Kingston Council made £525,000 in a WEEK from new traffic restriction

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A London council has made over £500,000 in just one week from a new traffic restriction.

Temporary bollards and signposts went up on earlier this year as part of a trial traffic-calming measure for a proposed cycling route.

But a letter sent to councillors revealed that 8,055 penalty charge notices were issued between November 14 and November 20 - totalling at least £525,000.

The traffic restrictions were set up by Kingston Council, south west London, and restrict usage of the road to buses, taxis and for access only.

Drivers passing through the bollards will receive a minimum fine of £65, with charges reaching £195 if not paid within 28 days.

Residents have criticised the unfair measures, claiming motorists are unaware of the new restrictions and the ensuing fine.

Roger Marlow, 74, from East Molesey, was fined after driving through the bollards to reach his bridge club last month.

He said: “I went through there and got a £65 ticket.

“When I went this week I flagged down a number of cars who didn’t know not to go through there.

“They must be making an absolute fortune, it must be a money making machine.

“At least eight or nine cars went through - there are some notices but there hasn’t been a consultation.”

Tony Edmonds, 57, who lives nearby, said: “I spoke to the council and they said they’re getting a lot of complaints about it.

“They said around 5,500 warning notices had been given out.

“That means people don’t understand the signage.”

Kingston Council issued 5,482 warning notices to drivers passing through the bollards before “live enforcement” of the restrictions began on November 14.

The council is trialling only allowing cyclists and buses to use the road as a cut through as part of their mini-Holland proposals, which hope to build European-style cycle tracks across the borough as part of a £33m scheme.

Liberal Democrat leader Liz Green said: “It’s a scary amount of money.

“The whole thing from start to finish has been badly implemented - it’s just a disaster.

“There is just a plethora of signs. There was no consultation, there was no chance to object.”

The council says on its website that money raised through fines will be ring-fenced for transportation services and the trial is not a “money making scheme”.

A Kingston Council spokeswoman said: “In order to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, we are conducting a trial road closure which is aimed at reducing traffic.

“The council has been monitoring traffic flows, and following a lengthy bedding in process, which included the installation of cameras and the issuing of warning notices, has started issuing fines to motorists who fail to comply with the closure.

“Over the next few months the council will be measuring the actual impacts of traffic flow and congestion on neighbouring roads and will subsequently carry out consultation on whether or not to make the scheme permanent.”