Lambeth council has doubled the number of fines issued to motorists, amounting to £50 million, following the introduction of seven controversial low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs). The Telegraphhas the story.
Lambeth council handed out a record 392,341 penalty charge notices (PCNs) to drivers and motorcyclists who entered roads closed to motor traffic since the Government roll-out of LTNs in 2020.
If all those fines were paid at the full £130 rate, it would mean the South London council would have made more than £50 million in just four years.
The data, released following a Freedom of Information request to the Labour-run authority, show that between 2015 and 2018, before LTNs were introduced, there were no fines issued for vehicles entering roads closed to motorised traffic, known as Code 52M contraventions.
But with the roll-out of LTNs, the council has now issued a staggering 392,349 Code 52M fines from 2019 boosting the income from motorists.
That figure for just five years will soon dwarf the entire 403,755 fines issued for bus lane contraventions over nine years.
“Lambeth claims the receipts from LTN fines are ring-fenced in the transport budget,” he said. “But, there are no visible signs of any extra expenditure on the road network. In fact, there appears quite the opposite: potholes don’t get fixed, leaf mulch is still on the pavements and air quality monitors are conveniently failing when the results are too high.” …
Lambeth has built five permanent LTNs, in Oval and Stockwell, Railton, Ferndale, Tulse Hill and Streatham Hill. Two new LTN trials have also begun in Streatham Wells and Brixton Hill. …
Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said: “The eye-watering total of £51 million in fines suggests something is seriously awry in Lambeth as motorists don’t set out to break the rules and cost themselves money.
“We suspect poor signage must be to blame for this many drivers to be caught, so we urge the council to carry out a review as a matter of urgency.”
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