Fines issued to motorists surrounding the historic Goose Fair site have nearly doubled in 2025, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. The figures reveal a significant surge in parking enforcement, with 877 penalty notices handed out during the event this year—a stark contrast to the stable figures recorded in previous years.
Between 2022 and 2024, the number of fines issued remained relatively consistent. In 2022, there were 463 notices, followed by 469 in 2023 and 447 in 2024. However, 2025 saw a dramatic spike of nearly 96% compared to the previous year. As of 12 November 2025, these enforcement actions have generated £20,370 in revenue for the city council.
The local authority has attributed the sharp increase to a strategic shift in how the event is managed. A spokesperson for the council stated that the jump in fines “reflects a change in the event’s operating model,” though they declined to provide specific details regarding the nature of that change when pressed for clarification.
The council emphasized that the primary motivation behind the heightened enforcement was public safety and traffic management. “To support the safe operation of Goose Fair and ensure temporary parking restrictions are observed, additional staff have been trained to undertake parking enforcement duties throughout the event,” the spokesperson said. “This has increased our capacity to enforce restrictions that are put in place to manage traffic, maintain access for emergency services, and minimise disruption to local residents.”
The Goose Fair, one of the oldest and largest traveling funfairs in the UK, notoriously causes significant congestion in the areas surrounding its site. While local authorities have long implemented temporary parking restrictions to mitigate gridlock, the decision to deploy a larger, more active enforcement team in 2025 appears to have caught many attendees off-guard.
According to the council, the ramped-up approach was a direct response to historical feedback. “We recognise the impact that Goose Fair can have on nearby communities and have continued to review our arrangements based on feedback from previous years,” the spokesperson added.
Despite the council’s insistence that the measures were necessary for community welfare and emergency access, the sudden surge in revenue and the increased volume of fines have raised questions among local motorists. While the council maintains that the goal is to manage traffic and minimize disruption, the figures suggest that the 2025 event was policed with a significantly higher degree of scrutiny than in previous years.
As the council continues to refine its “operating model,” it remains to be seen whether this level of enforcement will become the new standard for the annual event, or if it was an experimental measure that will be adjusted following the feedback from this year’s record-breaking number of penalty notices.
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