Nice little earner (penalty charge notices in Dulwich)

[tomdhu]

Southwark Council has issued more than 22,000 penalty charge notices for driving through cameras in Dulwich between 11 January and 28 February. Assuming everyone paid early (?65), this equates to nearly ?1.5 million in fines.

(Source OneDulwich)

[sjsl]

Wow.. where did you get this figure from? My FOI request came up with nearly 9000 from when enforcement began (November?) to 29 January, so this would be a huge escalation - and proof that it's a signage issue rather than deliberate lawbreaking!

[Jules-and-Boo]

That's a lot.

Are the signs so poor that drivers have made an understandable error, or just drive regardless?

Surely if it's the former, at that scale of penalties, there is good reason to challenge them

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

An idea what happens when these traffic measures are proven in court to have been illegally implemented ?

I'm assuming that the councils that get caught out won't be rushing to issue refunds.

[Jules-and-Boo]

Why are they illegal?

[mrwb]

Doesn't surprise me... That is the point of LTN anyway right? Lambeth must also be raking it in from the ones around Streatham. It's like a maze and one wrong turn and you get fined.

Townley road must be a nice little earner for Southwark as well as all the other ones. See cars there every single day at the restricted times. People just don't get the signs.

[alex_b]

I?m confused, the planters are unacceptable because they permanently block the road preventing access at off peak hours and stopping emergency vehicles getting through, but camera controlled timed closures are a money making plot because drivers are too inattentive to read signs and incur fines.

[n dulwich northerner]

Stick an "and" where you wrote "but".

[Zak]

If there really have been 22,000 fines issued in six weeks, then I think it suggests that there's something lacking in connection with the signage.

For that many people to have driven through a prohibited road unknowlingly (one assumes),it must be the result of something more than simply their being inatttentive.

[malumbu]

Good on local authorities getting in money to spend on local amenities being funded by motorists ignoring restrictions. Sorry, but with all the bleating I had to post this.

[alex_b]

Zak Wrote:

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> For that many people to have driven through a

> prohibited road unknowlingly (one assumes),it must

> be the result of something more than simply their

> being inatttentive.

Do even 10% of cars obey the 20 limits across Southwark? I see at least a few drivers on a handheld mobile every time I go out. Drivers routinely ignore road rules and then complain about enforcement.

[n dulwich northerner]

They certainly should complain when they are misconceived and implemented. Using a handheld phone is another matter entirely.

[bobbsy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-56419277

Interesting report above.

Seems the "poor signange" has been replicated by other councils. Money spinner.

[Cora]

Definitely very poor signage. It is not just people 'ignoring restrictions'.

[Jellybeanz]

Cora Wrote:

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> Definitely very poor signage. It is not just

> people 'ignoring restrictions'.

Totally agree. If you've driven a route for many years why would you be looking out for new signs?

If you want to create a LTN block the road and stop large school coaches bussing in kids from all over to Alleyns not penalising local resident drivers.

Totally scandalous. Who can afford ?65 just for a simple mistake. I also disagree with posts above claiming people who speed are same as those mistakenly driving in a road where new restrictions have been applied for who knows what reason.

How is stopping drivers at certain times on Townley Rd helping decrease pollution? It's clearly nonsense and just a way of swindling drivers once again.

[tomskip]

A poster on the other thread about the fines in Dulwich Village has posted a copy of their letter with which they appealed the PCN and won and had it cancelled. It makes for excellent reading. Poster is called boomshake22. I recommend you read his/her letter if you need to appeal one of these PCNs.

[fishbiscuits]

I've obviously missed something. Not been driving much recently. What's the deal with Townley Road?

[KidKruger]

fishbiscuits Wrote:

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> I've obviously missed something. Not been driving

> much recently. What's the deal with Townley Road?

Restricted access by penalty charge notice contraventions.

[Jules-and-Boo]

have they stopped the school coaches parking and blocking the traffic?

[sweetgirl]

Just to make a point......

In the little research I have done, many people who live out of the area are supporting the LTN's & road closures!

Personally this is all nothing but a money spinner!

Not quite sure how money prevents pollution......

[creditwheredue]

Jules-and-Boo Wrote:

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> have they stopped the school coaches parking and

> blocking the traffic?

No, they?ve given them a free run by practically turning it into a one way street during rush hours, ironic when they were the cause of most of the congestion.

[Metallic]

sweetgirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Just to make a point......

> In the little research I have done, many people

> who live out of the area are supporting the LTN's

> & road closures!

>

> Personally this is all nothing but a money

> spinner!

> Not quite sure how money prevents pollution......

Research? Do share. I'm on a semi-closed off road. I hate it.

[freshtodulwich]

I have had two of them and both successfully been appealed.

They put those signs up when we were all meant to be at home.....

[Nicholas]

As a local driving instructor these new closures signage all around dulwich not only confusing very stressful at certain times of the day the traffic is terrible and it pushes the problem somewhere else. If the council thinks its greener I don?t know who advised them because in my eyes it makes things much worse. I?m all for less pollution and well thought out traffic calming etc. Maybe put parking fees all in Dulwich village permit parking just other day two rather large shiny 4by4?s so desperate to park as close as possible to Gales causing unnecessary traffic congestion!

[Eggybread]

Hi Freshdulwich. On what grounds did you successfully appeal please? My partner got two last week. We had no idea about the restrictions! And signs just not visible, plus dangerous actually after motorists turn!