Low traffic zones cost London drivers £33m in fines in a year

Motorists in London were clobbered with more than £33million in fines over the last year for breaching new road rules as part of low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).

Exclusive figures show drivers were hit with more than 750,000 fines – or 80 every hour – after being caught by cameras policing the controversial schemes.

Some motorists have been ensnared multiple times while driving down streets that for years they were able to use unhindered.

Motoring groups said the figures were ‘just the tip of the iceberg’ because dozens more of the controversial car-free zones have been created outside of London.

More than 300 have been installed in the last two years or are in the pipeline across the UK.

The schemes include pop-up cycle lanes, wider pavements and closing streets to cars. The new rules are enforced using warning signs and CCTV cameras.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has handed town halls hundreds of millions of pounds for LTNs since the start of the pandemic, to encourage a long-term shift away from car travel towards walking and cycling.

London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan has also backed them, issuing guidance to the capital’s 32 town halls on how to create them.

The figures, obtained via Freedom of Information requests, show the borough of Southwark, which has three LTNs, issued the most fines – 127,350 worth £7.1million.

This was followed by Lambeth, which issued 116,869 fines worth £5.5million across its six LTNs, with Islington issuing 118,952 worth £4.5million for contraventions in its eight LTNs.

In total, 755,098 fines worth nearly £33.6million have been issued by London councils since April last year.

Critics have criticised the schemes for being poorly thought out and built at short notice with little consultation.

They also say traffic is simply pushed elsewhere, creating worse congestion and pollution on other main roads.

Jack Cousens, the AA’s roads policy chief, said; ‘While LTNs have been created with good intentions at heart, there is concern that it enables cash-strapped councils to rake in more money from residents and businesses.

‘Congestion and pollution has reduced within the LTN areas – but it has now displaced these issues on to main roads and in some cases made traffic worse as it funnels everything into few roads.’

Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, said: ‘The London Mayor’s ideological anti-driver crusade is further underlined by these vindictive fines on motorists and small businesses.

‘But they will be the tip of the iceberg given these schemes also exist in cities outside of London such as Birmingham and Oxford.

‘The cost-of-living crisis seems to have passed Mr Khan and [Transport Secretary] Grant Shapps by, as they continue to waste UK taxpayers cash in building these ineffective road blockades.’

Last week, it emerged even Green Party politicians standing in the local elections had admitted that the schemes can cause ‘more harm than good’.

And Tory candidates in 21 council areas placed 136 adverts on Facebook pledging to scrap LTNs or clean air zones – which charge motorists for driving through city centres in older cars – putting them at odds with Mr Shapps.

Dozens have been torn up after councils pressed ahead despite local opposition.

Wiltshire Council spent £412,000 on closing Salisbury city centre to through traffic in October 2020, but suspended the scheme ‘indefinitely’ after just two months following a backlash from local businesses.

A further two LTN schemes in the London borough of Redbridge cost £297,971 but were scrapped after little more than a month after residents complained. A further £29,762 was then spent returning the roads to normal.

Wakefield Council in West Yorkshire spent £40,000 installing and then reversing one LTN scheme, while Nottingham City Council spent £33,250 on two of them before deciding that the ‘application of temporary barriers was not entirely successful’ following a backlash.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Evidence shows the majority of people support traffic reduction measures.

‘However, local councils are responsible for individual schemes and must ensure they work for their community.’

A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said: ‘Councils have implemented low-traffic neighbourhoods for a variety of reasons, including responding to growing concerns that previously quiet and safe streets are turning into short cuts as a result of greater use of sat-navs.

‘Low traffic neighbourhoods do not exist to raise money but to make streets safer and give more people confidence to either walk or cycle to their destinations.’