Friday, 20 Sep 2024

Locals livid as one traffic camera rakes in nearly £1million in fines in 2 years

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A London council has collected nearly £1million in £130 fines – and drivers aren't happy.

The camera was installed in Islington, north London, to stop people from driving in 'low-traffic neighbourhood', a controversial initiative rolled out across various parts of the UK.

But motorists are livid, as they claim the camera isn't obvious enough.

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One enraged driver remarked: "I had no idea it was there because the setting of the planters [on the road] was so wide and the signage so high."

But Islington Council’s transport spokesman Rowena Champion defended the camera and the low-traffic neighbourhood, saying: “We’re committed to creating a cleaner, greener, healthier borough, where it is easier for everyone to travel.

“We work hard to make sure signage is adequate, unambiguous and compliant with regulations, to provide advance warning for drivers.

"Through the people-friendly streets programme, the council is making it easier for the 70 percent of households that do not own a car to walk, cycle, scoot and use buggies and wheelchairs."

Over the course of 18 months the council has collected a whopping £900,000 in fines since the camera was put up in 2021, a Freedom of Information request revealed.

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And although low-traffic neighbourhoods have been touted as a great way of controlling air quality in major cities, even some politicians have slammed the camera.

President of Islington Conservatives Rakhia Ismail told the Sun : "To make that amount of money from just one camera, especially in the middle of a cost of living crisis, is really shameful.

"They are picking the pockets of vulnerable residents who are already struggling.

"They are just interested in the money, not how it affects local people."

This news comes shortly after AA publicly busted myths on how speed cameras work, advising drivers "you shouldn't be trying to avoid getting caught", GloucestershireLive reports.

In a statement that applies to Islington Council's controversial camera, they added: "Just because you didn’t see a speed camera clearly doesn’t mean the fine is invalid. They aren't there to be spotted and dodged".

The motoring association said: "It's safer for everyone to stick to the limits – and the law – by not speeding in the first place."

Another myth the AA debunked was the belief drivers can fool speed cameras by changing lanes.

"While older speed cameras could’ve been ‘tricked’, more advanced cameras now use multiple sets of cameras at each point to track all the lanes and compare average speeds," the AA said.

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