Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hackney and Camden will start in January next year, promising misery for drivers who do not pay fines for three outstanding PCNs (penalty charge notices).

The scheme will start on January 4 and is due to last for six months as the councils look retrieve cash from persistent parking offenders.

Under the Local Authorities and Transport for London Act, Town Halls can seize the vehicle and hold it until the owners have coughed up for their fines.

Hammersmith and Fulham's Cllr Nick Botterill, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "This pilot scheme aims to tackle the serious issue of drivers persistently failing to pay their parking fines. We make no apology for doing all we can to recover outstanding parking revenue."

A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea confirmed the council will also be taking part in the pilot.
Driver' lobbies say councils frequently dither over appeals lodged by residents meaning PCNs can be accrued incorrectly.

Barry Segal, founder of parking campaign group AppealNow.com, told the BBC: "The problem is that when people lodge appeals often the councils don't register the appeals. So consequently, as far as the council is concerned, you haven't appealed, as far as you [are concerned] you have. With the issue of parking tickets by camera - and those tickets can get lost in the post - there is a grave danger that you will have three tickets outstanding and not know."