Wardens help drivers to avoid fines in green transport areas

TRAFFIC wardens are patrolling newly closed roads to stop motorists being fined, prompting claims a council is trying to prevent a backlash by affluent residents against Grant Shapps’s “green transport revolution”.

Islington council has dispatched teams of parking enforcement officers to warn drivers that new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed on roads now shut to traffic.

Councils across the country have made millions from fixed penalties after creating new cul-de-sacs as part of the Transport Secretary’s low-traffic neighbourhood schemes, designed to promote cycling and walking.

But campaigners who claim road closures increase pollution and just shift traffic elsewhere say they are “amazed” wardens who normally issue tickets are stopping motorists from being fined.

Jody Graber, from the We Are Islington group fighting low-traffic neighbourhoods in north London, criticised the move as an attempt to try to avert opposition from those living in the most affluent areas of the borough.

Mr Graber, 41, said members of his group visited a number of streets in Highbury West last week where the council had just closed roads.

“We saw so many cars driving through unaware they had triggered a fine that we started stopping traffic to explain the road was now closed,” he said. “We stopped about £15,000 tickets being issued in one hour. The next day we went along again but discovered the council had sent traffic wardens to warn motorists about the closed roads.

“We were amazed. I thought their job was to issue tickets. We have to ask why they are doing this in affluent areas like this – is it because the council doesn’t want to upset the well-to-do residents?

“We’ve not seen traffic wardens warning people in less well-off areas about the risk of fines.”

A council spokesman said it would take motorists, pedestrians and cyclists time to get used to the changes in Highbury West. Extra signs and teams of traffic warden were deployed to try to “increase compliance”, he added.

He added: “Many of the motorists approached by wardens in Highbury West will inevitably be non-local residents who are attempting to cut through. Traffic wardens were used in a similar way following the implementation of the Canonbury East peoplefriendly streets neighbourhood.”

Councillor Rowena Champion blamed satnavs for “directing traffic through residential areas” and causing more traffic, pollution and road danger.

“People-friendly streets are designed to address this situation, and to help the borough respond effectively to the continued fall in public transport capacity during the pandemic,” she said.

“The Highbury West people-friendly streets neighbourhood will help to create a safer, greener, healthier Islington where everyone, regardless of income, is able to travel safely and easily.”

Statistics released under Freedom of Information laws reveal 5, 920 tickets were issued in just over a month by five ANPR cameras in the west London borough of Ealing.

The fixed penalties, potentially raising more than £750,000, were sent out after roads were closed when a series of low-traffic neighbourhoods were introduced.