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Dear Sally,
In the summer of 2020, the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham put restricted access on the street in which I live via a “low-traffic neighbourhood”. Anyone who visits me, unless their vehicle is pre-registered, gets one or even two fines when visiting or delivering to me. Registering cars is a monumental pain, and it is just a money-making exercise for the council.
A builder and a therapist who came to my home were both fined. I even received one on my own borrowed car. Having written to the council to complain, I received no reply in six months, until I elevated it to my local MP, who was then told all the tickets I had complained about had been cancelled.
All except one – the builder, who has come to my home for many years, on and off. He has just received a doorstep visit from a debt collecting agency called Marston, now demanding more than £500. I called on his behalf to explain that the council had rescinded the ticket, but the firm was having none of it.
My builder has health issues, a family funeral this week, and nine months on is badly stressed by the continuous legal threats of fines and county court judgments. The most infuriating thing is you cannot get a name of who to write to, only a generic title, and they are using every trick in the book to ignore, procrastinate and deny.
AM, London
Sally says:
London’s neighbourhoods have long been clogged with traffic, much of it simply travelling through to other destinations, which can make life unbearable for those who live there due to the congestion, pollution, noise and the inability to park.
These LTN initiatives are being implemented across London’s boroughs and in other big cities to improve the situation without letting traffic grind to a complete halt. It is fair to say that most of these programmes are controversial and divide opinion, not least among the locals they are designed to benefit.
You explained that the road where you live, not far from the River Thames, has indeed benefited from the rat-run scheme that was introduced a year and a half ago, as traffic passing through has decreased, with some periods of the day, even at rush hour, leaving it almost deserted.
Number-plate recognition cameras were placed along the route to stop rat-running along your road, and others nearby, by drivers avoiding the busy main thoroughfare. Now, motorists are forced to take the main road, or pay penalties if they are caught on camera at any time of day or night.
Only visitors, tradesmen and taxis registered with the council can avoid the fines. Alternatively, they can access the affected roads by driving an inordinately long way round, which you point out wastes time and adds to pollution.
But while your property enjoys more peace and quiet, the scheme has caused those who visit you, even to make a delivery, extra admin and worry. You said that the app that is supposed to make registration easier doesn’t always work – meaning a fine of £130 (£65 if paid within 28 days) could be on its way, followed by an inevitable tug-of-war to appeal it.
